Afzal lives in Bangladesh with his wife and daughter (the images show them celebrating together) in a city 1 hours drive from their capital city Dhaka. He is self trained as a graphic designer but loves miniatures which is how we got to know each other. When I met the family they were struggling to survive. They shared an apartment in the city with another family, owned the very basic of things and worked 6 days a week 11 hour days to bring home $120 per month. Over the course of the last couple of years we have helped the family to improve their life, giving them the things that make life a little easier and supporting them in setting up two small businesses. It has not been easy. There have been constant political issues affecting their lives and electricity is about as unreliable as it can possibly be but every little step is a step forward and life is getting much better.
If you wish to donate a small amount to help I know that the family will be humbled by your support. To put Bangladesh money into perspective - the average wage is about $2 per day. A wage of $120 is very good and if you are employed by the government or have a good job you can expect to earn in excess of $300 per month with professionals earning around $900. When I consider that my electricity bill for the month is around $200 it always makes me wonder what life must be like for them and how a few £ or $ in the West is a very significant amount in Bangladesh.
If you would like to donate to them I have a choice for making small donations in the listing (see drop down menu). Your entire donation will reach them. You will also be entered into a drawer to win a £100 voucher that can be used in my website shop. The drawer will take place later this summer.
Why raise money for a family in Bangladesh?
Poverty in Bangladesh is crippling and families struggle to survive. Your donation will be used for to provide a good education for their daughter and allow the family to have a more comfortable life.
A small amount does seem to go a long way and so this will make a huge difference to their lives. Over the last year or two I have raised money so that Afzal has been able to set up his own small business and Niha has just started a small cooking business. It is quite an achievement for her...growing up in poverty her father died and her mother sold her to a lady to whom she would cook and clean. When she grew old enough she left home, fell in love, ran away and got married! She has never known education and never experienced the sort of achievement that now comes from making and selling food. Starting her own business has been a fantastic achievement. However selling a curry in Bangladesh is not the same as in the west and you could easily buy a nice curry with rice and bread and trimmings for less than $1. So she works hard!! And she works hard in temperatures of 35 degrees without air con! Her sales come from more wealthy Bangladesh professionals and they absolutely love her food. https://www.instagram.com/niha_rika_x/
The family are great fun, forward thinking and always aiming to do the best for their daughter and their lives without compromising happiness and joy. I love them dearly and maybe one day, when things improve for them I can invite them over to the UK for an experience of a lifetime!
