Bumi’s baskets don’t break and neither does her spirit

Bamboo shavings scatter across the floor as Bumi Rakhaine bends over her work, each cut and each weave shaping not just a basket, but a future she dares to dream of. Bumi, who lived in South Chaowfaldandi of Cox’s Bazar, is a mother, a wife, and today, a small entrepreneur whose hope is finally beginning to grow.

30 September 2025

Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh -  Since she was a girl, she could weave strong, neat baskets from bamboo strips that were light enough to carry, tough enough to last. But here was the problem: she didn’t own the bamboo. She had to borrow it from traders, make a few baskets, sell them, and pay back the loan, leaving her with barely enough money for a kilo of rice. “It felt like running on a path with no end,” she says. “I worked hard but stayed poor.”

© ILO/Humayun Kabir Khan

With support from the programme, Bumi now works alongside her husband to grow her small business.

Everything began to change when BRAC’s Ultra Poor Graduation Programme (UPGP) entered her life. Through the programme, Bumi received the support she needed to grow her small business. For the first time, she could buy bamboo in bulk at once, take on larger orders, and work with confidence. Now, her hands don’t just weave bamboo; they weave dignity. 

Her husband also began helping whenever he was at home. She received support to grow her basket-making business properly. She didn’t have to beg or borrow. She could plan, produce more, and take bigger orders. And best of all, she could keep the profit.

I used to feel invisible. Now, when people come to buy my baskets, they call me by name. They say, "Bumi’s baskets don’t break." That makes my heart proud.

Bumi Rakhaine 

Her husband, when he’s back from the sea, helps her cut the bamboo. Her daughter, who passed her SSC exams, studies hard, dreaming of becoming a teacher. Bumi watches her with quiet joy. Today, Bumi has the skill to produce up to 50 baskets a week, enough to bring in steady income and recognition, while still dreaming of even bigger markets. 

And it didn’t stop there. As part of the programme, Bumi also received a goat. To her delight, it gave birth to two healthy kids. “They are like my children,” she laughs. With her savings, she even bought a cow, something she once thought only rich families could own. She doesn’t dream of a palace. She doesn’t want a car. Her dream is simpler, but deeper: 

I want to wake up every morning knowing my family is safe. I want my daughter to finish her studies. I want to work with my hands, earn with my heart, and live without fear.

Bumi Rakhaine 

Today, Bumi is not just surviving, she is thriving. She saves money. She plans for the future. She speaks with confidence in community meetings. She even teaches other women how to weave better baskets. 

Her life didn’t change overnight. But change came step by step, basket by basket. Bumi’s story is not just about bamboo baskets.  It’s about hope woven tight, like the strands she ties with her own two hands.