Fahima, 16 year old girl
About Fahima’s life
Fahima lives in a one -roomed dwelling in Dhaka with her father, mother, elder brother, younger sister and niece. As their room is located on the ground floor of their building the noise of cars and rickshaws comes through the window. Her mother is a housewife and her father works as a rickshaw puller. Her brother works at a garments factory and her sister works at a bag factory.
My father doesn’t allow me to go out much. Since the shoe factory is near to our house, he allows me to work.
Fahima started working as a helper in a leather shoe factory after the covid-19 pandemic lockdown (2020) due to financial crisis in her family.
Fahima is very interested in studying. She was enrolled in school until class nine (around 14 years of age) but due to a lack of money she and her sister dropped out of school to support the family.
I didn’t want to leave my school, but our family condition didn’t permit me to continue my studies
Fahima in her workplace
Fahima found her work through someone she knew, who was already working at the shoe factory. Fahima has worked there since, earning 8,000 BDT (US$74) per month.
As the factory is close to her home, Fahima walks there every day. Even if there is no work because the factory has not received any orders she has to be at the factory from morning until evening. At busy times she works until 10pm with only a 15-minute break. At peak periods she works through the night.
Fahima recorded her day, including her experiences at, and journey to, work as well as Arabic tutoring, which she does from home and the cooking and housework she does in the evening. She doesn’t do anything for leisure.
It is a fairly typical day for Fahima. She doesn’t go to other places much, other than the pharmacy to get medicine and the market once a month. Sometimes Fahima goes to other houses in the neighbourhood to teach a child Arabic but generally her father doesn’t allow her to go out much. When there is a high demand for shoes however, Fahima has to work overtime at her factory, until 9pm or 10pm.
Fahima likes spending time with her colleagues but she also misses her school friends.
I just think ‘what if’ I had been able to continue my studies…”
Fahima’s day
Fahima’s factory
Fahima’s experience
I work in the factory from 8am, pasting leather for shoes or sometimes cutting leather.
When there is a high demand for shoes we have to work overtime. A few days ago we had to work until 10pm. We were given some snacks and a 15-minute break. Sometimes, during the fasting month, we have to work the whole night.
When there is not much work, pressure, like parts of today, I sleep a little, listen to music and learn sewing.
I go home for lunch and it feels good to eat. I don’t like the walk back to work after eating though.
I am happy with my work environment and I like my colleagues but I do miss my school friends.
Researchers experience
Fahima is trying to learn how to use a sewing machine so that she can work as an operator in the future.
There are 17 staff – 12 girls and five boys – at the shoe factory. The environment of the factory is nice and clean.
There are separate washrooms for boys and girls. The boys and girls are all very helpful towards each other. Usually, they don’t have time to breathe when they are under pressure but due to the low order numbers received by the factory today, there is not much work to be done. Despite there being no work, they have to stay at the factory from morning until evening.
Not all the employees are friendly. Some listen to music and others are chatting. At lunch time Fahima goes home to eat lunch, and is joined there by her siblings.
Fahima’s experience
Today some female colleagues are with me, so I walk home with them, as they are neighbours.
I feel uneasy if I walk home alone after dark. There are many kinds of people wandering around the road that I use. They harass me, saying bad things. We avoid them, we walk fast and we come straight home.
The harassers are middle-aged people. Usually, they are married! I don’t feel uneasy in the morning (when) the road is still empty and there are no bad people around, but I feel uneasy during lunch and in the evening. When people’s movement increases, I become uncomfortable.
Researchers experience
When Fahima goes home, with other colleagues, after working overtime, it is often nine or ten o’clock at night. Travelling at night is not considered a problem if they return home together. But it is unsafe for Fahima to walk home alone at night as many streets in the area are very dark and it is dangerous.
Teaching Arabic
Fahima’s experience
I have been teaching Arabic and Bangla since I was 11. I currently have two students: one is a child and the other is an old woman. When I work overtime it is too late to teach children, but I am able to for the moment while the work pressure is lower.
I have already given up one tuition job due to my workload. The house of the student is very close to our house, it takes just a few minutes to walk. But I can’t do it due to my workload at the factory. I feel tired after coming home so I quit the tuition job last month.
Researchers experience
When Fahima has finished her work she goes home and teaches children. When her overtime first started, Fahima stopped teaching but now, during a time when the work orders are reduced, her mother has asked her to start teaching again. Two people come to her house for tuition on this day.
Hot pan
Child’s experience
I help with the cooking because my sister is sick today – and eating feels good!
I enjoy my housework. I have to do it because my mother is sick. If I can’t help my mother, I feel bad. My sister also contributes to the housework.
When I work until 9 or 10 pm I do not work at home. My mother does everything and I just have my dinner and sleep.
Researchers experience
After finishing teaching, Fahima goes to the kitchen and helps her mother with cooking. The kitchen in their building is far away from the family’s room so Fahima has to go back and forth. She brings hot pans from the kitchen to the room after cooking, which I think is a bit dangerous because she risks burning herself.