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SUNDERBAN ADIBASHI MUNDA MOHILA SOMOBAY SOMITI Ltd.

Year: 01 SSSAAAMMMMMMSSSSSS NNNEEEWWWSSSLLLEEETTTTTTEEERRR Number: 02

Place: Jisu Nam Ashrom Date: 14-02-2014

Editorial This time our news letter has several informations for our readers. We

have news about the annual general meeting of the members of our co-

operative and informations on an apiculture training received by two

members of the co-operative.

Then we’ll say something about the students who are having the SSC

examinations, and inform our readers about the two visitors from Rishilpi

Italy.

Comments, advice and suggestions about our news letter are welcome

and can be sent to these email addresses:

chandonamunda@gmail.com

champamunda@gmail.com

1. MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF SAMMSS (2nd meeting)

On the 24th of January2014 at 10 am SAMMSS arranged a meeting at Jisu

Nam Ashrom with the members of SAMMSS. At that meeting the

following persons were present: Fr. Luigi, Nilima Munda and about 120

members of SAMMSS.

The topics of the meeting are given below:

1. Greeting speech

2. Newsletter

3. Financial report

4. Conditions for disbursing loans

5. Health Insurance

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At first Nilima Munda gave a short speech. She said that at least twice a

year the members of SAMMSS will be invited to sit together to be

informed about the activities of the co-operative and to discuss different

problems.

(Nilima Munda is speaking, Fr. Luigi and other girls of the board are watching).

Then Chondona Munda talked

about SAMMSS news letter. She

said that every month she will

bring out a newsletter. In this

newsletter there will be news

about different kinds of activities

of SAMMSS.

(Chondona Munda is speaking)

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Then Shopna, the cashier of

SAMMSS, gave the financial

report. She talked about all the

income and expenditures met by

SAMMSS during the year 2013.

(Shopna Munda is speaking)

Then Chompa Munda discussed the conditions for disbursing loans to the

members of SAMMSS.

The conditions are the same as those mentioned in the last news letter.

(Chompa Munda is speaking)

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Finally Minoti Munda talked about health insurance.

She said that SAMMSS will provide medical help and assistance to those

members who will deposit 30 Taka every month.

But only mothers and their children will be entitled to get this kind of

help.

(Minoti Munda is speaking)

At the end Nilima Munda distributed some food to the village women,

took some pictures and refunded the travelling expenses only to those

women who came from very far away villages.

Then she thanked them for their attendance to the meeting and wished

them all the best.

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(The approx. 120 women who take part in the Meeting

were very attentive, and they will come again)

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2. APICULTURE

The Sunderban Forest is situated in the south part of Bangladesh.

About 4000 tribal Munda people live in this part of the country.

There are three Munda villages near the Sundarban forest. Most of the

people from these three villages depend on the Sunderban to earn their

livelihood. Many people go to Sunderban to collect honey. This Southern

part of Bangladesh is a suitable place for apiculture. Apiculture does not

require much expenditure.

From this area six girls went to Bagherhat to take training on apiculture.

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At the end of the training

our co-operative has bought

four hives and Susoma and

Bahamoni have started

practicing what they have

learnt.

Susoma and Bahamoni’s

bees have given them

several kilogrammmes of

honey… pure honey!

Our readers can buy it : the

price is only 300 Taka

(three Euros) per kg.

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3. SSC EXAMINATIONS

SSC examinations have started on the 9th of February 2014.

This examination is held in our country after completing 10 years at

school.

This year 16 students among our Munda people are appearing for this

important exam: out of them 14 are girls and two are boys.

This is a very good sign: as our girls are getting more and more educated

we are confident that the tribal Munda people of the Sunderban Forest

gradually will be able to improve their lives.

This is a group of Munda girls who are appearing for the SSC exams :

there is also a Bengali girl among them: who is she?

(A special gift will be given to those who can say it !)

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4. VISITORS

From the 8th to the 12th of February two representatives of Rishilpi Italy

spent four days with the tribal Munda people of the Sunderban Forest.

Their names are Elisa and Edgardo. Edgardo is an adviser of Rishilpi Italy

and Elisa is the secretary of the organization.

The main purpose of their visit was monitoring the two projects run by

SAMS (Sunderban Adibashi Munda Sangstha ) and SAMMSS (Sunderban

Adibashi Munda Mohila Somobay Somiti) financed by Bangladesh Help

and ‘Per un sari rosa’ through Rishilpi Italy. We have been very happy

to have them with us and we thank them for their visit.

(In this picture our honourable guests are visiting the forest)