I am Mst. Kajli Begum, wife of Mr. Sahammmad Ali. Our address is West Mulatol, Keranipara, Rangpur. We have a son and a daughter. My husband used to work in a private company, but running the household with his salary became difficult. As a result, poverty and scarcity increased. When we were struggling with poverty, in 2012, I started a grocery store next to my house in Mulatol, Amtala, Rangpur. However, in 2016, I planned to start a hotel business named "Sneha Hotel" instead of the grocery store, but I did not have the necessary capital for the hotel business.

A few days later, the Community Manager of Padakhep Manabik Unnayan Kendra came to my shop and talked to me about taking a loan for my business. In early 2019, I took out a loan and started my hotel business. At that time, I only sold breakfast items (singara, samucha, jilapi, piyaju, tea, coffee, etc.) at my hotel. Later, after taking a loan from the Street Food Project in 2021, I was able to sell breakfast and lunch also. Besides, after taking the loan from the Street Food Project, I participated in many trainings and that's where my transformation began.

I didn't know how to prepare food, serve and preserve it in a healthy way, and properly manage waste at the hotel before. After participating in the training, I realized that I can benefit myself, my family, and the community by using the skills I learned to run my business. With that achievement, I now do not compromise on cleanliness at my hotel, do not sell any spoiled or expired food, and dispose of all kinds of waste in designated dustbins.

In addition to the project, three types of bins for my shop, chopping boards and knives for cutting fish-meat, vegetables-salads separately, medicine boxes, hand gloves, aprons, masks, hair caps for worker hygiene, and a display board containing 12 basic principles of safe food are provided. Currently, I am doing well with my family. Through this business, I can fulfill all the needs of my family and I am very happy to become a member of Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP). I now believe that if I can provide safe food to my customers, it will be the success of my business. Finally, I want to thank Padakhep Manabik Unnayan Kendra, SEP, and the Food Service team for being by my side and helping me financially and providing various skills and advice to increase my business.