Banu, the long journey of recovery for a rejected woman

“I was a poor, young girl and an orphan who worked as a cleaner for a rich family.” Following an affair with the son of the house, Banu became pregnant. Because they knew that the young girl’s family would not pay a dowry, the boy’s parents refused the marriage that would have normalised the situation and their son went along with this decision. As a single mother, Banu found herself in a drastic position. “I was rejected by society and left without any income whatsoever. Luckily, Thanapara was able to take me in.” The young woman joined a workshop where they work with jute fibre, and then she did some sewing, two income-generating activities organised by the organisation for women in difficulty. “With my savings, I was able to send my son to school, then to university.” Today he has a well-paid job in a pharmaceutical company and he helps his mother in return.  She acquired a beautiful house and her son’s father finally agreed to marry her. They gave birth to a little girl who completed her schooling before getting married. Banu is now sixty-two years old. Now retired, she proudly tells the story of how she achieved a dignified life through her strength of character and the support of Thanapara Swallows.