In a quiet village in the Cumilla district of Bangladesh, Ambia Khatun, a widowed mother of ten, spent years surviving in unimaginable conditions. With no stable income, no husband, and ten mouths to feed, she lived under a roof that barely held together—both literally and emotionally. Rain leaked through, winters bit hard, and summers scorched the tin sheets above. But that changed when the Save Earth Society arrived with a promise: a permanent, safe shelter under their “Your Home” Project.
From Despair to Dignity: A Life Transformed
Ambia Khatun lost her husband nearly a decade ago. Since then, she’s carried the entire weight of her family on her fragile shoulders. Her days were consumed with odd jobs, begging when necessary, and skipping meals so her children could eat. They slept on torn plastic, used firewood for cooking, and shared a makeshift room built from salvaged bamboo and cloth.
“There were nights when we didn’t just fear hunger—we feared the roof falling on us,” Ambia said.
Her story came to light during a field survey conducted by the Save Earth Society’s Community Resilience Team. Recognising the depth of her hardship, the team selected her family for immediate housing support under the organisation’s “Your Home” Project, aimed at building durable, disaster-resilient homes for the most vulnerable families.
A Home Built with Compassion and Concrete
In just a few weeks, the Society mobilised its resources, engaged local construction workers, and built a two-room brick house complete with:
- A tin-roof resistant to heat and rain
- A concrete floor
- Basic sanitation facilities
- Solar lighting for nighttime safety
The house now shelters Ambia and all ten of her children, giving them the security and dignity they had long been denied. With proper ventilation and clean space, her youngest daughter, who suffered from chronic respiratory infections, has shown improvement. Her eldest son now plans to pursue technical training, thanks to the stability a home brings.
Md Mahamudul Hasan, Founder of Save Earth Society, said, “A home is more than shelter—it is the foundation of health, education, and hope. Our ‘Your Home’ project is about restoring that right to families who need it most.”
The Broader Vision: Housing as a Human Right
Save Earth Society launched the “Your Home” Project in 2023 in response to the rising number of homeless and housing-insecure families in climate-vulnerable areas of Bangladesh. Whether it's widows like Ambia or flood-affected families in char regions, the organisation believes that safe housing is not a privilege—it’s a right.
So far, the initiative has:
- Built 20+ homes across Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, and Chandpur
- Partnered with local authorities for land allocation and legal assistance
- Trained youth volunteers in eco-friendly, low-cost construction techniques
Future plans include piloting earth-brick housing and rainwater harvesting in upcoming builds.
How You Can Help Build the Next Home
Ambia’s house stands today not just because of bricks and mortar but because of the hearts that believed in her family’s right to live with dignity. Save Earth Society invites individuals, donor groups, corporate CSR programmes, and local leaders to sponsor a home, contribute materials, or fund solar kits and sanitation units.
Each home costs approximately $1,200 to $1,500 USD, depending on size and location.
One House, a Lifetime of Change
What changed for Ambia Khatun was not just her address—it was her reality. Her children now sleep safely. She can dream again, not of luxury, but of stability. The “Your Home” Project is not just constructing walls; it is rebuilding broken lives, one brick, one home, and one mother at a time.