Badhon and Kowshola
Badhon works for Caritas Bangladesh, our sister agency, alongside indigenous communities who are fighting for their land rights.
As a Garo man, Badhon feels compelled to help his community establish legal ownership of the areas of the rainforest their ancestors have lived in for centuries.
Supported by Hands On donations from people like you, Badhon has been arranging legal support for families falsely accused of deforestation and organising powerful demonstrations to protect indigenous communities from abuse.
He recently spoke to us about Kowshola – a Garo woman we heard from last year – his friend, someone whose “leadership is testament to the unbreakable spirit of the Garo woman”, and an inspiration to those she encounters.
Kowshola (left) and Badhon (right)
Kowshola (left) and Badhon (left)
An extraordinary woman
“Kowshola is an extraordinary woman. We see her here in Madhupur. She works as a housewife and a woman farmer, cultivates her land, grows paddy crops, and I would say she is a fierce advocate for land rights in Madhupur, Bangladesh."
“She is a brave woman in the Garo community."
“The spirit in her mind that inspires others to stand for more resilience against injustices.
“I have known her for several years through her involvement in our programmes and I can say she is a symbol of the power of resilience.
“She was saying during our visit that, ‘this is our land [and] we will not leave it’.
“I find her very courageous and a model of Garo women here in Madhupur.”
Unbreakable spirit
“Visiting Kowshola and hearing her story, it reinforces the importance of my work here in Caritas Bangladesh for the indigenous peoples.
“She has values of courage and strength. She is a pillar of the community, and represents the deep connection between people, nature and land. She is also committed to protecting her rights, protecting the rights of the indigenous communities and protecting the sal forest.
“Her leadership is testament to the unbreakable spirit of the Garo woman.
“I have been inspired by her stories and the role she played in the society, especially during the movement against the artificial lake.”
A walk around
the vegetable garden
Watch our interactive video from Kowshola’s thriving vegetable garden
deep inside the Madhupur rainforest.
360 degree video of Badhon and Kowshola discussing her vegetable garden. Click and drag to move around!
Thank you
Thank you so much for your Hands On support in Madhupur.
This is your final Hands On update from Badhon, Kowshola and the rest of the Garo community.
We'll be in touch soon with details of new exciting projects.
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