Mamun Rana - Photography

Dear Friends,

Helal Mia is an elderly person living with his wife. They have no children and no means of earning a living. He used to work as a daily laborer but it’s also hard to get work for this job in villages. So I set up this grocery shop in front of his house. Now he is able to earn 300 taka a day and have a better life for himself and his wife. Before that it was very difficult to even manage for them to eat twice a day.

It is far more difficult for impoverished people to start a business in rural villages. They don’t have space or any idea about how to create and operate a business. I am trying to train them and giving them small grocery shops. I am using part of their home for setting up these shops. These people have no opportunities to earn otherwise. They have had extremely difficult lives. they could not even earn enough to cover their daily expenses. I am giving these businesses to childless couples and single widows. Every day they can earn 300/400 taka. They receive an idea, motivation and the training from me after I survey their market to see what products might be in demand. I have been buying all of the building materials and stock myself and I start-up these grocery shops for them.

I am giving these shop businesses to many people starting them off as small shops and slowly making them bigger. By training the people and using their outside houses for these shops, I am able to give them a way to earn regularly as well as gain some dignity in their lives.

I will be giving more shops to more impoverished people in different rural villages. If anyone would like to join me in this project in any manner and provide some help for these people, please send me your message.

Every day we walk down the clean streets but we never look back and think about who keeps the streets and sewer systems clean. They are the most unseen people. No one listens to their silent cries.

I always wanted to deliver their voices to all of you and show you their hidden pains, struggles and anguish.

I am sharing now some of the real-life stories of these unseen people, whose lives continue with silent weeping…