Popi Akhter (23) and Sumi are both early risers. “I have taken care of Sumi since she was a calf. Her calm and friendly approach is the best way to start the day,” elaborates Popi. She has been waking up to cattle calls since she was a child - “The cow shed is part of our house. We try our best in a small space, keeping the cattle safe and inland.” For the budding cattle entrepreneur, she dreams of taking the farm a bit further. It’s more than raising cattle for Popi; she is boosting the business standard. “I’ve been a helping hand with my father’s cattle since I was little. Now I want to make investments, so it grows.”
Like many families in the haor*, farming has been a family business. Popi’s father, Abu Hanif, started raising cattle, and her grandfather would sell paddies. “Popi has been my helping hand since she was a child. She would feed the cattle, clean the shed, and collect grass,” recalls Abu. He sees her dedication through her kinship with the cows. “The cattle are family for Popi. She is so attentive to their needs and has learned how to treat their illnesses like a natural from the beginning.”
Mooooooooving Ahead - Transforming Cattle Rearing into a Business
There was an untapped opportunity on the family’s land, according to Popi - “We were raising and selling cattle to get by.” The business training helped her understand business planning, budgeting, and record-keeping. “We have a business plan to buy and sell calves. It includes proper feeding and care so we can sell them at a good market price and at the opportune moment, like the Eid holiday.” The family is also selling milk from the dairy cows, combining the sales to maximize profits. They have gradually increased the number of cattle raised. “I bought my first cow, and when it became profitable. The increased revenue showed my family that we need to create a business plan. My contributions are now supporting them,” explains Popi. Early marriage is common in the haor. For many girls in rural areas, starting a business is taking ownership of their futures.
Popi is shepherding the family towards a more business-savvy approach to farming. says Popi. She explains that they will only continue to increase their cattle numbers,
I want our family trade to become a large-scale commercial farm in the future.
Popi eventually aspires to be the alpha for a different herd.
Training with other girls helped me realize that when we have the opportunity, we can be the ones who build a future for ourselves and our families. Eventually, I wanted my farm to be a space where youth in the haor learn to be earners through cattle farming.
The Pasture is Past Her - Opening the Economic Gates for Girls
Bangladesh continues to struggle to foster the potential of its youth, with 15.4% of Bangladeshi youth aged 15–24 not in employment, education, or training (NEET). Women in climate-vulnerable rural areas, where access to skills development and economic opportunities is limited, are at a much greater disadvantage. Practical training in these areas becomes the difference between uncertainty and entrepreneurship or a career. Popi proves that empowering women is a nation’s wealth. With only 16.71% women in economic establishments, their contributions are strikingly underrepresented.
Girls' Education and Skills Partnership (GESP), under the POWER Project, provides Entrepreneurship Development Training (EDT) to help young women develop practical business and financial skills to establish sustainable, climate-resilient enterprises, thereby strengthening both their economic independence and their communities. More than 500 young women have completed the training, advancing towards self-employment and economic independence in 2026.
* A haor is located in the northeastern region of Bangladesh and functions as a seasonal wetland ecosystem, supporting approximately 20 million people.