Happy rain

Every year, streams and rivers descending from China, Nepal, Bhutan and India, swell, overflow, flood and nourish the Bangladeshi land throughout the long monsoon months.

In Daudkandi, 2 hours south-east of Dhaka, the capital, this seemingly hostile environment is the setting for an incredible human adventure. A few thousand peasants and one NGO transformed the floods into an incredible opportunity. Morshed Millat Sakiul, realised that certain flooded zones would be ideal for fish farming. He became convinced that by exploiting these lands, the villagers could earn a supplementary income and decided to develop a programme through Shisuk, the NGO he had just founded. Some capital was invested in building the infrastructure, and little by little, the villages became connected, which created a completely new atmosphere. Jobs were created in harvesting, sorting and selling fish. New companies were created to supply fish food, ice and transportation. In this way, many people multiplied their sources of income.

But the biggest shareholders will always seek greater profit. And those at the bottom of the pyramid, who are also shareholders, will want to assert their rights. 15years later, the whole community must be creative to find the right balance - how can we give them a real place, how can we ensure that they are respected?