Asia Akter from Manikgonj
The pioneer of women’s awakening, Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, once said that if women are educated, they will find their own way of empowerment. Indeed, when women are seen as human beings with equal opportunities rather than only as women, they can develop their talents and contribute significantly to family, society, and the nation’s progress.
Since 2018, BARCIK, has been working in Singair Upazila and Manikganj Sadar on women’s rights, equal dignity, and socio-economic development. This has led to the formation of several active women, adolescent, and youth groups advocating for their rights.
filter: 0; jpegRotation: 0; fileterIntensity: 0.000000; filterMask: 0;One such group is the Dholeshwari Adolescent Group of Charavanga village, established in January 2024. Though recently formed, its members have developed strong awareness through earlier engagement with the Charavanga Women Development Organization formed in 2018. Through regular interaction with their mothers, their knowledge has expanded, leading them to reject child marriage and focus on self-development.
Among them, Ananya Khanom and Eva Khanom, both tenth-grade students, are highly promising. With access to smartphones and participation in BARCIK programs, they learned about the positive and negative aspects of technology. Using this knowledge, they started an online organic henna business called “Hena Hairs by Eva.”
They began five months ago with small amount of money that saved from their tiffin money, and their earnings have now grown. Eva says they aim to become self-reliant, continue their education, and cover their own expenses, with strong support from their club members.
