<i> Where women show the way</i>
They repair road through day-long voluntary service
Members of Palli Samaj, an organisation meant for women's empowerment, render voluntary service to repair a 300-metre-long earthen road connecting a mosque at Chalitabunia village in Patuakhali Sadar upazila, making it usable again.Photo: STAR
A group of women at Chalitabunia village in Patuakhali Sadar upazila repaired a 300-metre-long earthen road through daylong voluntary service yesterday. The arduous task became possible as 49 women, aided by only five to six male relatives, continued the labour of love from 9:00am till around 4:00pm. "We took initiative to repair the road as the villagers were suffering a lot to go to the mosque. The road had remained unfit for use for long," said Shamsunnahar Begum, 45, leader of the group that made usable the mud road connecting a mosque named Maneruddin Chowkider Bari Jame Mosjid. "I am very happy to get the opportunity take part in the work," said local woman Reba Rani, 40. Forkan Sikder, vice chairman of Sadar upazla parishad, and Gazi Joynal Abedin, local union parishad chairman, also took part in the work to encourage the noble venture. The 49 women who took part in yesterday's road repair work belong to a 64-member association 'Palli Samaj', initiated by development organisation Brac for women's empowerment in the village. "We meet every two months and make plan of works that would be beneficial for the society. We also work for prevention of child marriage, creating public opinion against dowry, etc," Shamsunnahar said. The members themselves manage funds for doing such social work, said Ranjit Mondol, regional manager of Brac. "We encouraged the women to get organised and build up their capacities in the work by providing training," said Faruqul Islam, district manager of Brac.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments