The fighting spirit of an 18-year old

Eighteen-year-old Eti Bynarjee from Nishchintapur village under Kaliganj upazila in Jhenidah is the sole breadwinner of her family. She makes paper bags, in which sweets and other groceries are sold, to fund her education. She is a student of Amjad Ali and Faizur Rahman Degree College.

Eti, along with her parents and three siblings, lives in a congested, tin-shade house on a land of two decimals. Her father is a patient of asthma, and cannot work at a stretch for a long time. He needs BDT 1,000 each month for his medicines.

Eti's elder sister Anyana, was married off recently, while her elder brother, Tanmoy, could not fill out his university admission form due to financial constraints. Being the only breadwinner at home adds a heavy weight on Eti's shoulders, especially as she has people she needs to look after as well as manage her studies and work.

"Our house has two rooms and it is very difficult to live in. During the rainy season, we usually cannot sleep at night because our bed gets wet from the rainwater. But I am determined to help my family as much as I can," shares Eti.

She makes the paper bags before and after her college classes, and on her off days. Her mother, Anima, distributes the bags to different shops in their local market.

Eti's father, Barun, is really proud of her, but worries about her future life. Although the young girl is struggling to continue her studies, her fighting spirit is commendable.