Flower is a symbol of holiness and purity. Anju Sarker of Mulgram under Keshabpur upazila of Jessore rose to the peak of success doing flower cultivation. Local people know her as Phool Boudi. To people of Jessore, Anju Sarker is a name of a brave woman who won the battle for life. She has emerged as a successful lady entrepreneur conquering poverty through flower trade. Now, she goes from one place to another by her own private car. But even one decade ago, she did free distribution of flowers walking on foot along the streets. Sometimes she had to hear objectionable remarks from people. But she did not stop. She achieved success by dint of hard toil, sincerity and perseverance.
People will be astonished to hear the struggle of life of Phool Boudi. After marriage, she found nothing but some cooking utensils at her husband’s house. Her husband was a cultivator by profession. His condition was so pitiable that he could not manage three times meal for his wife and son. Responding to the call of life, she joined her husband in his pursuit of cultivation. She learnt to cut paddy, sugarcane, what not? Even then they could not ensure their daily square meal. But because of chronic want and hardship, Anju, along with her husband and children, was compelled to set for India. There she took shelter at the house of one ‘Didi’ (elder sister). Her ‘Didi’ arranged for her work at a flower farm as a farm labourer. This is from where Anju Sarker learnt the art of flower cultivation, planting the saplings and marketing of flowers.
After acquiring primary knowledge on flower farming, she decided to come back to her home country to do flower cultivation and pursue a trade on flowers. It was in 2005, she came back to Keshobpur carrying a few saplings from the house of her master. She planted the saplings at the courtyard of her house. Although she laid the foundation of flower cultivation but she had no adequate capital by which she would start a business and make it commercially successful. With a view to arranging money for the purpose, she took suggestions from her neighbours to get involved with Ashroy Ganokendra, a people’s centre, established at her native village, with assistance from Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) in the same year. There she came to know about DAM which works for backward population’s educational, health, social awareness, and economic development thereby alleviating their poverty. She also learnt about various skill development trainings being imparted through Ganokendra, established by DAM. DAM also helps create self-employment for poverty-stricken women by providing them small loan through its Microfinance Programme.
Anju’s remaining story is like a fiction. DAM extended its hands of cooperation to her observing her keen interest in flower cultivation. Initially, DAM provided her 25,000 taka loan. Adding her own family savings to the loan, she, with the help of husband and two sons, started cultivation of flowers like ‘rajanigandha’ (tuberose), marigold, jasmine, dahlia and gypsy. At initial stage, she sold flowers carrying them in hands. Later, she sold flowers at Keshobpur bazaar. Alongside, she bought roses and other flowers at cheap rate from Gadakhali bazaar in Jhikorgacha and sold them at her locality at high price. Because of timely repayment of loans, DAM raised her loan ceiling every year. This way, she extended areas of flower cultivation taking lease others’ lands and making good use of loans and her sales proceeds. Anju established a show room of flowers named ‘Suvecchha Phool Ghar’ at Keshobpur bazaar. She, not only engaged herself in flower trade, but also decorates houses during pre-wedding ‘Gaey Holud,’ wedding, ‘Hal Khata’ on Pahela Baishakh (Bangla New Year), VIP and politicians’ functions. She gets between 15,000-20,000 taka as remuneration by decorating houses during social functions. Currently, she has extended her business by opening two new shops at Khulna and Satkhira.
Anju spent a decade doing flower trade. Story of her long journey towards economic stability may sound unbelievable. Within this period, she bought four decimals of land at Keshobpur bazaar whose current price is 14 lakhs taka. She sent her younger son to Kuwait. She also bought 230 decimals of land at her native village for the sole purpose of flower cultivation. Flowers are transported to various districts by her private car. Despite her unbelievable success, Phool Boudi still remains the same simple lady. Flower trade is her passion. In the early morning, she picks up flowers from lands and brought the same to her shop while she returns home at night. Now daily sales proceed of Anju Sarker stands at 15,000 taka while it is annually 14 lakh taka. She receives six lakhs of taka as net profit. At least 20 poor women and meritorious school and college-going students have been employed at Anju’s business establishment. Her dream is to extend flower business in every corner of the county. Alongside her individual flower trade, she received the prestigious Joyita Award in 2013 in recognition to her contributions towards creating women awareness at her own locality. In 2014, Anju earned a rare honour by obtaining second place in Best Microentrepreneur in Agriculture category of 9th Citi Microentrepreneurship Award as a DAM participant. Really, Anju Sarker has bloomed herself like a flower doing flower cultivation.