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| Rita and School |
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Eight year old Rita attends
the 2nd form of ASSB. She has learned already how to read and
write and she is proud of knowing some English sentences. Every
day, she takes home her exercise books, although, at ASSB schools
there is no homework. Next day, she is very excited and runs
at her teacher. She shows her some mathematics exercises which
she had invented and calculated at home. Even though not all
of her answers are correct, the teacher is enthused, anyway.
Rita's parents are both illiterate and very proud of her daughter.
In the following year, they intend to send Rita's little sister
to the ASSB School, too. Being asked what she wants to be when
she'll be grown up, Rita's self-evident answer is "teacher"
same as that of so many of her class mates. Merely Rumi breaks
ranks; she wants to be a police officer, which is still quite
unusual for a Bengali girl. The boys among her class mates give
her a grin. They prefer to work in an office. There are so many
gorgeous and unknown things, e.g. computers. |
| Jahanara Begums Lucky Day |
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| There is a long waiting
queue, just like every Saturday, the day when the eye specialist
practices at the health center. Among the attending people,
there is Jahanara Begum. The old woman who doesn't know her
year of birth is suffering from eye problems for quite a time,
now. Her son, however, holds the opinion that doctors were too
expensive and her eyes were not much of a problem. Many people
in her village suffer from similar discomfort. Then, however
Jahanara was told about the ASSB and she convinced one of her
sons to bring her to the consultations. The doctor's diagnose
is cataract and she receives an appointment for an operation
the following month. |
|
First-hand report by Karoline Heinzle |
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| Her son, however, immediately
asks for the cost. He is very relieved when he is told the comparatively
low price. If demanded, the ASSB even covers another share of
the cost. Thus, even Jahanara will be able to afford her operation.
This day really is her lucky day |
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| Karima Nasim and the Ducks |
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Karima is an unimpressive
woman in a nagged sari. She was married when she was only 13
years old. Before her, her husband was married to another woman
and he is 20 years older than her. Thus, in addition to her
own three children she had to take care of another two children
of her husband's first marriage. In the beginning, she suffered
a lot from her mother in law. When they married, her husband
was a trishaw driver, due to an injury, however, he couldn't
continue. Now, he earns the money as a day laborer and they
struggle for survival. As his income was not even sufficient
to feed the children properly, Karima approached the ASSB in
despair, two years ago. A micro credit enabled her to buy some
ducks. Their eggs gain good prices in the local market. Meanwhile,
the micro credit is already paid back.
With a second loan, she bought a goat. Her milk is a valuable
contribution to the childrens' diet. She wants to continue with
the ASSB's trainings in order to improve her situation, further.
So far, she is not really satisfied. She needs a new roof for
their house, maybe even one of corrugated sheets protecting
them from leaking of water during the rainy seasons. Despite
of all the problems, thanks to the ASSB, Karima has managed
to rebuild hope. One of her children already attends the ASSB
school. |
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Health
Success
Stories
