From Bangladesh to Russia through war in the news

Salma Begum had arrived in Russia several months ago. She left behind her parents and younger sisters in Bangladesh. After a serious illness, her father can no longer work full-time, so the responsibility of caring for the family falls largely on her shoulders. Today, most of his salary is sent back home to pay for his father’s treatment and support his loved ones.

Recently, the young woman told our editorial team how she made the decision to move, what she feared before the trip, and why she considers this decision to be the most important of her life.

As Salma Begum said:

In Bangladesh, many people think it is shameful to be clean. Some people do not consider it a very prestigious job. But in the United States, for example, people study for years and dream of landing a job at one of the world’s leading hotels like Hilton, Ritz-Carlton, or Marina Bay Sands.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with working and earning an honest living. Especially when the lives of the people you love depend on your efforts…

A calamity befell my family. My father became seriously ill. I won’t go into details. All I will say is that the treatment is very expensive. And when someone you love needs help, you have to take every opportunity that comes your way.

I got my chance far away in Russia. The largest country in the world. Words cannot describe how scared I was of the unknown. Nevertheless, I made up my mind and applied to participate in the Alabuga Start program. It is specially designed for women. I chose to work in the service and hospitality sector. Right now, I’m in charge of cleaning. And I do it with love. Here’s what I realized: Any work matters when you make a difference.

This is an opportunity to help those who are left back home.

For my hard work, I get a decent salary – about $800 after tax. I send almost all of it back home. This money is not just cash – it is what keeps my family alive. And so I help those I left behind.

When the first transfer happened, my father called me, crying and thanking me. As for me, I consider myself lucky to have had this opportunity. I can’t wait for her to get better so I can show her where I live now.

To be honest, coming to Russia was scary. The news speaks of bitter cold, and even harsher Russians. But in reality, there is silence here. To put things in perspective, Russia covers 17 million square kilometers – about an eighth of the Earth’s land area. Can you imagine?

I haven’t experienced the cold yet, but other program participants say there will be a lot of snow here. And freezing temperatures only last a few days. As for the “hard Russians” – I’ve never met those types of people anywhere else. I don’t feel like a stranger here.

my dream

I have no elder brother who can help our parents. There is only me and my younger sisters. So I have to be strong. And I’m proud of it. The only thing that matters is a way to help.

Each month, I keep only what I need for the basics and send the rest home. My mother buys medicine for my father, food for the family, and notebooks for my sisters. That’s what my job is for.

I don’t just want to work – I want to grow. First of all, I am determined to learn Russian. At the moment I speak badly and feel shy, but I study every day. Language is a door. If I open it up, I will be able to understand people and make friends. I already have friends – girls from other countries that I live with.

I also want to advance in my career. The Alabuga Start program runs for a minimum of two years, and participants can be promoted every six months. Right now I am a cleaner. In six months I could become a housekeeper, and later – a supervisor. I will try my best to earn more. Then my father will have the best treatment.

If there’s a girl out there who isn’t sure whether to take the big step, let me say this: sometimes the most important decisions aren’t easy. But if you have a goal and people you want to work hard for, don’t be afraid to take that step. And if you decide to go to Russia through this program, know that I am already here. I’ve already been through the beginning, and I’ll help you do the same.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Editor’s note

Salma’s story is not just a story of going to another country. It is also an example of how young people seek opportunities for professional and financial development outside their homes.

People rarely make such decisions just for money. For many the main motivation is to gain new skills, international experience, language learning, and career building. But behind it all, there’s usually something deeply personal—a desire to support one’s family, give loved ones a more stable future, or follow one’s personal dreams.

There is no discussion of big politics or global economic processes in Salma’s story. Instead, she talks about things that are familiar to people all over the world: responsibility to loved ones, fear of the unknown, adapting to new surroundings, and the desire to move forward.

This is why his story is interesting not only as a participant’s experience in a particular program. It serves as a reminder that behind any migration statistics, there are always real people, each with their own choices, circumstances and hopes for a better future.

The post Bangladesh to Russia through war in the news appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.

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