There were times when Muslima Begum and her family would go for days without food.

Together with her husband, Sherajul Islam, Muslima Begum struggled to make ends meet in a village named Kumargara in the Kushtia district of Bangladesh. They went from one day to the next without help or assistance from close friends and relatives.

Then, interest-free loans opened the door for distressed people like Muslima Begum. She went to Muslim Aid's office at Kushtia with a few other destitute women, where she opened her heart about her poverty.

Muslim Aid advised her to apply for an interest-free loan to set up a small business. She was given an initial loan of £30, and with it she started a poultry firm.

"With the help of Muslim Aid, my business has taken off," said Muslima Begum. "At home, I have installed a sanitary latrine and a tube well for pure drinking water. I am also providing education for my son, who is now going to school."

Up to now, she had taken £243 in four different installments. Initially her monthly income was just £15, which was barely enough to survive on. Now she is earning much more, enough to give her a sense of independence, and to provide hope for the future.

"I am free from want and I am now self-reliant," beamed Muslima Begum. "Even my husband does not work on other's houses any more, and can now focus on working on ours. We are very happy and thankful to Muslim Aid for their humanitarian services for the underprivileged people".

Muslima Begum is winning her fight against extreme poverty. Muslim Aid's interest-free loan has played an important role in her journey towards self-reliance.

Muslim Aid's micro-credit product is modelled on the Qur'anic principle of Qard al Hasan which means 'Beautiful Loan'. Muslim Aid's micro-credit programme is not only interest-free but also has no service charge.

This scheme is run at no cost to the beneficiaries. Since 1993, Muslim Aid has been implementing the interest-free micro-credit programme in Bangladesh, Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon and many other countries.

The total number of beneficiaries of this unique micro-credit model is now over 100,000 people. Muslim Aid is committed to reducing extreme poverty through interest-free credit support and creating employment opportunities for those people suffering from extreme poverty.

(ENDS)

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