Rehena - The Chars Livelihoods Programme

Chars Livelihoods Programme
Rehena
Reducing Extreme Poverty on the Riverine Islands of North West Bangladesh
Family Timeline
The ups and downs of life on
the chars of NW Bangladesh
11. Rehena joins the CLP under Cohort 2.5 in
October 2013. With a new bull as her asset and a
wide-ranging package of assistance, things are
looking up for Rehena and her family. We’re going
to follow her over the next 18 months to see how
she does.
1 and 2. Rehena and family were
relatively well off. They farmed
land on the chars, had a healthy
stand of fruit trees and kept
sheep and goats.
9. Although they were recovering,
nevertheless they were
dismayed that they could not
afford to pay for their
daughter’s exam registration.
4. Hard work and
perseverance saw them
begin to recover.
10. The river once again eroded the
land they were living on.
6. Showing the resilience typical of
the chars-people, they continued to
strive and their situation began to
improve again.
3. River erosion claimed their land
and fruit trees, but they managed
to save some possessions and
assets.
5. Then came a happy event with a sting
in the tail. The wedding of their eldest
daughter required them to spend all of
their savings, as well as ask friends
and neighbours for assistance.
7. Then two devastating erosion events
occurred, costing them two houses.
They reached their lowest ebb.
8. Another dowry payment kept them in
poverty, their savings once again
depleted.