Economic Development Fund

Ayesha Siddiqa’s life has been shaped by substantial trauma. Ayesha’s parents arranged her marriage at a young age, and from the beginning, she endured mental and physical abuse at the hands of her husband. The abuse escalated after the birth of their daughter. As her situation became more dire, Ayesha reached out for help from her father to attain a formal divorce — something she could not do by herself due to Bangladeshi law. Once separated from her husband, Ayesha struggled as a single mother to meet her daughter’s basic needs. Without an education, she was limited to work at someone else’s land or home. Ayesha discovered her path out of poverty when she joined the Amra Shadhin Cooperative Society. The co-op taught her how to grow vegetables, rear livestock and build a business so she could make her own money. She received funds to purchase seeds, as well as...