International Day of the Girl is a worldwide celebration of the importance, power, and potential of girls around the globe, and focuses attention on the particular problems they can face. This year, Islamic Relief brings you the story of Ashamoni.
Early marriage – often called child marriage – is common in rural Bangladesh despite laws preventing girls marrying before the age of 18. Young girls are often viewed by their families as a problem that only marrying them away at an early age can solve.
This issue is rife in the district of Kurigram in northern Bangladesh where 70% of the population are living in poverty, with conditions often made worse by the impacts of climate change.
These harsh conditions have heightened the vulnerability of the local population, leading to an increase in school dropout rates and a significantly higher incidence of child marriage compared to other parts of Bangladesh.
“We felt completely helpless”
12-year-old Ashamoni is from a poor village in the district of Kurigram. Ashamoni’s father, Altab, works as a day labourer, while her mother, Saheba, is a homemaker. It is a constant struggle for the parents to bring in income due to the limited work available in the region, which is often seasonal.
Altab occasionally travels to larger cities like Rangpur or Dhaka to work as a rickshaw puller, but even then, his earnings are never enough to support the family.
Conflict and environmental challenges, such as floods, have forced the family to move from village to village. They lived in relatives homes packed into overcrowded houses and took on extra responsibility caring for an uncle.
“Miseries have clung to my life like stubborn stains,” Shaheba says. “Even after moving from my in-laws’ house to my father’s, nothing changed in our lives or livelihoods.”
Throughout all this, Shaheba and Altab were under immense pressure from relatives and neighbours to marry off Ashamoni, seeing it as an easy way to reduce their financial burden. At one point, her parents genuinely considered that as an option.
“We felt completely helpless. Like any parents, we had many dreams for our daughter’s future. But the harsh reality was that we could not even provide our only daughter with proper meals, so how could we afford her education?” Shaheba explains.
“These worries were always on our minds, and eventually we considered marrying off Ashamoni, thinking at least she would be able to have enough to eat.”
A lifeline
It was around this time that the family came into contact with the Improve Protection of the Children at Risk through Soci-Economic Empowerment (PRiSE) in Ulipur, operated by Islamic Relief.
The project aims to reach 1,200 people, enhancing their livelihoods and providing essential support to ensure their children can continue their education.
Ashamoni’s family were selected as one of the beneficiaries of the project, receiving a grant of BDT 25,000 (approximately £160) to help generate their own income. Saheba invested the money in furniture making and firewood sales, which now generates a significant monthly income and has greatly improved the family’s financial stability.

Ashamoni also receives a monthly stipend of BDT 7,400 (£74) which helped her to buy books, copies and other school materials. Now in grade 6, Ashamoni has also been chosen as a member of a girls club, where she regularly participates in activities like reading, knowledge-sharing sessions, and learning about child rights, protection, and life skills.
“The girls club gives me an extra platform besides school to improve my cognitive skills and life knowledge. My communication skills have improved too, and I’m no longer shy when talking to others, which was not possible before joining the club,” Ashamoni says.
Looking to the future
Unlike many other girls in her community, Ashamoni is determined not to become a victim of early marriage. “I will never marry before achieving my dreams,” she remarked.
Now, with the project team’s support, Ashamoni is inspired to pursue those dreams and become a nurse.
“I want to serve patients and ease their suffering. I don’t want to be a nurse who works just for a paycheck. I want to be a compassionate, patient-centered nurse who takes responsibility for caring for people.”
With Ashamoni’s confidence, eagerness to learn, and determination to achieve her dreams, there is hope that she will one day become a change-maker as well as a leader in her community.
Shifting social attitudes takes time and patience. Islamic Relief is committed to advocating for the rights of women and girls around the world and in countries such as Bangladesh, including issues such as early marriage. Please help us continue this important work. Donate now.