Financial literacy fuels new perspectives for a family in Bangladesh

By Afzal Siddique
Communications Officer
Room to Read in Bangladesh

Mita is a Grade 8 student in Narail District, in south-western Bangladesh. Her father works as a driver, and her brother does local welding work. Her mother has long supported the household and, as a result, has never earned an income.

Mita grew up seeing that whoever earned money made decisions — not just for the family, but for herself. She saw clearly that she and her mother were left without a voice, that her future was going to be decided by the men in her family, by those who brought in an income. 

In 2025, Room to Read's team in Bangladesh implemented our Gender Equality Portfolio for Grade 7 girls at Mita's school, led by local primary school teacher Hena Parvin and Room to Read Social Mobilizer Afsana Mili. Through Room to Read's financial education and life sills curriculum, Mita learned about earning and saving, and about effectively managing money.

Having seen her elder sister married against her wishes at an early age, she did not want the same for herself.

With financial literacy came a new perspective. She came to see herself differently. She understood that she could earn — she could change her family's circumstances, and her own. 

"When I talk to my Room to Read social mobilizer Mili apu, I feel like someone is listening to me, like my dreams actually matter," Mita shared. 

Mita decided to act on her dreams. Her mother owned a broken sewing machine, bought years ago but never used. Mita learned the basics from a seamstress who was visiting from Dhaka for a week and used her own savings to repair it.

Her family was surprised but did not stop her. She now sews for the household, saving the tailoring cost, and takes small paid orders from neighbors. Her father has expressed pride. Her mother shared: "What I bought and left unused; my daughter turned into an earning source... I married my elder daughter young, but Mita has taught me to think differently."

Mita now has the courage to follow her dreams. "I understand the importance of time, hard work and education," she said. "Being able to save my family an expense and earn for them is a big achievement for me." 

She hopes to keep growing her sewing as a business and hopes other girls will join her. She says Room to Read's life skills sessions gave her more than a new outlook on life. It has, she says, offered a new life path. And the journey has just begun. 

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