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Struggle of two widows

Our Correspondent, Pirojpur
Fifty-four years old widow Nilima Khan who lost her husband after three years of marriage, is strolling with life for about 36 years.
Another thirty years old widow Bibha Halder has just started her struggle like Nilima with two children after the death of her husband.
Nilima's daughter from Jonardhon Mondol of Babla village under Sriramkathi union in Nazirpur upazila married Shukumer Chandro Khan at the age of 14 just three years after Bangladesh became free from Pakistan. Unfortunately she lost her life partner who was suffering from an unidentified disease; three years after their marriage, when she was 17 years old.
Nilima's husband left her with their only son Borun Chandro who has nine months old at the time of his father's demise. Nilima never dreamt of settling down with another man, even though she was an adolescent during her husband's death.
As Nilima's husband left no land, she had to support her life by working at others people's houses as a domestic help. Sometimes she worked as a day laborer to support her family.
"Women are bom for marryingonly once. So I had never dreamt of building another new family," Nilima made the speech from her deep faith of a women's feeling when asked as to why she had not remarried.
She also said, "I had to work hard to lead my life and take care of my child."
Though Nilima's son is an aged youth who works in a melamine factory in Dhaka as a worker, he cannot give any monetary support to his mother's family.
various diseases. He has to support himself through difficulty. So he cannot bear my family expense and I don't force him," said Nilima.
Now Nilima has to bear the expense of four members; her daughter in law Anita Rani Khan who helps her out with household chores, her two grandchildren Bondhon a class two student and Annona aged 3 and herself.
Currently, she supports her life as well as her families by producing puffed rice.
A project named Resilience through Economic Empowerment, Climate Adaptation, Leadership and Learning (RE-CALL) Project by Dak Diye Jai funded by UK Aid and Stimulating Household Improvements Resulting in Economic Empowerment (SHIREE) has given her some relive from her pain, as they have given her some
monetary help last year for buying paddy.
"Last year I was given 8.5 maunds (measurement of weight) of paddy for making puffed rice also three goats. After selling them, I made a decent profit. Now I am the owner of 20 maunds of paddy and also the owner of three goats," said Nilima proudly.
"In the past, I had led a very hardened life. In spite of being a woman, I had to work in the roads". "I would not have faced such troubles if I could get help beforehand," she demanded.
Like Nilima, late Nirmol Halder's wife Bibha Halder of Sakharikathi village has started her struggle with her two children.
"All the land my husband owned has been sold to pay for his treatments, I am struggling to run my three member family" said Bibha.
"Though I do not think for myself, I am anxious about my children's educa-
tion," she said.
She received help of TK 10,000 for making Pati from the project. But it is not enough for her. She need more help. "I earnTK 30-40 selling per pati. It is not enough at the moment," she demanded.
All the beneficiaries of the project receives TK 2,800 after working 16 days under a program named Cash for Work. Through this program village mud roads, school fields, ponds and some houses were developed.
"We do not receive enough funds to meet our demands. After starting the project in our area, our deprived people had some monetary help from them and they also repaired some roads in our locality," said Sheikh Aktheruzzaman Gaus chairman of Shakharikathi union parisad in Nazirpur upazila. "I personally greet them for their noble work," he praised.