Firoza Begum, 44, came to Dhaka from Gaibandha district with her family, full of hope. She saw working in the garments industry as a way to support her family. While working as an operator for Hallmarks in the Rana Plaza building, she was caught in the disaster that saw more than 1,100 lives lost. Both of Firoza’s legs were injured in the accident.

Firoza’s daughter Lovely, 20, was also working in the Rana Plaza building when it collapsed.

Concerned over how to support her husband and four children, Firoza was glad to undergo skills development training through BRAC, with the support of Benetton Group.

Firoza says she grew more self-assured after learning how to run a grocery shop.

Firoza hopes to develop her business so that she can be financially independent and support her growing family: her daughter Lovely, 20, is expecting her first child.

Firoza and her husband Nazibur Rahman work as a team to manage a grocery shop and tea stall.

Firoza thinks that the lives of many Rana Plaza survivors could improve if only they could receive the same sort of technical training and seed capital support she was given.

Nazibur helps to run the business but is happy to defer decision-making to the head of his household, Firoza.

Grateful that she and her family survived, Firoza tries to find the time to visit the site of the building collapse to pray for the friends and colleagues who were not so lucky.