Woman gets self-reliant through vermicompost

Akhinoor Begum, an ultra-poor woman of Charkhali village in Galachipa upazila, has become self-reliant by selling earthworm manure fertiliser.

Five years ago, Akhinoor's family, including her two daughters and two sons, fell on hard times. Her inherited piece of land was lost to river erosion. The river took her land and home, leaving her a complete destitute. She built a shanty house on a piece of khas land on the side of the road. The only earning member of the family was her husband. But five years ago, he became paralysed.

Akhinoor went from door to door to get financial help for her husband’s treatment. But she did not get help from any corner. She took up a housemaid’s work to maintain her family. Her children’s studies were affected due to the abject poverty.

In 2015, Akhinoor learnt that an NGO was running a development project to reduce poverty with the help of PKSF funds and that it gave financial assistance to the ultra-poor through various term loans under the project. She got in touch with the NGO and was trained to make earthworm manure fertiliser. The NGO helped her by giving her  5,000 worms of a special species.

To prepare the earthworm fertiliser, Akhinoor collected cow dung. Akhinoor started producing earthworm fertiliser. In just three to four months, she started vegetable production by using her homemade earthworm fertiliser in a patch of vegetable field. She produces vegetables like bottle guard, balsam apple, cucumber, pumpkin, snake guard, green pea, lady’s finger, green papaya, green cucumber, bean, basil, brinjal and green chilly.

After using this fertiliser in the vegetable field, she sold fertiliser worth Tk. 7,000 and kept some for use in her field.

Inspired by her, many people in the area consult her on making earthworm fertiliser and its use has increased in the area.

Akhinoor now sells vegetables worth about Tk. 36,000 grown on her field every year. Earthworm manure fertiliser has ushered in a new dawn in her life.

 

Woman gets self-reliant through vermicompost

Akhinoor Begum, an ultra-poor woman of Charkhali village in Galachipa upazila, has become self-reliant by selling earthworm manure fertiliser. Five years ago, Akhinoors family, including her two daughters and two sons, fell on hard times. Her inherited piece of land was lost to river erosion. The river took her land and home, leaving her a complete destitute. She built a shanty house on a piece of khas land on the side of the road. The only earning member of the family was her husband. But five years ago, he became paralysed. Akhinoor went from door to door to get financial help for her husbands treatment. But she did not get help from any corner. She took up a housemaids work to maintain her family. Her childrens studies were affected due to the abject poverty. In 2015, Akhinoor learnt that an NGO was running a development project to reduce poverty with the help of PKSF funds and that it gave financial assistance to the ultra-poor through various term loans under the project. She got in touch with the NGO and was trained to make earthworm manure fertiliser. The NGO helped her by giving her 5,000 worms of a special species. To prepare the earthworm fertiliser, Akhinoor collected cow dung. Akhinoor started producing earthworm fertiliser. In just three to four months, she started vegetable production by using her homemade earthworm fertiliser in a patch of vegetable field. She produces vegetables like bottle guard, balsam apple, cucumber, pumpkin, snake guard, green pea, ladys finger, green papaya, green cucumber, bean, basil, brinjal and green chilly. After using this fertiliser in the vegetable field, she sold fertiliser worth Tk. 7,000 and kept some for use in her field. Inspired by her, many people in the area consult her on making earthworm fertiliser and its use has increased in the area. Akhinoor now sells vegetables worth about Tk. 36,000 grown on her field every year. Earthworm manure fertiliser has ushered in a new dawn in her life.