Fishing for the future: Bangladesh
In Mongla, Bangladesh, 24-year-old Tripti Rani Sana is worried about climate change. She sees the effect that natural disasters are having on her community’s ability to feed itself: cylones and floods have washed away paddy fields and crops, while the increased salinity of the water has devastated the once-thriving shrimp industry.
“Because of Cyclones Sidr and Aila, we faced a lot of damage to the fields which meant there was no income for a time,” says Tripti. “We had times when there were only one or two meals a day.”
With VSO’s help, Tripti is working hard to make sure those hungry times don’t happen again. She is a member of the Shapla Youth Club, an organisation receiving support from VSO international volunteer Maureen Sitenda. As well as sharing her skills in community and youth development, Maureen has helped 20 young people to volunteer in their community. Tripti is one of them. She and her fellow volunteers have helped train 150 farmers.
It is vital that poor communities in Bangladesh learn how to adapt to the effects of climate change – their lives depend on it. That’s why Maureen organised training for Tripti and other members of the youth club in modern fishing techniques that enable people to diversify so that they are no longer reliant on shrimp. Tripti is now going out into the community and sharing her new skills and knowledge. The young people and community farmers who have received this training have seen their income increase by 50%.
“I am proud to be a volunteer,” says Tripti. “I can’t contribute money but I can contribute my knowledge. Then others can use that knowledge to earn more money and live better lives.”
