Roksana Akhter, from Charikata village, Jaintapur Upazila, Sylhet District in Bangladesh, is the daughter of Azizur Rahman. Born into poverty and without land, Roksana has three sisters and one brother, all pursuing education. However, her father’s income, primarily from working on others’ land, is not enough to cover household and educational expenses. The family face financial difficulties and, on some days, they can afford only two meals of rice; on others, they go without food.
After completing her Secondary School Certificate, Roksana tried finding employment but lacked the necessary skills. Determined to contribute to her family’s income, she decided to learn computer skills. She could not find a suitable place to learn, but then she heard about the training provided by the Centre for Mass Education in Science (CMES) in the Jaintapur Unit.
Roksana successfully completed the computer course in November 2023. In addition, she attended training that covered topics like human rights, sexual and reproductive health, political participation, legislation protecting women’s rights, empowerment and public healthcare services.
CMES connected Roksana with the Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS), a national NGO, where she is now employed as an online data entry clerk. She earns a monthly income of 8,000 Taka and juggles work and further studies, but she is happy as she is contributing to her family’s livelihood. Roksana is optimistic that as her skills improve, her salary will increase, and she dreams of achieving independence to support her family and father. Roksana is also in her first year of studies for a Bachelor of Arts degree from Jainta Degree College, Jaintapur, Sylhet.
Grateful for the opportunity, Roksana attributes her newfound skills to CMES and the EWG project. Her decision to learn computer skills under the guidance of trainer Shuiebur Rahman brought joy to her father’s face, and she expressed eternal gratitude to the organisation for its support.
