WE MADE FOR EACH OTHER

A husband like mine who helps his wife in domestic work

is very rare in a country like Bangladesh where gender
norms are very common. I am Sabita Rani and my
husband Subash Chandro are happily living in Poschim
Burirchor, Barguna District with our two children. In the
beginning we were not much happy because of our
unawareness of division of labor of our domestic work.
Today, I am going to share with you my wonderful story
about how my husband and I divided our gender role in
household chores. After passing my School Secondary
Certificate examination, I got married. I was 18 then and I
was doing my Higher Secondary Certificate. I studied from
staying with my in-laws and my husband supported me to
continue my study until I passed my Bachelors. He also
wanted to let me complete my Masters. However, since I had to look after my children and for household
purpose I could not do my Masters. My husband still encourage me to study. Furthermore, my parents-in-law
also helped me a lot. While I was working at a school in the
kindergarten section, I heard Rural Development Foundation
and Plan International Bangladesh would arrange sewing
training for marginalized young women. I decided to attend
that meeting and I got to know that around 30 people had
already been selected for this. I told them that I was
interested in learning computers. I added that I had passed
BA. I asked RDF staff whether they could help me or not.
Since I passed BA, they told me that I could start the
computer training. Then staff from RDF and Plan
International suggested me to take sewing training as my
husband was in this field. I told them that I knew tailoring and
I could help my husband through it.

Afterwards, through them I went to the Department of women affairs. By their support, I did a few works of
parlor and a few pearl works. They did five projects in total and more or less, I stood out in each of them.
Then I bought an electric machine and now I have around three of them in my home. I help my husband
during the EID (Muslim Big Festival) time by working entire one month in his shop. Our supervisors have also
agreed to help us as we work in somebody else’s shops so the money we get is not enough. They have
advised us to start shops of our own by taking bigger loans and they will help us giving that loan. A couple
meeting was held under this project and as it was couple meeting both of us were called for the meeting. We
were around ten couples attended the meeting and we were asked to write about our job in and outside the
house. My husband wrote about my role in the house and realized I do a lot of work. However, I could not
write anything about my husband as he did not play role in the household work. Everyone laughed when I
loudly told my sir that I couldn’t write anything as my husband doesn’t help me. After a while, I found out that
my husband helps me by showering my child.
After receiving this couple training, my husband started
helping me. I help him often and now he has been helping
me for two or three months. He pours water for me and helps
me in cooking and washing. He also serves food for me a
few days in a month. He also cooks for me sometimes. I got
support from him due to this training. For his support, I can
now get some time for myself. In addition, I can rest for thirty
minutes more as my husband showers my child which
generally takes half an hour. After taking some rest, I get
strength as well as the will to work again. Otherwise, I get
tired and lose enthusiasm towards the work. Now we two
work together and earn money. Every night my husband
hangs the mosquito net and fixes the blanket of our child.
He doesn’t stay at home for too long as he is always busy with his shop and that’s why he can’t help me often
even having the intention and will. He does as much as he can. We take unanimous decisions and respect
each other’s opinions.
The Strengthening Economic Security (SES) project
followed a comprehensive gender transformative process
from developing to implementation process. To understand
the structure and systems of the most marginalized young
women particularly their position in the society has
thoroughly analyzed. The project has intensively worked for
shift and challenged social stereotypes that limit young
women’s economic empowerment. The project has engaged
men to change their perception and behavior about the
gender roles and allocation of resources between men and
women. The project has measured the projects impact on
men and their entire community as well as on women. The
project accounts for goals that change in the status and
position of women at large.

Plan International Bangladesh is implementing to

strengthen Economic Security of Marginalized Young
Women in Bangladesh (SES) project through partner
organization Resource Development Foundation (RDF) at
three-sub district under Barguna district to make young
women economically productive through effective training
and income generating opportunities and socially
empowered to achieve gender equality in the world of
work. The duration of project is three years (July 2017-
June 2020).
Helping my wife is helping me as she can help me in many
ways. Subash Chandra (Husband, Sabita Rani)