麻豆社

20 November 2011 Last updated at 08:44

In pictures: Vanja Garaj's lives of Bangladeshi women

An exhibition of photos by Vanja Garaj gives an insight into the lives of Bangladeshi women in Cardiff, London and their homeland region of Sylhet. Fosia, 46, migrated from Bangladesh with her family as a girl. She runs a catering business in Cardiff, preparing authentic Bangladeshi food for parties and events. "I extended my cooking skills to business," she said. "Good health comes from healthy eating, happiness and exercise."

The photos are part of Project MINA, aiming to improve the health of British-based Bangladeshis. A "Londoni" diet mixing food from the two cultures can often result in migrants eating the worst of both worlds - the fatty side of Bangladeshi cuisine alongside Western snacks and low physical activity can contribute to obesity and heart disease, especially among older women.

Thamana, 40, was born in the UK but mostly brought up in Bangladesh. Now she lives in Cardiff with her husband and daughter. She grows tomatoes, coriander, pumpkins, spinach, onions and lau, and buys the rest of her food in Bangladeshi shops. "Bangladeshi stores should have expiry dates for fresh vegetables," she said.

Leena, 37, was born in Cardiff, and her family speaks English at home. Her children understand the Sylheti dialect, but cannot speak it well. She keeps herself fit with regular exercise: "I am a healthy person. I go to the gym, I keep myself active. It's very important to have some time out from your children and everyday household chores. I don't have any depression."

"I didn't feel good when I first came here, but slowly I got used to it," said Sapna, 60, who came to the UK almost 30 years ago. Living in an unfamiliar society and struggling with the English language, first-generation migrants can often suffer loneliness and depression, regardless of the fact that their economic status may have improved. The problem can be worse for older women, who often find themselves isolated at home.

Lubna, 52, has been living in the UK for 31 years, currently in Cardiff. "I used to feel like going back home. I was feeling so bad, but slowly everything was OK," she said. She occasionally prepares food with a boti da, a traditional coconut grater and knife, but says she cannot get fresh Bangladeshi food in the UK.

An shop assistant serves customers in a Cardiff grocery store. In the UK it is much more common for Bangladeshi women to find work in shops, a job that is generally reserved for men in Bangladesh.

The exhibition also includes photos of life in Bangladesh. Cox's Bazaar in Chittagong is a popular holiday destination for British Bangladeshis, to visit the longest natural beach in the world and to stock up on dried sea fish to take home as a souvenir.

A wedding party in Sylhet for a "Londoni" family. It is common for British-born Bangladeshi women to seek husbands in the mother country. After a lavish traditional wedding, the husband then migrates to the UK to live with his new wife's family, and to find employment. This way, women can continue living at home with their parents in the UK, and take care of them in their old age.

Bangladesh-UK: The Stories of Food, Ageing and Migration - with photos by Vanja Garaj and descriptions by Nick Hunt - can be seen at the Cardiff Story museum in The Hayes until 15 December 2011.

麻豆社

South East Wales

In pictures: Vanja Garaj's lives of Bangladeshi women

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