A mother’s resilience: Baby Akter’s determined rise beyond uncertainty

Author: Magfuzur Rahman Shana

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh — Until recently, 28-year-old Baby Akter started each morning with a familiar worry: how to afford the next meal, school supplies for her children or the medicines her family needed. Her husband’s income was irregular, and when he went abroad for work, the family hoped their situation would finally improve. But seven months passed without him securing employment. Instead of relief, the uncertainty only deepened.

“I was married off as a child,” Baby says quietly. “It almost destroyed my dreams. I promised myself my daughter would not go through what I had to. She will study and she will choose her life.”

That promise to her daughter became the spark that pushed Baby to seek new opportunities. Living in a coastal area where tourists come and go, she often noticed small businesses operating. She wanted to start something of her own, but without capital, skills or guidance, that dream felt out of reach.

Her life began to change the day she heard about a women’s group in her neighbourhood, facilitated by Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha (BNPS) under a project supported by the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) in partnership with UN Women. Baby joined the group, Upoma Nari Kallyan Sangstha (UNKS), hoping it would open new possibilities.

Week after week, Baby made time between cooking meals, caring for her three children and managing household tasks to attend group sessions alongside other women who shared similar experiences. The sessions introduced her to ideas she’d never had space to think about: equality, rights, leadership, decision‑making, how to prevent child marriage and dowry, and where to seek help in situations of violence.

“These sessions didn’t just give me information,” she says. “They changed the way I saw myself. For the first time, I understood that women deserve equal rights. That realization gave me confidence I never had before.”

As Baby’s confidence grew, new opportunities followed. She was selected to join training on poultry- and duck-rearing – activities she’d previously practised on a small scale at home, but never as a source of income.

The training helped her understand how to raise poultry more effectively: how to feed the birds properly, prevent disease and ensure healthier chicks and ducklings. With BDT 10,000 (USD 81) in seed capital provided through the project, she started expanding her small courtyard into a modest but productive poultry farm.

Gradually, her income started to grow. In recent months, Baby earned around BDT 15,000 (USD 123) from selling chickens and ducks, and another 40 ducks “now flap and waddle” through her courtyard, growing quickly and soon ready for sale.

To further diversify and strengthen her income, Baby also began producing and selling doi (yogurt) at the beach and in nearby shops – something she enjoys making and local customers love buying.

With each sale, her independence grows. “I no longer depend on my husband for money,” she says. “I take care of my children on my own. I even supported him financially when he was preparing to go abroad. Now I make decisions and, when needed, we discuss them together. My voice matters.”

After two and half‑years of steady effort, learning and quiet determination, Baby now dreams of expanding her farm, earning more income and ensuring that her children, especially her daughters, grow up with opportunities she never had.

“I worked hard all my life,” Baby reflects. “But I never felt this strong before.”

Baby’s transformation has also inspired others. “Baby has grown from a quiet woman into a confident advocate for women’s rights, encouraging other women to learn and join trainings,” shares Hasina Mamataj Lovely, BNPS Training Officer.

“Change often begins when women understand their rights and gain confidence in their own potential. Local women-led organizations play a vital role in supporting that journey,” emphasizes Silja Rajander, UN Women Head of Sub-Office in Cox’s Bazar.