basket weaving business, Bangladeshi

Basket weaving business helps Bangladeshi family

Polash* struggled with deep financial needs. He couldn’t provide sufficient food for his wife and three sons. Polash wanted to better support his family but didn’t know what he could do to improve their situation.
Polash’s wife Sadia wanted to help her husband in the struggle to provide. She decided to join the SALT savings group in their village. The teaching at the SALT meetings resonated with her, and she shared with her husband the things she learned at the meetings. Together, the couple decided to start a basket weaving business. But without startup capital, they had no way to purchase the supplies to get started. They requested a $35 USD loan from the savings group. As usual, the group set the terms, established a repayment timeline, and issued the loan.

With the small loan, Polash bought bamboo and other supplies to begin weaving baskets to sell at the market. With the profit Polash and Sadia made from selling the baskets, they were able to repay their loan. In addition to repayment, they had funds to provide for their family’s needs. “He can buy food for his family!” says a SALT staff member in Bangladesh. “He and his family are very grateful.”

Polash and Sadia have continued to get small loans from the savings group to expand their business. With time and careful management, Polash hopes to eventually open his own basket showroom in their local town.

*Name changed to protect identity