Sohel Rana and AKM Fazlur Rahman (Research Team of Save the Children) Before the intervention: Oct 2010 After intervention: June 2015.

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1 Shiree Q2 Research on Extreme Poverty in Bangladesh Author Institution CMS1 Reference Interviewee name Union, Upazilla and Zilla Dates of Interview Sohel Rana and AKM Fazlur Rahman (Research Team of Save the Children) Uttaran Kamrunnahar Sex Female Before the Intervention: Soladana union, Paikgacha upazilla, Khulna. 10 June 2015 Age 28 Ethnicity/Religion: Bengal Muslim Endline Soladana union, Paikgacha upazilla, Khulna. Before the intervention: Oct 2010 After intervention: June 2015 Well-being Status Livelihoods before and after the intervention Productive Asset or IGA owned working capital Marital status and household composition Keywords Working Extreme Poor Working in the Shrimp ghers and catching Post Larvae from the river None Separated from husband with one young son Moderate Poor Kamrunnahar 1. Tea stall (operated by her brother) Tea Stall with stoves, cups etc. Separated from husband with one young son (10) Health shocks, safety net, social capital, debt, wellbeing, Ghat, Khas land 1

2 INTRODUCTION In the last two years the wellbeing of Kamrunnahar s family has changed quite dramatically. She has faced several shocks and hazards which drag her down in the wellbeing ranking. From the last ROI, we come to know that she was involved in fire wood and turmeric powder selling business. However, she was collecting these from Sunderbans illegally. So, when the forest guards become more vigilant it was very difficult for her to collect firewood from the sunderbans thus she has to shutdown the business. One the other hand she could not make enough profit from the turmeric powder selling business because of the involvement of too much competition in this business. Finally she decided to change the business and started running a tea stall besides a (Ghat) boat landing station in the local market nearby her house. She was also enlisted for a Rural Maintenance Program (RMP) by the Union Parishad in July After working there for a month she fall ill and her mother started working for on her behalf. At the very beginning of her illness she took advise from local doctor/consultation from the local health professional but her health condition deteriorated very soon. She had to go to Khulna with her brother. After several medical test, she came to know that she had a breast tumour and need to undergone a surgery. Until now, the total estimated cost of her treatment is about 1,20,000 taka. Thus, over the last one year and half she is fighting with shocks and hazards. She was well supported by her family members and her relatives. As a result of those shocks, her business was almost closed down and it was difficult to manage three satisfying meals for her family. However, she never give up Madrasha education for her son. Now she is in the recovery stage and increasing the capital of her business day by day and their food consumption is also improving now as she can afford fish thrice in a week and meat once a month. RECENT TURNING POINTS Loss in firewood and turmeric powder selling Business and started a tea stall Shiree interventions provided Kamrunnahar with firewood and turmeric powder business. With the business she managed to improve the wellbeing status of her family. During this time she also faced a number of health shocks thus she was dropped to working extreme poor twice. From 2013 forest guards took measures to stop collecting fire wood from sunderbans which reduced her supply of wood. Turmeric powder market was saturated as there were lots of people engaged in this business. Thus she decided to change her business and started to run a tea stall which located at the local bazaar nearby her house just beside the Ghat (boat landing station). She started the business with 23,000 taka in which she gave 7,200 taka to the owner as rent for the next two years and purchased goods worth of 15,000 taka to start the business. Because of the suitable location, her business is going well and she could earn taka per week. She maintains the shop with the help of her brothers. Enlisted for the RMP (Rural Maintenance Program) In July, 2015 she was enlisted to RMP for two years. She worked for a month and suddenly fall ill. Her mother continued her work throughout the period. She stated that this extra income helped had to maintain the health expenditure in the last one and half year. Everyone has to work 24 days per month and payment is 175 taka per day. Though the monthly income was 4,500 taka but her mother was provided with 3000 taka and another 1500 taka was kept by the authority. Rest of the money will be handed over after the end of the program. She is supposed to get 36,000 taka in the coming months and she is planning to repay the loan of her treatment. 2

3 Suffering due to breast tumour When everything was going nice and smoothly and her wellbeing status was improving this health shock dragged her wellbeing status down. After maintaining the shop for a month, In October, 2013 she started to feel pain on her breast and feeling a lump. At first, she went to see a local doctor but the situation did not improved at all. Her brother consulted with a local elite who suggested taking her to Khulna. After visiting different doctors in Khulna and went through several medical tests she had surgery in February, 2014 spending taka. She returned to her village after three days of surgery. Now, she has to visit the doctor in Khulna and her monthly medicine cost is about 1,500 taka. Taking lease of a plot There are few plots in the local market near Kamrunnahar house that are owned by the mosque and the committee members of the mosque decided to lease a new plot. In August, 2014, it was announced on Friday before the prayer, after hearing the announcement her elder brother Mahabub shared it with Kamrunnaher. At that time Kamrunnanar had 2,000 taka in her hand for next medical check up. She decided to take the lease of the position so that she can start her own shop there and thus she took the lease with 5000 taka. One of her brother lended 3000 taka to take the lease. Hazards Shocks Events Saturated market of turmeric powder Reduction of supply of fire wood from sunderbans Suffering from breast tumour Enlisted for the RMP Started a tea stall Leased a plot in the market She received 3,000 taka for treatment from Uttaran WELLBEING STATUS AT ENDLINE The wellbeing status of Kamrnunahar family has decreased to almost working extreme poor level from moderate poor in last two years. She is slowly increasing her wellbeing status to moderate poor again. Her earlier businesses were closed down but she was managed to start new one. Though she is the only earning member of her family her elder brother is running her shop now and at the time of her illness her family members supported her as much as possible. Her mother gave her all the money she received from the RMP. Kamrunnahar used that money for her treatment. She pays an amount to her brother for maintaining the shop. During the severe stages of her sickness she had to reduce the food consumption but her wellbeing status is improving day by day. Now she can afford fish thrice in a week and meat once in a month. Diets Employment Assets (Income Generating) Status At present, Kamrunnahar s family can take 3 meals in a day without any reduction. Most of the time they have fish and vegetables. They eat meat once in a month Kamrunnahar has changed her business from fire wood and turmeric powder selling business to tea stall which is currently operated by her elder brother because of her illness. She has a tea stall on leased plot in the market 3

4 IDENTIFICATION OF VULNERABILITY SOURCES AND LEVEL OF EXPOSURE TO/PREPAREDNESS FOR HAZARDS Reduction of supply and saturated market According to the last round of ROI, she was involvded in firewood and turmeric powder selling business. Suddenly forest guards took extra measures to reduced collection of wood from the sunderbans thus her main source of income was about to close. In addition, the number of turmeric powder seller increased in the community. Thus she closed both of her business and accumulated all the capital and started at tea stall in the local market close to her house. Health shocks Health shocks are major source of vulnerability for Kamrunnahar. Within the project period she had faced three major health shocks firstly she broke her hand while carrying wood in the rainy season. After that she had an appendicitis operation which cost her about 15,000 taka. Lastly she suffered from breast tumour. The total treatment cost of breast tumour was about 1,20,000 taka. She managed most of that money from her relatives, business capital, taking loan from the local money lender on interest and income from the RMP. She repaid almost all the loans which she took from her relatives. Now she is in debt of 30,000 taka which she took from the local money lender on interest. She has to pay 80 taka per month as interest against 1000 taka. In total she has to pay 1,500 per month as interest. In reply to the question how she will repay all the loans she said in August, 2015 after completion of the RMP she will get 36,000 taka at a time from which she will repay 30,000 taka. Threat of eviction: Kamrunnahar do not have a plot of land of her own. Now she lives on a plot of khas land on the slope of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) embankment which was occupied by her parents. The family has three houses made from bamboo, wood and mud on the plot. Kamrunnahar stays with her son in one of the houses and eats separately. There is always threat of eviction from the land. In future she wants to buy a plot of land so that she can secure a place for living for herself and her son. Poor Health condition Kamrunnahar is also worried about her health condition. She already had two surgeries and she is unable to do any kind of laborious work. This poor health condition is limiting her opportunities to work such as catching shrimp fries from the river, working as labourer in the shrimp farms etc. She wants to run the shop and planning to build a shop on her leased plot. Natural disaster After receiving the asset from the project in 2010 she was running her business quite well but sudden tidal surges in October washed away portions of the timber that Kamrunnahar had stocked for selling. She lost around 2000 taka of stocked timber due to the tidal surges. To cope with the disaster like this she wants to move from her current house. 4

5 PROGNOSIS FOR FUTURE RESILIENCE Health shocks She had faced a number of health shocks during the project period. Last health shock was the most severe one when she needed a surgery. At that time, she had savings of around 15,000 taka. So, she did not have to take any loan to visit doctors in Khulna. She said that her saving was very useful in the initial stage of her treatment. Now she has savings of 1,400 taka in Uttaran. She plans to open a savings account in the bank so that she can save some money which will help her in the future to fight against shocks and hazards. Fear of Eviction There is always a chance of eviction from her living place. Her homestead is in the slope of BWDB embankment. At any point of time if the government wants to widen the road she has to leave the place. Now she does not have any other place to move but she has a future plan to buy a small plot of land to build a house. Aspirations for the future Building a shop on the leased plot is the first and foremost dream of Kamrunahar. She also wants to buy a small plot of land so that she can secure a place for living for herself and her son. She has also mentioned that she is becoming physically weak day by day. If she can establish a good business, she will not have to be dependent on her son. Type of Hazards Likelihood/Frequency Impact Strategy used to avoid impact Reduction of supply of fire Moderate Low Change her business wood and saturated market of turmeric powder Loss due to the tidal surges High High She raised the plinth level of her house Suffering from breast tumour/ Poor Health condition High High First she tried to receive treatment locally. Then, she moved to Khulna and had a surgery. To avoid laborious job she is running a tea stall and wants to shift it to her leased plot. and continuing regular check-up and medicine. Threat of eviction High High To avoid the threat of eviction she is planning to buy a plot of land and she also asked to provide her with a plot of khasland with permanent settlement 5

6 ANALYSIS Ascents and descents of Wellbeing During the last two year, Kamrunnahar s family could not manage to increase their wellbeing status from moderate poor. She has faced several shocks with in this period of time. In the middle of 2013 she had to shut down her business due to lack of supply and saturation of the market. With the business capital she had, she opened a tea stall immediately. Earning from the tea stall was good but her good days did not last long. She becomes sick. She had a breast tumour and she spent almost taka for the treatment which almost dragged her to working extreme poverty level. She almost with drawn all the business capital from the shop and used up for treatment. After her surgery in March 2014 she was able to concentrate on her business and almost repaid loan of 50,000 taka with the help of her brother. After getting the money from RMP she will be able to repay rest of the loan of 30,000 taka. Now she is in the recovery stage and in the last few months she is increasing the capital of her business and currently her business capital is about 10,000 taka. Resilience capacity of the household Kamrunnahar s household has moderate level of resilient capacity. Shifting the business make her more resilient in terms of disaster and after building her own shop on the leased plot she does not have to worry. Because of her previous business she has a good relation with the local people as a result of that she is having a good number of customers at her shop. This wider social network improved her resilient capacity. She also has a strong familial bonding with her two brothers who support her whenever needed and also to run the business. Her younger brother carries all the goods with his own Nosimon from the wholesalers for her tea stall. His elder brother often runs the shop when she feels tired or not feeling good. These strong familial bonding also makes this household more resilient. Her only son who is studying in Madrasha will become a Hafez of Qureen within the next few years after that he will be able to contribute to her family. However Kamrunhar s poor health condition is always a big threat for the resilience of the household. SWOT Analysis of Kamrunnahar s Family Strength Productive asset: tea stall and leased plot of land She has a good social network and strong familial bonding Her business knowledge Opportunities She has leased a plot in the local market where she will shift her tea stall so that she will be able to continue her business Impact of Shiree Intervention on Resilience Capacity Weakness Threats Only earning member of his family She is not fully cured yet and she has to continue medication. Managing regular health care is a big challenge for her Eviction from the khasland she is living on a plot of a khasland on the slope of (BWDB) embankment. If she need have to leave the place she has nowhere to go. 6

7 Shiree intervention provided Kamnunaher firewood and turmeric powder business. She was able to change her wellbeing to moderate poor within a short period of time. However, due to several health shocks and tidal surge she was in debt but she was able recover. In reply to the question how the project intervention has improved her resilience capacity she said that because her involvement in the business increased her social network. Thus it was possible for her to manage a huge amount of money for the treatment of breast tumour. She has confidence of maintaining a business and changing the business when her previous business was not going well. She has been able to continue her son s Madrasha education without any interruption. 7

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