Ismat Jahan Ima and Kamal started a farm on two-thirds of an acre of land in their village of Bhater Chor in Narsingdi district. They needed initial capital to get started. When they came to know that Shakti Foundation gave out agricultural loans and advice on farming, Ismat Jahan joined a neighboring center and took out her first loan of Tk. 10,000 to plant long beans (sheem) in 2014.

By 2018 Ismat Jahan had successfully repaid her first three loans and took out a fourth loan of Tk. 150,000 to raise milk cows. She already had one cow and wanted to expand her business. Using her own money along with the new loan, she purchased two more cows. At present, Ismat Jahan earns Tk. 38,000 from selling milk each month. In addition to the 3 milk cows, she has 3 calves, owns a full acre of farmland and runs a medium-sized grocery store out of her house. She also does some tailoring work with her own sewing machine. She brings additional income from these other businesses. After all expenses, her monthly profit is Tk. 18,000.

Ismat Jahan leads a happy, productive life with her husband and their two children. She has enabled her family to be financially solvent as well and is socially well established. As a result of her business success, she plans to increase her milk production by purchasing more cows and expand the dairy farm in the future. Her ambition is to give her children the best education by sending them for higher studies. Having seen Ismat Jahan’s success as a dairy farmer through the assistance she has received from Shakti Foundation many in her village have starteds to emulate her by taking loans and starting their own businesses.