Sumitra Samaddar is 68 years old retired expert artisan who started to work with TARANGO from 1985. She is living in Rajapur village under Kotalipara upozila of Gopalgonj district. She got married to Bilash Somaddar at 13 years of age.  As she married at early age, she was fully dependent on her husband for every needs and wants. Fishing was the only income source of her husband which was not sufficient to meet basic family needs. At that time the area was totally under developed with limited income source and no income source for the women. Due to poverty they could not continue their daughter’s education. She was one of the first women who worked with Tarango Handicrafts program. At the beginnings Fr. Klaus Beurle, Advisor of TARANGO asked the women group to make some shape of animal with jute braid as mats.  Product quality was not good enough at starting point, but the group members supported each other to improve the product quality.

Sumitra realized she had to do something to contribute to the household income and ensure the education for her son. She received different skill development trainings to make quality product, social awareness and leadership development from Tarango. As the road infrastructure was very poor so they had to come to TARANGO by crossing the rivers/water logging field with one set of extra cloth to change the wet clothes. Facing all difficulties she continued her work with Tarango which supported her lot to contribute in her family as well as for her son’s education. Though she given marriage to her 3 daughters at early age due to poverty, however, she did not give up her son’s education. Her son also received stipend from Tarango’s education program. Sumitra’s son is now serving at Public Service Commission a prestigious Govt. department and supporting his parents as they are now retired.  Before joined to Tarango, life for Sumitra was very hurdle. Now her living condition is better than before and she feels secure in her family as well as in the community. She is now leading a happy life as she educated her son, possessed enough agricultural land, cattle, ponds etc. Now she spends her time by watching TV, involved with voluntary community works and prayers. She mentioned that the Fair Trade Handicraft program assisted her to get rid of poverty. Following to Sumitra’s success many fellow women involved with handicrafts and contributing to their respective families with own significant earnings.