Jhuma Akter, from Gabtali village in Kishorganj Sadar Upazila, started her journey early in life. At just 15, after finishing eighth grade, she married Souraf Khan, and two years later, they welcomed their first child. Souraf had been selling Renu Pona from village to village on his bicycle for five years, but their income was barely enough to meet their household needs. The couple dreamed of starting their own fish farming business, but a lack of capital held them back.

Despite the challenges, Souraf was determined. He started experimenting with producing Renu Pona from eggs and, with a loan from a local NGO, leased a pond. To their delight, the first year of fish farming brought in a good profit. Inspired by this success, Jhuma connected with field workers from Palli Bikash Kendra (PBK) to secure a loan for expanding their fish farming business. In 2019, they took their first loan of 1 lakh taka and leased a second pond. Their efforts paid off as they started earning well from fish farming and Renu Pona production across both ponds, bringing a sense of financial stability to their family.

Encouraged by their growing success, Jhuma and Souraf took a second loan of 1.8 lakh taka to venture into layer chicken farming. They used their profits wisely, repaying their fifth and sixth loans on time, and then took a seventh loan to start raising broiler chickens, securing another stream of income with a 1 lakh taka loan. Today, Jhuma’s family has grown to four members—two children, her husband, and herself. Her son is now enrolled in school, and their little girl is just four years old.

Their business has expanded significantly. They now lease four ponds, farming fish over a vast area of 1,000 shatak. They’ve also set up a chicken farm with 2,000 layer chickens and 1,000 broiler chickens. In their ponds, they cultivate various types of fish, including Rui, Katla, Panga, and others, while continuing to produce Renu Pona. Their chicken farming is equally successful, with a daily egg yield of 94%, contributing significantly to their profits. What started with Souraf as the sole breadwinner has now transformed into a thriving family business, with Jhuma and her husband running four successful income streams together. Recently, they expanded their operations further by leasing two additional ponds in partnership with neighbors, boosting their fish farming output even more.

Their hard work has paid off, allowing them to comfortably cover family expenses, including their son’s education, while employing two people on their chicken farm with monthly salaries ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 taka. After all costs are accounted for, Jhuma and Souraf are left with an impressive average net income of 1 lakh taka per month. Jhuma’s courage and determination have inspired many in her village to start their own fish and chicken farming ventures. People often seek her advice on how to profit from fish farming and how to manage chicken rearing and prevent diseases. Her guidance and support have helped elevate the community, and her family’s social status has significantly risen due to their success in farming.

Reflecting on her journey, Jhuma Akter’s family says, “Through Palli Bikash Kendra, I found happiness for my family.” Looking to the future, she plans to expand their fish farming operations even further. “The demand for native fish is very high,” Jhuma Akter notes. “I want to cultivate native fish and even explore exporting them. My dream is to educate my children well so they can contribute to society and the nation.” Jhuma is deeply grateful to Palli Bikash Kendra for their financial support and guidance, which have been crucial in transforming her family’s fortunes and bringing prosperity to their lives.