"There are a lot of women selling drugs in these areas, however, it is a very difficult life", she remarked.
"There have been many instances of men harassing women, inappropriately touching us and taking our pictures was a common occurrence while they looked for drugs. We didn't tell anyone about it because we were too afraid of being accused of being a drug dealer, she explained."
Parven made some money selling drugs, which she used to apply for her husband's bail. Her second son was born in 2018 and soon after her husband was again arrested by the police for drug dealing.
Distraught and worried about her children's bleak future, in 2019 with the help of another NGO Parven and her two children enrolled at Sreepur Village.
At Sreepur Village she participated in various training schemes. After completing three years of income generating activities and learning new skills and livelihood development training, she is now working in an RMG (Ready Made Garment) factory and is living a healthy and happy life with her sons.
Parven concluded by saying, “I am quite happy now and I have no communication with my husband because if I did he would insist I go back to him and I do not want to return or subject my children to this dark life’’.
She also added, "I feel fortunate that Sreepur Village has changed my life but still feel bad for other girls who continue to sell drugs.
If you would like to help transform a mother and child's life, like Parven's then please click here.
Life can sometimes throw unimaginable challenges at us, but it's the human spirit's resilience and determination that can lead to remarkable stories of triumph.
Lia's life is a testament to this spirit, marked by adversity, courage, and ultimate success. Lia's story draws parallels to other stories of perseverance, and highlights the crucial role of organisations like Sreepur Village in transforming lives.
Out of the blue, at the tender age of 13, Chia found herself sitting on a bridal stage, about to marry a man who was 35 years old. Her parents had arranged the match, finding the man from their nearby locality in Bhairab.
He was a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) businessman who occasionally sold vegetables and fruits on the street. Chia's aspirations and youthful dreams were abruptly interrupted by this sudden marriage. Instead of books, she found herself with kitchen utensils in her hands. She went from feeling like a princess to becoming a servant overnight.