I was working as a project coordinator in a Dhaka-based NGO. While working on various projects at my job, I used to regularly come across women with bruises and injuries caused by their husbands. Women used to come to me and share their horrific stories about how they were tortured by their husbands and in-laws and how they were trapped and cannot do anything about it because they are dependent on their husbands for financial security.

The NGO that I worked for, was providing all sorts of training and financial support to these vulnerable women to start their businesses and become self-reliant. However, it was not bringing any positive results. I tried to find out the reason behind that. Many women told me that the money they received from the NGO was seized from them by their husbands or in-laws in most cases. And if that did not happen, women were not sure how to start the business in many instances. It is a male-dominated arena where women of such socio-economic backgrounds have very limited knowledge. As a result, most of our attempts at making women self-reliant were turning into failures.

All of these stories inspired me to start “Nari”, my enterprise that creates jobs for these women. I started my entrepreneurial journey in 2012 with Rabeya, a woman whose husband abandoned her, alone and helpless. I had zero knowledge about financing or marketing back then. But my determination to help these vulnerable women was enough to give me the courage to move forward.

I wanted to work on an idea that will not only help women to get jobs but will also be eco-friendly. That’s when I thought of making jute diversified products. It is an area where I could utilize the creativity and craftsmanship of the women of our country. This was the beginning of my journey on a path that was unknown to me but yet fulfilling.

Through this process, I realized that being an entrepreneur is not an easy job, there is not one or two, but challenges every step of the way. I was a resident of Dhaka. But my work has brought me to Kurigram, one of the most underdeveloped regions of Bangladesh. There is no scope for creating market linkage because buyers won’t come to this region. The raw materials needed to make the products were also not available here. I had to travel from Kurigram to Dhaka all by myself to buy these materials and carry them back to Kurigram. Many of the days were so exhausting that I felt like giving up. But I could not because the hopes and dreams of many other women are dependent on me. So, I kept going.

Slowly but steadily, I have been on this adventurous journey for almost a decade now. This was an untapped territory for me and undoubtedly frightening. But my bravery has led me to the realization that hundreds of women can now dream because of me and I want to keep doing the work that I am doing now for years onwards. I have plans of expanding my business for which I am looking for an investment of 50 lacs taka. With that, I will be able to introduce more products and increase my production capacity. Jute bags, floor mat, coaster, basket are some of my bestsellers not just in Bangladesh but also abroad. If I get financial support, I can expand my business beyond borders.

My products have gotten popularity through trade fairs initially. From then on, buyers come to buy products from me directly. I also sell my products through my Facebook page “Nari Natural Craft”, and the development of my website is also ongoing. Through these digital platforms, I am gradually generating new leads for my products. I am still learning about how the marketing on these platforms work so that I can utilize the power of social media to reach my customers across the nation and also access the international markets. Right now my Facebook page is a humble and growing community of 500 people. But no matter what, I am optimistic about what the future holds.