People of Satkhira’s coastal region have survived for years by overcoming natural disasters like river embankment collapses, tidal waves and cyclones. Every year, countless families lose their last possessions in these natural disasters. However, with the support of the ASD project of the non-governmental development organization Friendship, women in the coastal region have regained their independence by raising goats and sheep and cultivating vegetables in their home yards. Along with their husbands, women in these regions are playing a positive role in the family. In this, women from male-dependent, extremely poor families are becoming important partners in achieving economic prosperity for their families and improving their quality of life. As a result, these extremely poor families are seeing a ray of hope.
Due to the saline water and soil of Shyamnagar and Asashuni upazilas in the coastal district of Satkhira, the men in the extremely poor families mainly earn their living by working as brick kiln workers in different parts of the country, depending on the Sundarbans, fishing in the deep sea, and working as rickshaw pullers in various cities of the country including the capital Dhaka. As a result, the women of these families had to wait day after day for their necessities. Currently, with the progress of the day, the women of these regions are not only strengthening their position in the family but also playing an important role in the social arena. With the support of Friendship, a national-level non-profit and non-political non-governmental development organization, the women of the two upazilas are now self-reliant and economically prosperous.
It is learned that 181 families in 6 villages of Rurairbil, Hijli of Pratapnagar Union of Ashasuni Upazila and Paschim Patuakhali, Uttar Jhapa of Padmapukur Union of Shyamnagar Upazila, and Kultali and Sardar Para villages of Munshiganj Union are being provided with 24 types of summer and winter vegetable seeds on a seasonal basis and training is being provided to active housewives in improving the quality of life of goats, sheep and vegetable cultivation in saline lands. In addition, the organization supports the use of organic fertilizers and pheromone traps instead of chemical fertilizers in vegetable cultivation. Moreover, Friendship’s ASD project has encouraged vegetable cultivation in loft and bed systems so that vegetable production continues even during disasters. Currently, ginger cultivation in sacks is being encouraged in coastal areas, so ginger is being cultivated in sacks in every house in the village. Moreover, they are also being encouraged in community-based fish and vegetable cultivation.

Deepika Raptan, wife of Madhujit Raptan of Kultali village in Munshiganj union, said that the family depended on her husband’s income. With the help of friendship, I first cultivated vegetables in the courtyard of my house. Since the yield of vegetables was good, I ate them myself and sold them in the market, earning about 10-12 thousand taka last monsoon season. In the current winter season, I started cultivating vegetables on a large scale in the courtyard of my house and in the adjacent land. Now, I can contribute financially to the family along with my husband. I can also pay some of the expenses of my children’s education.
Sabita Rani, wife of Tapan Kumar Mandal of Dakshin Jhampa village in Padmapukur union, said that I was dependent on my husband, the only earner in the poor family. So, I used to catch shrimp fry in the river at the risk of my life. Currently, I am self-sufficient in sheep farming and vegetable farming. I don’t have to ask my husband for anything. I can meet my needs with my own money.
Burigoalini Union Parishad member Kajal Kanti Sarkar said that women used to risk their lives to collect shrimp fry in the Sundarbans river. They used to get infected with various diseases. Now they cultivate vegetables in the wasteland of their houses. Their families are now prosperous.
Shyamnagar Upazila Agriculture Officer Nazmul Huda said that Friendship is distributing improved varieties of vegetable seeds in saline areas. We have already trained women in modern technology for cultivation.

Shyamnagar Upazila Livestock Office Deputy Assistant Mahbubur Rahman said that Friendship is distributing free goats, sheep and rabbits. Training and vaccinations for modern livestock farming in these areas have been arranged by the government.
Jewel Hasan, Project Manager of the Friendship Transitional Fund (ASD) Project, said that Friendship is working towards economic development, good governance and local infrastructure development by regularizing the income of its members with the help of Luxembourg. The main goal of this project is to eliminate poverty and improve the quality of life and livelihoods of extremely poor families through creating income-generating work opportunities and a disaster-resilient active social system.