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Distressed, oppressed women learning to stand in societies

From M A Ali Himu
NATORE, July 5: Women Entrepreneurs Development Programme (WEDP) of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) has started its operation in Natore on March 27, 1993 with a view to improve living condition of distressed, helpless and socially oppressed rural women as a part of its countrywide programme through socio-economic and cultural development projects.
From the beginning WEDP motivated, organised and trained women to enable them to assume an active role in the society by contributing at the same time to their fam ily's progress through income generating activities.
Based on motivation, the WEDP is guiding thousands of women to income generating activities through 25 projects including jute handicrafts, tailoring, embroidery, paddy husking, livestock and poultry rearing, cow milking, cow fattening, and leather processing. The projects are con ducted through WEDP's 40 centres by providing loan facility.
About 3000 women are di rectly or indirectly involved in this programme
The WEDP has disbursed loans worth more than Taka 32 lakh for implementing 20 projects till May 31. During the same period, WEDP recovered Taka 24,42,000. The WEDP recommends loan to banks after justifying the gen \eral condition of tne appli
cants and trains them in respective sectors for proper utilisation of their loan
The WEDP does not han die money directly for short age of manpower, an official said Banks collect 10 per cent simple interest from the applicants for the purposes of depositing and collection of loans.
An applicant told this correspondent that WEDP, BSCIC should disburse loans directly to avoid banking harassment and delay in getting loans.
When contacted, Homaira Khanam, Extension Officer (Incharge, Natore WEDP) told The Daily Star that the WEDP
has been working to change the fate of rural helpless and oppressed women for developing their socio-cultural and economic status through in come generating activities.
She added that over 1,200 of those women have been directly provided self-sufficiency and over 5000 more have been indirectly benefited by WEDP, Natore.
It trains 209 women every year on skill development training, bakery, handicrafts, poultry rearing, fisheries, livestock and tailoring and embroidery training all of which* vary from one week to three months courses. >