October 2004: Update on our work in Ghana

OCTOBER 2004

Update on our work in Bangladesh

This report has been written by Dr. Badiul Majumdar, Joly Akhter, Ahsanul Kabir Dollar, Bipul, Roobon and Saif, on behalf of the staff and volunteers of The Hunger Project-Bangladesh

The Hunger Project in Bangladesh is proud to report highlights of the success of our work at the grassroots level, which is affecting the lives of over 3 million women, men and children.

THP-Bangladesh responds to the worst floods in 15 years

Animators hand out survival kits.

Bangladesh this year was hit by the worst floods we had seen in over 15 years. Forty one of the nation’s 64 districts were badly affected. The Hunger Project’s 42,000 trained animators were mobilized to take action to provide support and empowerment to the people affected by the floods in towns and villages. The actions included protecting and treating the families from water-borne disease, obtaining emergency food and water supplies, and rebuilding destroyed homes. THP-Global sent extra emergency funds to support animators in getting access to water purification tablets and oral re-hydration supplies. With the assistance of other friends, we also distributed seeds for vegetables and cash crops so that the farmers could get some early income.

Flood conditions.

In an article written to mobilize the people to take actions, I emphasized: “The first step is to remind ourselves of the greatness of our people. We receive generous and committed support not merely because of our plight, but because our people possess the resilience and courage to overcome disasters when given the chance. The second is to recognize that each of us has an urgent role to play right now… Go to your village. Lend a hand. Meeting this crisis can become our finest hour.”

Bangladesh is considered a basket case full of poor people waiting for handouts. Many Bangladeshis themselves have this impression. When natural disasters strike like the floods this year, this mindset raises its ugly head especially among the affluent class of the society and the donors who gear up to do charity work. The pictures they have in mind are of “victims” who come in hoards, fight amongst themselves and trample each other for relief materials. Never do these seasonal charity workers or the media portray the dignified fighters that are the majority of the flood-affected Bangladeshis. The stories of their generosities and sacrifices for each other in the middle of life-threatening crises go untold. Through the months of July and August, THP animators and volunteers reported many stories of people who had lost everything, were living in miserable conditions themselves, but were still trying to help others in distress.

One of our volunteers, Bornali, reported from Mymensingh District about a family living in desperate situation, having lost their home to roaring floods. This family had reluctantly accepted some rice and pulse in the morning from Bornali’s relief team. In the evening, the mother arrived at the team's camp with the food they had prepared to share it with the rest of the team. The Dhar family, the Hossains, the Rahmans, the Shutrodhar family, all had lost their homes and were living in shelters or in other people’s houses. These were only a few of the many families from the Kundia area of Mymensigh who refused food assistance and instead directed the assistance to the more needy. They offered to donate their share of relief to others, and survived on one meal a day. Some even refused assistance in the hopes of earning some income the next day.

This is just one example of the people who the world has labeled as “extremely poor”, never recognizing the wealth of their conscience, the richness of their hearts and the depth of their principles. Their struggle to maintain their dignity and self-respect, their determination to survive this disaster with pride and confidence is not only respectable, but an example that we could all follow in today’s troubled world.

Please read more stories of the work done by THP-Bangladesh during the floods on our website www.thp.org.

Animators

This year over 9,000 women and men took the animator’s training, bringing the total to date to 43,983, of which 16,083 are women and 27,900 men. They represent mostly grassroots people, government functionaries from the Directorates of Social Services, Youth Development, Women’s Affairs, and elected UP representatives. Three hundred fifty volunteer trainers, 145 of whom are women, are leading these trainings.

Animator, Manowara (center), leading animators in the
flood relief efforts.

This group of committed Bangladeshi women and men are mobilizing the villages and their people to take self-reliant actions that will cause the end of hunger in the country.

These results below reflect the progress made at the grassroots level. In the following grid, we show 10 distinctions that we have been measuring for the last 1 ½ years.

Distinction of Measurement

% December 2002

% September 2004

Health and Nutrition:

Immunization coverage for children
Immunization coverage for pregnant mother
Children given de-worming medication
Families using iodized salt

83
74

39.4
88

95
90

41
90

Sanitation and Safe drinking water:

Families using safe drinking water
Families using sanitary latrines

61
57

72
67

Women and Children:

a. Marriage Registration

b. Birth Registration

c. Marriages with dowry

d. Early Marriage

e. Unsafe delivery rate

Income Generating Activities:

a. Average families earning over Tk.
2000 per month ($34).

Environment:

a. Local initiatives for tree plantation

b. People using safe insecticides and fertilizers

Nutrition:

a. Balanced nutrition for the family

b. Families involved in kitchen gardening

Local organizations (LO):

a. People involved in local organizations

b. Total number of LOs created

109

158

Government/NGO Information:

a. People conscious about the government facilities and services

b. Government officials at the UP level inspiring, encouraging and assisting local people in their development pursuits

Literacy:

a. Primary school going students:

Girls-

Boys-

b. Adolescent students :

Girls-

Boys-

c. Literacy rate:

Female-

Male-

Awareness Building / Mobilization:

a. People aware about the local government and its activities

b. People aware of their responsibilities to ensure the safety and security of their area and their active role in society.

This data is collected from 121 villages of top ten areas. To date, eight villages are 100% open latrine free. One union is free from early marriages, while another is divorce free. The villagers in three unions solve their problems by themselves. In addition, one union has been declared as Poultry Union as most of the families are involved in poultry farming.

Moslema, a Vision, Commitment and Action workshop leader,
conducting a workshop in Lalpur.

Focused work in 100 Union Parishads

The Hunger Project in Bangladesh is currently working in 339 Union Parishads (UP) - an addition of 35 UPs in 2004. Our emphasis this year is to make 100 successful unions out of the 339. Our focus on these 100 UPs will enable us to chronicle the success of people-centered programs; gain recognition from the policy makers; and create a strong foundation for an effective local governance structure.

In 52 of the 100 UPs, we are already observing a shift in people’s traditional mindset of dependency to one that has them recognize that they are the key architects who will create a better life for themselves and their communities. Field reports up to 2004 indicate that over 8,500 people have confidently initiated self income-generating activities in these areas.

For example, a large number of young women and men in these unions were frustrated because they were jobless. By participating in THP’s animator’s training their confidence was strengthened. Since then they have established tailoring and boutique centers, computer learning centers, small department stores, grocery shops, etc. As a result, their incomes have increased, they are able to get a better education, and their families have better nutrition and health.

By participating in the animators’ trainings and their local self-help groups, the grassroots people are recognizing the importance of teamwork. They have formed 1,573 local organizations and initiated several income-generating and issue-based activities. Through these local organizations:

· Grassroots people have gained voice and power,

· Women’s leadership has increased,

· Local problems are being solved locally,

· Average family income has increased,

· Early marriages have decreased ,

· Literacy rate has increased overall - especially female enrolment in schools, colleges and kindergartens,

· Relationship between the governmental and non-governmental organizations has strengthened, and

· A total of Taka 5 crores ($845,000) has been generated through these organizations for community use.

SHUJAN

Promotion of good governance, ensuring transparency and accountability at all levels and especially policy level advocacy for a people-centered development function are always big challenges in Bangladesh. The Hunger Project-Bangladesh has taken this challenge through mobilizing honest, thoughtful, conscientious and non-partisan people of the society. Efforts of The Hunger Project-Bangladesh resulted in the creation of a citizens' forum called SHUJAN (Shushashaner Janney Nagarik) that began as "Citizens for Fair Elections".

The intention of SHUJAN is to achieve true and participatory democracy; effective decentralization and devolution of power and resources; transparency and accountability at all levels of administration and the judiciary; civility; election of honest, competent peoples in all levels of government; and ensure social justice especially for the poor. One of the vehicles of good governance is free and fair elections within a terror-free environment, and the election of honest, competent, and committed people to power. Keeping this in mind SHUJAN concentrated its activities this year on Municipal Election-2004.

SHUJAN's activities focus on empowering people through information about candidates: candidates' personal profile including their occupations, criminal antecedents, properties and assets. They also arrange public meetings where candidates face the voters and share their future plans and respond to the voters’ concerns.

Twenty-seven open budget meetings held at the union level showed transparency and accountability. Other initiatives at UP levels include:

· removal of open latrines

· ensuring 100% safe drinking water

· immunization for children and pregnant mothers

· increasing primary education

· ensuring marriage and birth registration

· banning “dowry” and “early marriages”

· organizing self-help groups and skills training.

Eight district committees of Self-governing UP Advocacy Groups and 15 roundtable discussions meetings on issues of local governance were held at the regional level around the country. On 25 September 2004, SHUJAN joined forces with the Bangladeshi English newspaper The Daily Star to host a roundtable discussion on "Political Reforms in Bangladesh". It generated a discussion among the policy analysts and political think tanks of the country, and was attended by renowned personnel of related fields.

It is important to note that all the activities of SHUJAN are a result of the relentless efforts, enthusiasm and devotion of hundreds of our animators. They have been playing catalytic roles in the accomplishments of all these activities.

National Girl Child Day

The Girl Child poster for 2004.

The fifth annual National Girl Child Day was celebrated on September 30^th in 57 districts, 69 Upzilas, and 530 UPs all over Bangladesh - the only country in the world, which has a special day designated to create mass awareness about the importance of girl children. At one such event in Dhaka City, over 1,500 young girls and boys, teachers and parents, non-governmental organizations and government officials chanted slogans and marched through the streets. The slogans said, "We are committed to the rights of girl children." and "Girl Children are valuable assets, and we will take care of them."

Marching in the streets of Dhaka on September 30.

Young girls spoke up about how important it was for them to gain voice and use it for the betterment of their sisters. Some of the girls shared their life stories - which were truly heartbreaking. Boys stood up and said how proud they were of their sisters and mothers. This expression of solidarity among the youth of Bangladesh was worth experiencing.

Performance at a girl child rally.

Art and essay competitions, debates, rallies, discussion meetings and cultural shows were held all over the country. Trees were planted to commemorate this day of celebration. At many of the events, the issue of gender discrimination was addressed, and discussions generated the following demands for changes both at the family and society level:

1. No gender discrimination: equal emphasis for girl and son must be ensured.

2. Girls must have equal access to health and education.

3. Create an enabling environment to increase girls’ self-confidence.

4. Stop early marriage and dowry.

5. Ensure the safety of girl children.

6. Advocate the implementation of laws to stop violence against women and girl children.

Art contest participant.

Youth Ending Hunger (YEH)

Youth Ending Hunger represents the youth’s commitment to create a self-reliant, hunger- free Bangladesh. We have been successful in causing a breakthrough in having student’s recognize their responsibility and accountability towards their communities and the people of Bangladesh.

This year, the 100,000 YEH volunteers have been focusing their attention in supporting THP-Bangladesh to reach out to the flood-affected people, increase the number of NGCD events around the country, and empower more youth to participate in YEH activities which include tree-planting, organizing blood donation drives, and creating income- generating opportunities.

Bangladesh UP leaders visit Kerala, India

Our understanding on local government and its effectiveness toward transforming the lives of the people became clearer with our visit to Kerala this September.

A group of 33 people, including 27 Chairpersons and three UP members went from Dhaka to Kerala on August 29. We visited both rural and urban panchayats at the village, block and district level from 2nd to 11th September which was most rewarding. We also held meetings with the chief minister, legislative assembly members and participated in open discussions with leaders at various levels. All these meetings deepened our belief that decentralization is the answer to build a hunger-free society.

The central idea of decentralized planning is to devolve power to the people at the grassroots. Participants learned that the purpose of a strong local government system is not to make the government officials powerful or to make the elected local representatives powerful, but to make the PEOPLE powerful and all efforts must be directed towards this end.

The greater significance of making the people powerful is seldom understood by most of us. Our visit to Kerala made us understand better, and the chairpersons and members were highly enthused and inspired to see people’s achievements in Kerala within a short span of time. Participants made solemn promise to put their learning into practice in their UPs, and bring about positive changes in the lives of the people.