An 85-year-old woman in Koyra, Khulna, who lost her husband in a tiger attack in the Sundarbans, is hoping for a more secure future after her youngest son received a mobile vending cart to expand his small business.

Rahima Bibi, a resident of No. 5 Koyra, raised three sons and four daughters after her husband’s death. For years, she worked as a domestic helper in other people’s homes to provide for her children and meet household expenses. She also managed to arrange marriages for all seven of her children.

Now, because of her age, Rahima is no longer able to work. Her eldest and second sons live outside the area with their families, while her daughters live with their respective in-laws. Her youngest son, Shahinur, lives with her along with his wife and children.

Shahinur earns a living by selling jhalmuri, a popular local snack, outside a nearby school. However, the limited scale of the business made it difficult for him to meet his family’s expenses and contribute to his mother’s medical costs.

Recently, Give Bangladesh provided Shahinur with a mobile vending cart and essential business supplies to help expand his business.

Shahinur said he plans to sell jhalmuri, hog plums, guavas, lemons, other local fruits and fast food from the cart. He will operate near the school in the morning, move to different areas during the day and sell at the No. 5 Koyra launch terminal market from afternoon until night.

“If sales increase, my income will also increase. I will then be able to better manage my mother’s treatment and my family’s expenses,” Shahinur said.

Al Amin Farhad, president of the Koyra Manab Kalyan Unit, said the initiative was taken with support from Give Bangladesh to expand Shahinur’s business and assist Rahima Bibi’s family. He said similar support would continue.