In rural Bangladesh, young women often face a narrow and difficult path. Early marriage, limited mobility, and financial dependence can restrict their potential long before they reach adulthood. But this reality is changing in Kulaura, home to the Prottasha Sewing Sheba Kunjo (Service House). There, skills training for women creates incomes and hope-filled futures.
Building Confidence and Independence
Extreme poverty defines life for many families in this area where the Sisters of the Holy Cross have served for nearly 45 years. Most families survive on less than a dollar a day. Girls frequently stop attending school to help with siblings or household work. And social norms leave them few safe or dignified options to build independence.
But at the service house, women learn sewing, tailoring, mending and basic market skills that allow them to begin earning income immediately. Not only a classroom, the ministry also offers a communal space where women form friendships, build self-worth, and imagine new possibilities for their futures. As they gain skills, they gain confidence. And in time, income influences their place in their families and communities; their voices begin to matter.
A future of dignity, opportunity and possibility is being created, one young woman at a time.
Established by the sisters in 2006, Prottasha has trained more than 150 women. In 2019, a new three‑story facility was completed, allowing the sisters to expand skills training for women significantly. Today, in addition to sewing, women learn basic computer skills, music and life skills. The center even includes hostel facilities for students from remote villages who would otherwise have no way to attend. This growth has made the service house a vibrant hub for education, creativity and empowerment.
Ministry Affirms Shared Dignity
The story of one young woman, Fathema, reflects the ministry’s impact. The youngest of nine children, Fathema grew up in severe economic hardship. Her father is a day laborer; her mother is physically weak. The family struggled simply to survive. Fathema attended only primary school because her parents could not afford further education. As an unmarried young woman in a male‑dominated culture, she had little say in her future.
When she entered Prottasha, she was shy, nervous, and afraid to cut cloth or touch a sewing machine. But within months, her natural talent emerged, and she learned faster than anyone. Her joyful personality blossomed as she built friendships with other women. Soon, she advanced skills training for women by assisting newcomers. And, in turn, her pride and self-worth as both a learner and a leader grew. Today, Fathema earns income, supports her family, and continues to choose her own path.
Prottasha is redefining the influence of young women in rural Bangladesh. When one woman gains confidence and independence, her entire family rises with her. Here, hope is stitched into every garment—and a future of dignity, opportunity and possibility is being created, one young woman at a time.
As God’s children, all of us are valued. You can support skills training for women and help open eyes and hearts to this truth.