A little support can be of great help

A woman making an attractive piece of handicraft depicting Royal Bengal tiger at Rishilpi training centre in Satkhira. PHOTO: STAR

This has been proved by women in Binerpota village in Sadar upazila. They are making fashionable handicrafts with wheat straw, which was useless earlier and used as fuel for cooking.

A local NGORishilpi--run by two Italians initiated the laudable handicraft project. Enzo Falcone and Laura Melano trained the destitute women, who are not only self-reliant now but also earning foreign currency for the country by utilising the commonly available straw.

Initially, Rishilpi selected 10 ultra poor women who were trained by Enzo Falcone and Laura.

Widows, women from landless and erosion-hit families, physically challenged and housewives having poor and ailing husbands were given preference. Later, another 28 women joined them.

Now, they make beautiful handicrafts from wheat straw, either at the factory run by the NGO or at their homes.

They draw beautiful pictures of Royal Bengal Tiger, spotted deer, peacock, monkey, indigenous birds, scenic beauty of Bangladesh and portray traditional culture on colourful fabrics and wood planks. These are sold at posh markets in cities and are also exported.

The display centre at the NGO office attracts people from different areas of the country and also foreigners.

The items are exported to USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and other European countries, its Program Manager Omar Ansari Shourov told this correspondent during a visit to the office recently.

Arong, Karupalli, Heed Handicrafts in Dhaka and other organisations and traders from different areas of the country are their buyers. Items are produced as per their specifications, he said.

Designer Sanjoy Sardar said a woman gets Tk 150 to 200 per day, depending on the quality and quantity of her work.

Manira Khatun, 24, wife of late Rezaul Islam of Gopinathpur village said, she became helpless with a two year-old son after her husband was killed in a road accident in 2000. She is now self-reliant and her 7 year-old son goes to school.

"My three children now go to school which was a dream to me before joining the project. I am grateful to them (Rishilpi)", said Sharifa Khatun, 40, wife of Abdul Mannan of Taltala village in the Sadar upazila.

Divorcee Sufia Khatun, 45, of Shalle village said, "I am doing this for last 17 years. My son is now a student of class ten at Machhkhola High School".

Lily Begum, 48, of Gopinathpur village said her day-labourer husband Meher Ali used to maltreat her as they had hard days. They are now happy with four children as she supplements his income.

Rishilpi Director Enzo Falcone said, "It is our satisfaction that we could turn ultra poor distressed rural women into skilled workers. Soon we will raise the number to 75".