What happens when a woman discovers a valuable skill, but finds no market for it in her own community?

In Morelganj, a rural area of Bagerhat district in southwestern Bangladesh, near the Sundarbans and the port city of Mongla, Ratna Majumdar turned wig-cap making into an opportunity not only for herself, but also for 15 other women in her locality.

Three years ago, Ratna learned the specialised craft after a factory owner recruited women from her area. She began working at the factory, but the long distance from her home made it difficult to continue. At the time, she was struggling to support her family through irregular and informal work.

Her circumstances began to change when she joined the SWAPNO II project. The project provided her with a stable income and enabled her to build some savings. With entrepreneurship training followed by BDT 40,000 (324 USD) start-up support, Ratna decided to use her wig-making skills to establish something of her own.

But there was a major challenge: hardly anyone in Morelganj needed wig caps.

Instead of abandoning the idea, Ratna looked beyond her village. She contacted a China-linked company operating in Mongla, arranged the necessary materials and began producing wig caps from her home. In doing so, she created a link between women in her rural community and the wider wig supply chain.

Ratna then trained other local women, giving them an opportunity to earn from home while continuing to manage their household responsibilities. Today, she works with 15 women from her locality.

Her home-based enterprise has become a small hub of women-led employment. Ratna sources materials, coordinates production and supplies finished wig caps to buyers. What began as a personal struggle for survival has grown into a network of skills, income and opportunity.