Raised Here, Now a Mother
Rahima grew up at Sreepur Village. She did not know who her parents were, and the village became the only home she knew, raising her as a long-term beneficiary until she became one of its "Big Girls". In 2009 she married and left Sreepur Village to begin a new life with her husband in Sherpur.
Over the years Rahima built a family of her own. Today she is a mother of six children - three boys and three girls - her eldest 14 years old and her youngest just 4 months old.
Life became increasingly difficult when Rahima's husband developed kidney disease. His illness has affected his ability to work, and it became harder and harder for him to meet the family's basic needs. With six children to care for and her husband unable to support them, Rahima once again found herself in need of a safe and supportive place.
Three months ago, she returned to Sreepur Village with all six of her children. This time she was not the little girl who had once grown up there, but a mother seeking safety and support for her own family. She already knew the environment, the people and the sense of care the village could provide, and returning to a place she trusted gave her and her children somewhere safe to stay together.
Rahima now spends much of her time caring for her youngest child. She also assists the trained caregiver mothers in the Baby House, supporting the daily care of babies and young children - her own experience as a mother of six giving her a natural understanding of the patience, affection and attention that young children need.
In many ways, Rahima's story has come full circle. As a child she was cared for at Sreepur Village because she had no parents of her own. Today she has returned as a mother, bringing six children of her own and helping to care for other young children in the same community that once cared for her.
"Sreepur Village was my home when I was a child, and now I have come back here with my own children. I am grateful that my children can have the safety and care that I once received. Being here again feels like coming home."
Rahima hopes that this new chapter at Sreepur Village will give her children the stability, care and opportunities they need to grow up in a safe and supportive environment