Mabia’s journey back to hope: How timely care can save a life

Mabia is around 35 years old, but her appearance shows the effect of many years of struggle. She was married off in childhood, long before she could understand what family life, responsibility, and motherhood would mean. Today, she is the mother of one son and two daughters. Her daughters were also married off before the age of 15, and Mabia is already a grandmother to several grandchildren. Mabia’s husband is unable to work and earn a livelihood for the family. As a result, the family depends mostly on her only son, who is around 15 years old. At an age when he should be studying, growing and dreaming about his future, he sometimes catches fish, pulls rickshaw, or travels to the city for construction work. His small and uncertain income supports Mabia and her husband.

For a long time, Mabia has been suffering from anemia and gynecological complications. She needs regular medicine and proper medical care to survive and live with some stability. But for a family living in such hardship, regular medication is almost a luxury. Her teenaged son was already doing more than a child should have to do and still medical treatment remained beyond their reach. With no access to proper diagnosis and treatment, Mabia used to consult a local healer for herbal remedies. The healer, unaware of the actual nature of her illness, could not provide the care she truly needed. As months passed, her condition continued to worsen, and her life became increasingly fragile.

At a very critical stage, Mabia came to Oasis for Posterity [OfP]. OfP arranged medical consultation with a doctor, supported her to understand her diagnosis, and helped her begin regular medication. This intervention brought a meaningful change in her life. She is still not strong enough to work very much but she is now living with better health, more comfort, and renewed hope.

Mabia’s story is not only about illness. It is about poverty, child marriage, child labor, lack of access to healthcare and the quiet suffering of women who are often left unseen. It is also a story of how timely support can prevent a vulnerable life from falling further into crisis.

We are deeply grateful to our donors and well-wishers. Your support enables OfP to stand beside people like Mabia when they have nowhere else to turn. Through your kindness, a woman who was once struggling without proper care is now receiving treatment and living a better life. Together, we can continue to bring dignity, healing and hope to Mabia and many others like her. Your support helped Mabia when she needed it most. Thank you.

We spend most donations for Bangladesh Health Project and Oasis for Posterity on our major programs in education and health care. A very small portion is used to help Jaldhaka residents who experience extreme conditions, the "ultra-poor". This story is about one such person.

Pathways toward sustainable livelihoods

In a recent article in a leading Bangladesh newspaper, BHP Director John Richards and Shahidul Islam discussed “Why Bangladesh’s children are in school but not learning.” Basic literacy is a social driver of health because it is crucial for higher incomes. However, in South Asia most teenagers cannot read. The impact extends far beyond the education sector: artificial intelligence and technological advances are reshaping labour markets; countries are seeking to build knowledge-based economies. Bangladesh is home to a very large youth population, but more than half the workforce lacks functional literacy and numeracy skills.

Primary students at Bluebell School

Bangladesh Health Project is working with Oasis for Posterity [OFP] to tackle this problem on two fronts. Our primary prevention strategy is simple – ensure primary students can read! But many local youth come from financially disadvantaged backgrounds with very limited access to decent education. For these young adults, our secondary strategy is to strengthen their technical competence and confidence through practical, employment-oriented technical education.

Masonry students in an OIST classroom

OFP operates OIST - Oasis Institute for Science and Technology, a government-recognized not-for-profit technical-vocational college in Jaldhaka . OIST's Masonry Level-2 Skills Training Course, developed under the competency-based learning framework of the National Skills Development Authority, provides trainees with hands-on experience in modern masonry and construction practices. During the training, participants learn essential construction skills including the use of masonry tools and equipment, brick wall and foundation construction, plastering and mortar mixing, curing techniques, and workplace safety practices.

This initiative is especially meaningful for youth from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, as it equips them with employable skills, confidence, and pathways toward sustainable livelihoods. Through such programs, OFP continues its mission of human resource development, poverty reduction, and community empowerment.

Strengthening OfP HEALTH: Welcoming RN Sumona Akter Sammi

Sumona Akter Sammi RN, BSN

Oasis for Posterity [OfP] Founder, Rabiul Islam writes, “At OfP, we believe that lasting change is built through people , who possess not only professional expertise but also a genuine commitment to service. We are happy to announce that RN Sumona Akter Sammi has joined OfP HEALTH (Holistic Empowerment for Advancing Lives and Transforming Health). Her joining marks an important milestone in our journey to build a sustainable, community-centered healthcare ecosystem for underserved populations in rural Bangladesh.”

RN Sammi earned an outstanding GPA 5.00 out of 5.00 in Secondary School examinations and GPA 4.50 out of 5.00 in Higher Secondary examinations. Her academic journey was shaped by both achievement and resilience, as she continued her studies despite the hardship of losing her mother during this critical period. With a strong science background, she then completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rajshahi Medical University.

Beyond her academic qualifications, RN Sammi brings valuable practical experience to OfP HEALTH, having cared for patients at Prime Medical College Hospital, Rangpur, in a community clinic and as a nursing instructor. In addition, RN Sammi has qualified as a caregiver trainer, so she will be able to support both direct care and the learning of our caregiver students. Originally from Dinajpur District, she understands the challenges faced by rural communities in northern Bangladesh, so she is well-positioned to lead our community-focused health programs. RN Sammi’s responsibilities include:

·         Leading community health outreach and home-based healthcare visits

·         Coordinating patient treatment, referrals to specialist doctors and follow-up services

·         Supporting health awareness and preventive healthcare programs

·         Leading caregiver and community health worker training initiatives

·         Coordinating school health, hygiene, and health education programs

RN Sammi’s leadership will strengthen our capacity to provide accessible, compassionate and coordinated healthcare services to the general community and to vulnerable populations.