In the heart of Boulotoli Village, Dhulashar Union, where the whispers of daily struggles intertwine with the rhythms of survival, Shukhi Begum stands as a beacon of resilience. Shukhi’s life takes a compelling turn as the seemingly simple quest for clean water unravels into a powerful narrative of tenacity and transformation. This is the story of Shukhi Begum, a woman whose voice echoed far beyond the boundaries of her village, becoming a catalyst for change and hope.
In this place, safe drinking water was always hard to reach. Shukhi Begum and other women in these areas were experiencing issues with obtaining safe drinking water. There was a tube well in their village installed by an NGO a couple of years ago, and the villagers used it to collect water. However, when the NGO concluded its activities in the area, the landowner fenced off the tube well to prevent outsiders from accessing the water. Shukhi discovered that the landowner had misbehaved with women who came to collect water from the tube well. This situation deeply affected Shukhi Begum, as there were no alternative options in their village. Although there was a tube well in the mosque, women were usually not allowed to enter the premises.
One day, Shukhi was informed about a community consultation meeting for different issues to improve under the Locally Led Disaster Risk Reduction in the Bangladesh Coastal Region Project. She actively participated in a Community Consultation Session near her residence. Like other participants, she shared her views on the problems facing their village, emphasizing the need for a water source for drinking. She expressed this need loudly, stating that the villagers were facing challenges with safe drinking water.
She also focused on the need for a tube well with her husband and demanded water options loudly during the community consultation session presenting her logic. The participants were convinced by her reasoning and prioritized it with a high score. However, the challenge was finding necessary land for installation.
Shukhi Begum promptly declared her willingness to donate one decimal of valuable land for the tube well. She expressed her feelings to the visiting MACP team, explaining that she understood the hardship faced by women in the village who had to collect water from distant places. Tears filled her eyes as she spoke.
The community decided to install the tube well on the land she donated. Shukhi Begum assured the community that she would transfer her land with a valid deed of agreement to avoid difficulties in the future. She donated the land, valued at around BDT 45,000.
The local CSO and members of the Sundarban Coalition Dhulashar Upakul Sarbik Gram Unnayan Shamaboy Samity considered the community’s decision and submitted it to the Coalition Governance Council through proper channels. The Sundarban Coalition arranged for the installation of the tube well as requested and decided by the community.
Shukhi Begum is now happy and hopeful, and she advises the community to form a management committee for the tube well. She requests the community to provide access to Persons with Disabilities (PWD) and Senior Citizens to collect water.