At the moment, Basha employs around 120 women who have found a new life through our activities. But more than 250 women have actually been employed in the past 11 years. We are trying to track where they move on to but it’s not easy. Often they return to
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Pakhi was always a diligent worker, forming jewellery or Christmas ornaments with skill and artistry. But one thing I could be sure of; anytime someone visited who was a journalist or who had some kind of platform, Pakhi would come and softly remind me that she wanted to find
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In May several of us travelled from Dhaka to Jashore to celebrate those who were completing training and were transitioning to employment. As we hadn’t had such an event previously, we took the opportunity to make sure all the graduates from the past 5 years also received certificates and
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Ten women joined our training programme in Tangail on 1 February 2022. Our 7 trainees in Jashore are entering their last couple of months before they graduate and start work as official Basha employees. Our Mymensingh training programme will start within the next couple of months. I’ll share their
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Her life started out so idyllic, adored and well cared for by her parents. But something began to shift. Her parents had another child when she was around ten years old and a third when she was around 14 years old. Suddenly she seemed more like a burden to
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When we ask Angela Lovely Mondol (Lovely) to identify a moment that reassures her that she will overcome the challenges that Friends of Basha faces in its work, her eyes light up. ‘It’s whenever I get to the daycare and the children are smiling and learning and playing. I
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“We dream to give ourselves hope. To stop dreaming – well, that’s like saying you can never change your fate.” – Amy Tan My niece is turning 11 next month. She’s taking piano lessons and learning viola, she studies in Spanish and English, dances ballet and is on a
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The Covid 19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone in Bangladesh. But our hearts especially go out to women in brothels. You may or may not know that brothels are legal and registered in Bangladesh. In late April of 2020 the brothels were locked down with women and children inside
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Learning and training is a core part of what we do here at Friends of Basha. That learning doesn’t stop with our trainees and artisans. As a staff team we’re determined to offer the best level of care and service we can. That’s why three staff members recently completed
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As teenager Rebecca shows, you don’t need to be a skilled textile designer, qualified counsellor or fluent in Bengali to join with Friends of Basha in supporting women and children. Moved by how they provided a safe environment, secure home, and the care and support which for Rebecca were
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