Bangladesh Commemorates Solidarity Day

 

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely populated countries, with 144 million people crowded into a delta of rivers that empty into the Bay of Bengal. CRWRC has been working in Bangladesh since 1972, to help people and communities overcome poverty. Currently, almost half of the population of Bangladesh lives on less than one dollar a day. Moreover, about one third of the country floods each year during the monsoon rainy season. Yet, despite these hurdles, the Bangladesh people have made great strides in improving their lives over the past three decades. Through programs in health, literacy, justice education, small business development, and income-generation, people are learning to overcome poverty permanently. In addition, in 2005, CRWRC received a $1.5 million grant from the United States Agency for International Development to focus on improving child and maternal health in Bangladesh over the next 5 years.

 

Fast Facts

Population:156,050,883 (July 2009 est.)
Area Comparative: slightly smaller than Iowa
Literacy Rate: 47.9%
Life Expectancy: 60.25 years
Population living below the poverty line: 45%
Gross Domestic Product per Capita: $1,500 (2008 est.)
Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1%
Languages: Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

(From the World Factbook. CLICK HERE for more information on Bangladesh) 

CRWRC Partners in Bangladesh

Garo Baptist Convention Primary Health Care Project (GBC PHCP)
The Garo people live in a rural part of Northern Bangladesh along the Indian people. Through the Garo Baptist Convention Primary Health Care Project, CRWRC is helping the Garo and other indigenous people improve their lives and overcome poverty through programs in:

• Health
  With support from CRWRC, the GBC PHCP carries out health promotion programs. This includes monitoring the growth of children under the age of 5, and providing them with vaccinations for common diseases. GNC PHCP also provides community members with training in family planning, sanitation, and safe drinking water.
• Income Generation
  CRWRC and GBC support men and women by helping them invest in their businesses. They encourage business people to meet in small groups, and then provide these groups with training on business skills, book keeping, and starting and maintaining a business.
• Justice
  CRWRC and GBC are helping communities seek justice. This past year, GBC staff received training on family laws, human rights, women’s rights, and child rights. These staff are now creating programs to educate their communities about these issues.
• Literacy
  Through GBC, CRWRC is helping Garo men and women learn to read and write. Programs are tailored to the needs and abilities of local community members. Newly learned skills are then practiced at regular weekly meetings.  

Pari Development Trust (PARI)
In the Jamalpur and Netrokona Districts of Bangladesh, CRWRC works with Pari Development Trust to help poor communities improve their lives. This is done through programs in:

• Agriculture
  With CRWRC support, PARI teaches community members new agricultural practices to increase food production so that families can both eat of and earn from the food they grow. This past year, flood and other natural calamities made farming in outdoor crops impossible. CRWRC and PARI implemented programs to show people how to grow plants such as tomatoes in kitchen gardens, and loaned money to some families so that they could start duck farms and fisheries.
• Health
  CRWRC and PARI have assisted community members in the past year by building a reservoir to harvest rain water, providing HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness classes, and giving general health promotion workshops to community participants.
• Income Generation & Small Business Development
  Through PARI, CRWRC provides community members with opportunities to create and grow income through small businesses. Group members are taught about savings and loans, and are given loans according to needs. For example, a participant may be given a small loan to start cultivating sugar cane. The progress is monitored and additional training in business development is given. Over time, the loan is repaid so that other community members can be assisted. Business men and women are also trained in ways to develop their small business. In the past year, this has included training in business management, starting a new business, and increasing selling capacities.
• Justice
  CRWRC and PARI provide training in justice issues to community members and leaders. This training focuses on topics like child labor, the importance of children staying in school, gender issues, and land rights.
• Literacy
  With CRWRC support, PARI provides adult literacy programs to poor communities. CRWRC and PARI have also developed study circles, where learners can share their experiences and learning with each other.

Prottasha
In Kishoreganj, CRWRC works with Prottasha (which means “hope”) to come alongside poor communities to create change. This is being done through programs in:

• Adolescent Programs
  CRWRC assists Prottasha in adolescent program development working on life skills and HIV/Aids awareness and education.
• Justice
  With CRWRC support, Prottasha staff are currently providing training to community members in areas of basic human rights, gender sensitivity, and justice.
  

Sustainable Association for Taking Human Development Initiatives (SATHI)
In the slums of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, CRWRC works with poor communities through an organization called SATHI. CRWRC and SATHI meet community needs through programs in:

• Health
  CRWRC and SATHI provide training on general health issues such as immunizations, family planning, and access to safe water.
• Income Generation & Small Business Development
  CRWRC and SATHI teach business skills to men and women to help them start and improve small businesses. This includes training in basic financial management, as well as training in specific skills like sewing, cutting, block printing, and ice cream making. SATHI also helps business people start business forums, so that group members can provide encouragement and support to each other.
• Justice
  Through CRWRC, SATHI is working to combat child labor, adolescent HIV/AIDS, and mistreatment of disabled teens in Bangladesh. SATHI works with parents and employers to help them understand the importance of education for children. They also provide life skills and literacy classes to children around their work schedules. SATHI and CRWRC also work with adolescents to train them in leadership, and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. Lastly, SATHI works with communities to provide training on the rights, roles, and responsibilities of people with disabilities.
• Literacy
  CRWRC and SATHI work with men and women to help them read. Together, they provide 9-month sessions in reading, writing, and accounting stills. They also provide a “post-literacy” class for continued learning.

Scheme for Under-Privileged People to Organize Themselves (Supoth)
CRWRC works with Supoth to transform poor communities. This is done through programs in:

• Health
  CRWRC and Supoth are providing health education to five districts in Bangladesh. Participants are taught basic health principles, specifically: child growth monitoring, safe water drinking, and kitchen gardens for improved nutritional intake.
• Income Generation & Small Business Development
  Through Supoth, groups of men and women are taught basics of savings-based credit. As a result, members are able to effectively invest in new types of income generation and are better equipped to handle the added income. In addition, CRWRC and Supoth bring local business people together for training in marketing, business ethics, and different ways to grow their small businesses.
• Justice
  CRWRC and Supoth hold trainings for adults and adolescents on leadership development, gender and justice, and child rights. In addition, training is held for local leaders and employers on child labor issues.
• Literacy
  Through CRWRC, Supoth leads some six and nine-month classes in various communities to teach men and women basic reading, writing, and math skills.

USAID Child Survival
CRWRC received a grant from the United States Agency for International Development to work with its partners in Bangladesh to improve maternal and child health. These funds are being used in Netrokona, Panchagor and Dhaka through Pari, Supoth and Sathi for child growth monitoring, birth attendant and community health volunteer training, immunizations, linkages with referral centers, and health promotion education on health topics such as obtaining safe water, basic hygiene practices, and nutrition.

CRWRC Staff in Bangladesh

CRWRC would like to introduce its Asia-Bangladesh team.

CRWRC-Bangladesh
3/13A Iqbal Rd
Mohammadpur
Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh

Kohima Daring Kohima Daring has been working for CRWRC in Bangladesh and India for fifteen years. Kohima has an M.A. in Sociology and General History from Jahanaghir University. She is currently also pursuing more education in International Development. Kohima works as a consultant to CRWRC partner staff in India and Bangladesh. Kohima specializes in community and organizational capacity development, literacy, and non formal education.EMAIL: [email protected]

Nancy TenBroek Nancy TenBroek has been working for CRWRC in Bangladesh and India for twenty years. Prior to this, Nancy worked in Kenya, East Africa. Nancy has an M.A. in International Development: Health Promotion from the University of London, England. Nancy works as a senior consultant to CRWRC partner staff in India and Bangladesh. Nancy specializes in community and organizational capacity development and health promotion.EMAIL: [email protected]

 

A Celebration of Women

sends our blessings to all the Women of our World in Bangledesh

 

~Celebrating Solidarity Day~