Hosneyara, 38, lives in a village in the Satkhira district of Bangladesh with her husband and children. As is often the case in her community, she was married at a young age and was only able to complete her education up to Grade 5. For years, she depended on her husband, a rickshaw driver, to support their family. His income was modest, and the family struggled to meet their daily needs.
For a long time, Hosneyara felt powerless to improve their situation. That began to change in 2018, when she joined a women’s group supported by World Renew’s local partner, Faith in Action (FIA). Each member contributed a small weekly amount to a shared savings pool, learning the importance of saving regularly and building financial discipline.
Through the group, Hosneyara also participated in literacy and basic accounting training. She explored opportunities to earn an income through small business development, poultry farming, and vegetable gardening. Although she was eager to start her own business, she lacked the necessary funds. Still, she continued contributing to the group’s savings each week.
By 2021, the group’s savings pool had grown enough to offer low-interest loans to its members.
Hosneyara took out a loan to purchase a rickshaw so her husband would no longer need to rent one. This change reduced their expenses and helped stabilize their income.
In 2023, after successfully repaying that loan, Hosneyara borrowed again. Together with her husband, she transformed the rickshaw into a food cart. Hosneyara began preparing snacks, which her husband sold from the cart. The small business quickly gained traction.
Today, Hosneyara is an active partner in a thriving family business. As demand has grown, she has hired two women from her FIA group to help prepare the snacks, creating additional livelihood opportunities within her community.
Just a few years ago, Hosneyara felt unable to change her family’s circumstances. Today, she plays a leading role in improving their quality of life while supporting others to do the same.
“This program built my capacity to be a good manager of my business and my family,” Hosneyara shares. “Today, we have no financial crisis. We are enjoying a happy family life. I am thankful to FIA and World Renew.”
Stories like Hosneyara’s reflect the impact of community-based savings, training, and opportunity. When people are equipped with skills, access to resources, and support networks, they can build sustainable livelihoods and create lasting change—not only for their own families, but for others around them.
