Sreepur helps Nepal after Earthquake

Hello Dear Followers!

Here at Sreepur we were devastated to hear about the multiple earthquakes that struck Nepal and how horribly they affected the Nepalese population (especially the children.) Sreepur Beneficiaries and Staff decided to band together and help Nepal however we could. We at SPP know better than anyone that “every little bit helps.” So, in order to help the Nepalese SPP children have decided to collect money for them, and to sacrifice the eggs from their sunday lunch (the money that would have been spent on the eggs will now go to Nepal Earthquake relief instead.) SPP mothers have also decided to participate in this initiative- in total 230 mothers and children will take part in raising funds for Nepal earthquake relief.

We have also decided that a percentage of SVT card revenues will be donated too. As you know, the handmade cards are prepared and designed by our mothers and can be purchased here. Moreover, some of our foster children have sold some-t-shirts to raise money in a recent makeshift fair.

Along with raising funds, the children have paid tribute and offered prayers for the affected Nepalese. Together we sang a song titled “we shall overcome” at a public program attended by locals and government officials, and we dedicated the song to the Nepalese children. Staff also participated in these initiatives and offered to donate money in order to help the Nepalese children.

Any money we have already or will raise will be sent through to our partner WFTO (World Fair Trade Organisation) who has networks around Nepal too.

We wish the Nepalese the luck, support and healing that they are in dire need of now.

With Love,

Sreepur Village

The Story of one Sreepur Mother

Mother of Three 

For a year, Nilufar, a mother of three has been staying with us. She has come to us from a remote area of Bangladesh. That area has no infrastructure, education, means of communication and/or healthcare because of its poor accessibilities. The area is isolated by a water basin and locally refereed to as ‘’Char’’ (a small area of land that emerged from the river after the tide). Extremely impoverished and landless people live on the Char because they have nowhere else to go.

Nilufar was brought up in a poor family on the char without access to education and healthcare; furthermore, she had to help her family in their hut from an early age.

Nilifer’s parents arranged a marriage against her will when she was about twelve and at the time she had no idea about married life or what it entailed. She was not allowed to see her husband before the marriage, and her parents were given false information about the bridegroom- they were told that he possessed wealth and that their daughter would be happy living with his family.

After the wedding Nilufar found her husband to be a day-labourer who worked occasionally, and the couple were extremely poor.

One year after marriage, she gave birth of her first daughter Soymiya (long before her body had matured). The paternal family expected a baby- boy and were deeply disappointed at the birth of a girl. As a result, the family started to oppress her, her husband started living away and stopped giving her any support.

However, Nilufar got pregnant again. This time the husband and his family pressed Nilufar for abortion but Nilufar said ‘’No’’ so the family became even more violent physically and emotionally abusive. Eventually, Nilufar gave birth to twin girls, named Hashi and Khushi (Smile and Happiness). The family was hoping once again for a boy (as males are a symbol of social power and dignity in rural Bangladesh). Her husband was angry that he only had daughters because this meant that he would have to provide dowries when they marry. Finally he abandoned his family and got married to another woman.

The husband attempted to take away the twins from Nilufer several times with a plan to sell them, but local people intervened and Hashi and Khushi stayed with their mother and Somiya in extreme poverty on the char.

At last, she met one of our social workers in Kurigram and pleaded for safe shelter. After assessment, she came down to Sreepur and has been living with us for a year.

The twins live in our baby house. Her eldest daughter Somiya goes to our pre-school. Nilufar herself works in the baby house to take care of other babies along with her twins and she studies in the evenings. She is safe and will stay with us as long as it takes for her to learn how to support her family back in the community, and we will encourage and support her to keep her daughters in school.

Please enjoy a few photos of Nilufer and her family below.

With Love,

Sreepur Village