Ruksana Khatun, 36, currently lives in Hoklabari, Kanepokhari Rural Municipality-1 of the Morang district. Married at the age of 15, Rukasana was constantly abused by her alcoholic husband. After being separated from her husband she, her daughter (20) and her son (17) have been living with her sister’s family as they do not have a house of their own.
With no support of her husband, Ruksana’s siblings occasionally assisted Ruksana with daily meal and her children’s schooling. For earning, she assisted her elder sister, in her tailoring store, when an extra helping hand was needed. But, due to last year’s COVID-19 pandemic and the prolonged lockdown, the family business faced financial difficulties as a result of which the shop had to be permanently closed.
The Kanepokhari Rural Municipality recommended her to LCWS for business start-up help. As a single woman and a SGVB survivor, through DFAT Covid-19 Response program she was supported with NPR.15,000/-. With the supported money, she was able to purchase a sewing machine and was able to open a tailoring shop of her own. Currently, she makes an average of NPR. 15,000 every month.
Ruksana expresses her gratitude saying, “The support has helped us with day-to-day expenditures and my daughter’s schooling. I am no longer reliant on anyone. My neighbors have also started treating me with respect, once I opened the tailoring shop. I am actively participating in the three-day Entrepreneur Development Training given by LCWS, which has assisted me in developing a business strategy, which is a milestone for my newly opened shop”