Hello, my name is Etha Chakma and I belong to Chakma ethnic minority group from Bangladesh. I have a small, handicraft business where I make handmade products that are all created by hand with passion and care. My crafts include handmade jewellery such as necklaces, earrings, bracelets, headpieces and many more. I also make custom-designed jewellery for customers. I primarily design my products out of thread, wool, and any other available ecological products that are environmentally friendly. Being passionate about crafts since childhood, I decided to pursue my dreams in 2015. Over time, I have personally trained many workers who have been working with me. Moreover, I also run several workshops for women who want to learn how to create handmade products from scratch. 

I completed my Master’s degree from Jahangirnagar University in Development Studies, and then I have also worked in the development sector for the last 15 years, which helped me to acknowledge and understand deeply about our cultural issues. I have always believed in women’s empowerment and wanted to help women from marginalized groups as I grew up witnessing how women in ethnic minority communities are falling behind in terms of economic and other social opportunities.

 

My products are inspired by our culture’s rich traditions, skills, and pride. I am on the journey to make a difference with my passion and to guide women or anyone else interested in handcrafted products so that they can feel confident to chase their dreams as well as build something by using their skills. In this way, I hope to create something bigger and inspiring. Therefore, through my work, I aim to contribute in an optimistic manner to my community as well as to my country’s economy.