Farhana Afroz: I am fifty years old. I have a husband and two wonderful children. I have a clean home and a stable life. To the outside world, I am just a housewife. People see this label and make assumptions. They think my life is easy. They think I sleep late and watch television all day. This is a common mistake in our society.
I want to tell you my true story. It is a story shared by many women in Bangladesh. It is a story about degrees hidden in drawers and dreams that changed course.
My day begins before the sun rises. It ends long after the rest of the house is asleep. A professional job has a start time and an end time. A corporate worker gets weekends off. A housewife does not. My office is my home. My shift is twenty-four hours a day.
People often ask me what I do in my leisure time. This question always surprises me. It assumes I have spare time to use. In reality, there is no pause button. Cooking leads to cleaning. Cleaning leads to organizing. Caring for the family takes every ounce of energy. I do not have time for hobbies. My duty is to keep the household running.
But I was not always just a manager of a home. I had my own ambitions. I had dreams that had nothing to do with cooking or laundry.
Let me take you back to my childhood. I was a young girl in grade six or seven. I looked at the sky and saw airplanes. I did not just want to ride in them. I wanted to work in them. My dream was to be an air hostess. I wanted to wear the uniform. I wanted to travel to new countries. My passion was photography. I wanted to see the world and capture it through a lens.
I held onto this dream for many years. I finished my intermediate exams. Then I saw a chance. Dubai Airlines was hiring. I felt brave and applied. I went through the interview process. I waited nervously. Then I got the news. I was selected.
I was ready to pack my bags. I was ready to fly. But my father stopped me. He was a strict man. He followed the social rules of that time. He would not let his daughter go abroad alone. He would not let me take the job. My dream ended right there.
It was a painful moment. But I did not give up on life. I shifted my focus to education. I was a good student. I enrolled in university. My subject was Food and Nutrition Science. I loved the science behind health. I learned how the body works. I learned how food can be medicine.
I worked hard for years. I passed my exams. I earned my Master of Science degree. I was proud of my M.Sc. title. I planned to become a nutritionist. I wanted to help people lead healthier lives. I wanted to work in a hospital or a health center.
Then marriage happened. I became a wife. Soon after, I became a mother. The needs of my family took priority. My degree went into a file. My career plans were put on hold.
I have a son and a daughter now. My son is studying Textile Engineering. He is in his fourth semester. My daughter is a school goer. They are bright students. They study on their own. I do not need to sit and teach them. They have seen my discipline. They know the value of education.
Sometimes I look at my hands. These hands cook rice and fold clothes. But these hands also hold a master’s degree. I have so much knowledge about nutrition. I know what a diabetic person needs. I know how to balance a meal for a growing child. Currently, I use this knowledge only for my small family.
I often think about the “what ifs.” What if I had taken a job? What if I had fought harder for my career?
If you gave me a choice today, I know what I would do. I would not choose to stay home. I would go out and work. I would return to my field of nutrition. I would use my education to help the community. There are so many people who need health advice. I could have been the one to give it.
This is not a complaint about my family. I love them dearly. I am proud of the home I built. But we need to change how we view homemakers. We are not just women who cook. Many of us are scientists, artists, and thinkers. We have qualifications that are not being used.
To the young women reading this, take your education seriously. A degree is never wasted. Even if you do not work in an office, education shapes your mind. It changes how you raise your children. It changes how you manage your life. My children are independent because I am educated. My kitchen is healthy because I am a nutritionist.
However, do not let your dreams disappear completely. If you have a skill, try to use it. If you have a passion, try to find time for it. Life is long. Roles change.
I am fifty, but I still feel like that girl with the camera. The desire to see the world is still there. The desire to work is still there.
Society needs to understand our value. A housewife is the engine of the family. But she is also an individual. We have stories like mine. We have potential that goes beyond the four walls of a house.
I hope my story helps you see the women in your life differently. Ask your mother about her dreams. Ask your aunt about her favorite subjects. You might be surprised. You might find a pilot, a writer, or a scientist hiding in plain sight.
For now, I will continue my work. I will support my son in his engineering. I will support my daughter in her exams. I will cook a nutritious dinner. That is my job today. But inside, I know I am capable of so much more. I am a master of science. And that is something no one can take away from me.

– The author is housewife from Dhaka