Jesmin Akhter, 26 (in turquoise & blue), poses for a portrait in one of her 'marketplaces', Jerai Villlage, Gobindagonj Upazila, Gaibandha, Bangladesh on 19th September 2011. She has found financial independence and contributes to her household income by working as a saleswoman, earning 3500 - 5000 Bangladeshi Taka per month. She is the top saleswoman under her 'hub', out of 30 women. Having worked for about 2.5 years, she cycles from village to village and door to door in a country where women on bicycles is an extremely uncommon sight. She is one of many rural Bangladeshi women trained by NGO CARE Bangladesh as part of their project on empowering women in this traditionally patriarchal society. Named 'Aparajitas', which means 'women who never accept defeat', these women are trained to sell products in their villages and others around them from door-to-door, bringing global products from brands such as BATA, Unilever and GDFL to the most remote of villages, and bringing social and financial empowerment to themselves.  Photo by Suzanne Lee for The Guardian
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