But she is not required to go out of her house to avail the facilities.

She gets those sitting on the courtyard of her house at

Panehakori village in Monirampur upazila in Jessore district.

Mita is one of the 28 members of a women's association in the village, styled Shukhi Samity (happy association), federated under the Coordinated Health and Loan Programme, run by Ad-Din, an NGO.

Mita, Bhaboti, Jamuna, Ayesha, Nazma, Putul, Parvin and other members of the Samity sit on mats on a courtyard on Saturdays. A teacher, a loan official and a health assistant from the NGO come to their doorstep and provide the services.

At the meeting, they also discuss various social problems and superstitions and ways to remove those. They pay back weekly installments at the meeting.

Like them, several thousand women in 571 villages in Jessore, Magura and Narail districts now get education, loan and health tips from Ad-Din, sitting on their yards.

Talking to this correspondent, Mita and others said they are getting the healthcare facilities through a 'health insurance' done at a cost of Tk 100.

They said they are now aware of common diseases and the care to be taken during pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal period. All have sanitary latrines at homes.

The NGO officials also discuss with them family planning, causes for common diseases, prospects for income generating activities and children's education.