Brewing Hope for Garo Girls

In Sherpur’s Garo hills, 20-year-old Silvia Dio turns SWAPNO earnings and ROSCA savings into a hilltop café, now a community hub inspiring Garo girls to dream bigger.

September 30, 2025

A young Garo entrepreneur at her hilltop café in Ramchandrakura, Sherpur.

©UNDP Bangladesh

High in the green hills of Sherpur District in northern Bangladesh, part of the Mymensingh Division and bordering the Indian state of Meghalaya, lies Ramchandrakura union, a remote settlement where 77 Garo families have lived for generations. The Garo community, one of Bangladesh’s largest indigenous groups, is known for its strong cultural traditions, deep connection to nature, and resilience amid hardships. Yet life in these hills is rugged. Education and jobs are scarce, long treks along steep paths are part of daily life, and even wild elephants occasionally wander down from the forests, destroying crops and homes. In such a setting, opportunities for young girls are few and often dictated by household chores and survival.

It is here that 20-year-old Silvia Dio is quietly rewriting what’s possible, one cup of coffee at a time. Her small coffee stall is not just a shop; it is an innovation in these hills, where such ventures are rare and almost unheard of among the Garo. One of only two shops in the entire union, Silvia’s café has quickly become a landmark and a hub of community life. Every evening, as the sun sets behind the hills, neighbours gather at her stall to share laughter, stories, and steaming cups of coffee, transforming what was once a quiet corner into a vibrant meeting place.

Photo: Rural white cottage with red roof, porch shaded by large umbrella, wooden fence and trees. — A modest hilltop café in Ramchandrakura, Sherpur, now a favorite spot for evening adda in the Garo hills.

©UNDP Bangladesh

Her journey began in 2024 when she joined SWAPNO (Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities), a UNDP initiative funded by the Government of Bangladesh, the Embassy of Sweden, and Marico Bangladesh. SWAPNO helps women from marginalised communities gain employment, save money, and turn their earnings into new enterprises. Through the wages she earned, and savings pooled through a local Rotating Savings and Credit Association (ROSCA), Silvia managed to open her shop, a bold step in a place where women rarely venture into business.

“People were curious at first,” Silvia recalls with a grin. “Now they come every evening for coffee and adda.” Daily sales average around 1,000 taka (roughly 9 USD), with her younger brother often pitching in during the evening rush. Beyond coffee, she stocks daily necessities, easing her neighbours’ long journeys to distant markets.

But Silvia’s ambitions don’t stop there. She is already dreaming of launching an electric vehicle transport service to help her community navigate the steep hills more easily. Her determination shines in the face of challenges, whether it’s the daily struggle of rural life or the threat of elephants wandering into the fields.

“This is our land,” Silvia says firmly, pointing toward the tree line. “We live with nature, and we find ways to grow with it.”

Her story resonates far beyond Ramchandrakura. For young Garo girls who often face barriers of poverty, limited education, and social expectations, Silvia stands as a beacon of what is possible. By transforming her savings into a thriving business, she has carved out independence, dignity, and hope, not just for herself, but for an entire generation watching her lead the way.

Silvia’s coffee stall may be small, but it brews something powerful: inspiration, courage, and the belief that even in the most remote corners of Bangladesh, women can shape their own futures. This is one great example of our work to leave no one behind while progressing toward the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.