The women and girls of Abdulpur village in Dinajpur's Chirirbandar upazila have found a remarkable way to empower themselves – doll making.
The doll makers there have become so popular that the village is now dubbed "putul gram", literally translating to "doll village".
Taking their art a step further is the fact that their works are now exported to different countries, earning them recognition both at home and abroad.
Over 600 women and girls have taken up the art to not only express their creativity but generate income to support their families.
According to the locals, the journey began in 2018 after AB Crusade, a local organisation of the upazila, took up the initiative to empower the women of this underdeveloped village through different means.
AB crusade is part of AB Foundation, founded by eminent orthodontist Dr Amjad Hossain, in Chirirbandar upazila. The foundation is involved in many sectors, especially education and health.
It began with only three women, one of whom is Manisha Rani Das.
"After I got training on making dolls with fabric in Dhaka, I came back home in 2018 and began making dolls to earn money," she told this correspondent.
Inspired by AB Crusade's initiative and Manisha's consequent success, scores of women and school- and college-going girls decided to join the venture, initially selling their handmade dolls to the company while managing their homes.
When Manisha saw the massive potential in their craft, she began giving them proper training in fabric doll making, expanding her own enterprise.
The number of female doll makers of Abdulpur then kept growing and is well over 600.
Today, Manisha supervises a team of doll makers in her own home. They intricately craft their dolls with the various materials sourced locally and supplied by AB Crusade.
What's remarkable is the diverse workforce involved -- from homemakers to students. This new and empowering source of income proved even more fruitful during the Covid-19 pandemic, when staying home was an obligation.
"Working from home is always an option, while they can also choose to work in groups," Manisha said.
Deepali Roy, an HSC student, has been crafting dolls for the past four years.
"I used the free time I had after classes and also during the pandemic-induced school closure to contribute to the doll making. Our dolls are exported to different countries in Europe and even in America, which helps me earn a decent income to support my education and family expenses."
Sobita Rani Roy joined the venture two years ago. "Doll making has made me financially independent, enabling me to support my family and meet my children's needs. I can earn enough for their education from doll making."
Jhorna Roy, who has been making dolls for five years, said after learning how to make dolls from Manisha, she makes three to four every day, which helps her support her family.
"Each of us can easily earn up to Tk 300-350 per day by crafting three to four dolls," she said, adding, "AB Crusade pays each maker Tk 30 to Tk 100 per doll, depending on the size and style."
Mozammel Hossain Mizu, owner of AB Crusade, expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration of the women in Abdulpur, emphasising that it has not only benefitted the village, but also expanded his market internationally.
"The crafted dolls are exported by 'Hathey Bunano' [a handicraft export company]. We usually get 20,000 and 25,000 doll every three months. Our two main buyers are in the USA and the UK, who then supply the dolls in other countries."
With orders pouring in from across the world, the art of doll making has become a symbol of women empowerment in Abdulpur and their success has inspired surrounding villages to replicate the initiative.
Chirirbandar Upazila Nirbahir Officer AKM Shariful Haque said the "doll village" serves as a beacon of hope for underprivileged women and their families, showing how creativity and entrepreneurship can transform lives and communities, one doll at a time.
Praising the initiative, he said, "The district and upazila administrations are committed to providing comprehensive support to further enhance their work."
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