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Bangladesh

Quarter Four: October – December 2011 Activity Report

Overview: Accomplishments, Challenges and Innovations

Accomplishments: During the reporting period, a huge campaign on voter awareness (entitled City Corporation Election) has been taken place in Narayangonj and Comilla under our good governance program. A total of 25 projection meetings were organized for the campaign where nearly 10,000 women and man participated. The Bangladesh Election Commission was the primary partner of these programs and the the primary purpose of the campaign to enhance voter education and promote Right To Information.

Challenges: Electing trustworthy candidates at all levels is a precondition for ensuring good governance. Providing personal information about candidates in a transparent way has been a very sensitive issue in Bangladesh (in terms of what is considered illegal and what is considered interference in someone’s personal life). Violence surrounding political campaigns in the past has makes this an on-going concern. The complexity of the legal system as well as the need to further engage more passive voters to be more engaged, is as is a challenge to improving governance. Therefore, it was really a big challenge for THP to organize these projection meetings to make voters active and informed especially in Narayanganj City Corporation1.

Innovations: For the first time, THP-Bangladesh worked together with the Bangladesh Election Commission at a field level to implement this initiative. This new partnership is an innovate approach to THP-BD’s program. The Bangladesh Election Commission is a government institution that works to ensure that voters are informed and empowered to elect honest and competent candidates. This partnership has helped THP successfully implement the voters’ awareness building campaign program.

1 “Narayanganj City Coproration” is the official name of the local municipality.

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Impact Assessment

Program Areas

Inputs* Outputs Most Significant Change

Social Mobilization for Self-Reliance

TOTAL $33,513 THP

$17,031USD (1,226,664Taka)

In-Country Funding

$16,482USD (1,187,026 Taka)

30 Animator Trainings (4 Day Training) 988 women trained 920 men trained

1 Special Animator Trainings (Union Parishad) 9 women trained 34 men trained

24 Animator Training Preparatory Meetings 340 women trained 426 men trained

56Animator Follow-up Meetings 725 women trained 707 men trained

3 PAR Workshops (one day) 38 women trained 59 men trained

63PAR Follow-up Workshops 606 women trained 770 men trained

118VCA Workshops 1,462 women trained 1,846 men trained

29Youth Leader Trainings (4 Day) 580 girls trained 593 boys trained

Looking back over the last quarter, what do you think was the most significant change or breakthrough in Social Mobilization? 1,908 new volunteers were joined in the journey of the Community Mobilization program. They have created a vision for their union that would be a MDG union, set priorities, and launched action campaigns to achieve their vision based on their own resources. What was the biggest challenge?

It was the biggest challenge to convince community people to join the training program because there are many organizations that are giving handouts for joining their programs. On the other hand, people are extremely with work and other daily tasks to improve their livelihood. Therefore, it is our big challenge to enroll people to our program. What was the most important lesson learned? It’s important to do follow-up meetings for community volunteers to share experiences. There is also a need to systematically document the success initiatives taken by volunteers.

Village Development Campaigns

TOTAL $8,171 THP

$6,083USD (438,085Taka)

In-Country

82 Adult Literacy Meetings 1,336 women participants 812 men participants

176 Primary School Enrollment Meetings2 4,126 women participants 4,213 men participants

61 Meetings to Reduce Primary School Dropout3 760 women participants

Looking back over the last quarter, what do you think was the most significant change or breakthrough in Village Development Campaigns? About 835 girls and boys have been enrolled with primary school and 317 have been regularized (students who have dropped out in the past and are now re-enrolled in school) with schools in 38 unions. On the other hand, 165 self-employment initiatives took place in 69 unions and 2,423 women and men benefited from

2 Primary school enrollment activities have increased this period because January is the month children enroll in school.

3 Students are preparation for final examination during this reporting period, therefor this is a key time for taking step to reduce dropout rates.

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Program Areas

Inputs* Outputs Most Significant Change

Funding $2,088USD (150,353Taka)

647 men participants

12 Meetings on Anti-Drug Movement 135 women participants 116 men participants

128 Meetings on Hygiene Practice 2,022 women participants 1,312 men participants

156 Meetings on Sanitary Latrine Installation 2,699 women participants 2,000 men participants

97 Meetings on Tree Plantation 1,209 women participants 1,587 men participants

86 Meetings on Birth Registration 1,282 women participants 931 men participants

131 Meetings on IGA Awareness 2,256 women participants 1,590 men participants

11 Immunization Meetings 151 women participants 67 men participants

2 Math Olympiads 800 girls participants 750 boys participants

44 Nutrition Awareness Meetings 579 women participants 304 men participants

44 TOTAL Skills Development Training4 787 women participants 184 men participants

8 Preventing HIV/AIDS, Malaria Meetings 161 women participants 170 men participants

1 Preventing TB Meeting 1 women participants

those initiatives. Total 57 self-help groups (SHG) formed in 37 unions where 1,751 women and men are engaged. Together they have a total savings of Tk. 648,579.00 (approximately US$ 7,814.)

What was the biggest challenge? Economic crisis including inflation is making people’s lives more difficult. A big challenge is helping for volunteers cope with this worsening financial situation. Moreover, the earnings of SHG, or members of local organizations, are still are inadequate to significantly improve their livelihoods. What was the most important lesson learned? There is a need to introduce more of a variety of different skills development training workshops as well as an increase in the number of skill training workshops conducted. Additionally, it’s important to create ‘new trades’ which will be a better fit for participants needs. It’s also important and to consider choosing new trades, based on access to markets and demand of different products.

4 Skills Development Trainings include: sewing; skill trainee follow-up; tailoring; vegetable gardening; vermin compost; duck rearing; fisheries; goat rearing

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Program Areas

Inputs* Outputs Most Significant Change

1 men participants

Gender Equality

TOTAL $20,881 THP

$20,034USD (1,442,862Taka)

In-Country Funding $847USD (60,992 Taka)

43 Women Leadership Meetings/Follow-ups 1,073 women trained 13 men trained

5 Women Leadership Development & 1,000 Days5 Program (4 days)6 205 women trained 2 men trained

10 Breastfeeding Awareness Meetings 251 women trained 63 men trained

79 Caring for Pregnant Mother Awareness Meeting 1,072 women trained 631 men trained

1 Girl Child Rights Workshop 12 women trained 15 men trained

0 Halting Early Marriage Meetings 0 women trained 0 men trained

26 Immunization Meetings for Pregnant Women 387 women trained 212 men trained

37 Nutrition for Pregnant Mothers Meetings 689 women trained 241 men trained

0 Preventing Dowry Meetings 0 women participants 0 men participants

0 Preventing Violence Meetings 0 women participants

Looking back over the last quarter, what do you think was the most significant change or breakthrough in Gender Equality? Through these training, 205 women newly included into the Enlightened Women Network. And the network achieved following activities:

PROTECTING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (MDG-3) - Total Initiatives: 81 - Total Union: 58 ARSENIC TEST OF TUBE-WELL - Total Initiatives: 97, - Total Union: 64 - Total Tube well tested: 676 - Total Benefited family: 1,734 BIRTH REGISTRATION COMPLETED - Total Initiatives: 112, Total Union: 75 - Total Registered Girls: 1,065, - Total Registered Boys: 995 TREE PLANTATION - Total Initiatives: 156, Total Union: 91 - Total Tree Planted: 8,248 What was the biggest challenge Different barriers such as social, family and financial were the biggest challenges to make the Enlightened Women Network strengthen. For example, women leaders need to invest a lot of time for the trainings – but they often must seek permission from family to participate.

5 This quarter and next, the Women Leaders Foundation course will focus on content related with 1000 days program. For this reason, training duration will be extended for 1 additional day. 6 This activity has been re-named and was previously referred to as Women Leaders Foundation Course.

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Program Areas

Inputs* Outputs Most Significant Change

0 men participants

36 Safe Delivery Awareness Meetings 799 women participants 80 men participants

What was the most important lesson learned? It is important to take advocacy initiatives to the policy level (targeting implementing agencies) to create an enabling environment for women so that they can make a difference.

Strengthening Local Democracy

TOTAL $15,955 THP

$13,365USD (962,571 Taka)

In-Country Funding

$2,590USD (186,489 Taka)

12 Citizen Workshop 138 women participants 168 men participants

0 Citizen Dialogue Roundtable 0 women participants 0 men participants

141 Meeting/Advocacy with Union Parishad Bodies 694 women participants 1,748men participants

25 Face-to-Face Projection Meetings 1,691women participants 7,838 men participants

33 Shujan Committee Meetings 155 women participants 359 men participants

1 Shujan Committee Formation7

15 women participants 81 men participants

Looking back over the last quarter, what do you think was the most significant change or breakthrough in Strengthening Local Democracy?

25 campaigns on voter awareness have taken place in Narayangonj and Comilla City Corporation election. More than 10,000 women and man participated in these programs in partnership with the Bangladesh Election Commission.

What was the biggest challenge? Convincing the candidates to present in projection meeting was the biggest challenge because violence is very common during elections. Moreover, we present personal information and past activities of candidates including tax payment history during the face-to-face program. Voters ask questions regarding candidates past activities and also financial matters. So, it is not an easy environment for candidates to attend. What was the most important lesson learned? Need to create an alliance with renowned and likeminded organization for creating greater impact.

Mobilization TOTAL $21,325 THP

$15,930USD (1,147,312Taka)

598 Union Based Coordination and Follow-up Meetings 6,196 women participants 7,503 men participants

69 UPZ-District Level Coordination Meetings 341 women participants

Looking back over the last quarter, what do you think was the most significant change or breakthrough in Mobilizations? Through the union coordination meeting, Upzila and Zila Coordination meetings, THP has been able to gather more qualitative data and report on our programs.

7 Shujan Committee (with 25 members) was formed in the Comilla District

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Program Areas

Inputs* Outputs Most Significant Change

In-Country Funding

$5,395USD (388,527 Taka)

609 men participants

0 YEH workshops 0 women participants 0 men participants

29 Youth Leader Training (4 Days) 580 women participants 593 men participants

271 Youth Unit Follow-up Meetings 2,804 women participants 3,678 men participants

412 Court Yard Meetings 7,346 women participants 3,934 men participants

14 Arbitration Awareness Building Meetings 222 women participants 207 men participants

What was the biggest challenge? It is difficult to collect all information, report sand data of programs that are organized by our volunteers. What was the most important lesson learned? We need to assign our staff to attend Union level coordination meetings. Generally VTRs or other volunteers attend these coordination meeting. If staff can manage with their schedules, they can also attend.

Advocacy & Alliances

TOTAL $1,996 THP

$1,996USD (143,728 Taka)

In-Country Funding

$0USD (0 Taka)

412 National Girl Child Day Events 30,490 women participants 23,694 men participants

11 National Girl Child Day Events 1,010 women participants 930 men participants

3 Press Conferences 10 women participants 97 men participants

Printing and Production of Advocacy Materials

Looking back over the last quarter, what do you think was the most significant change or breakthrough in Advocacy & Alliances? An event was organized jointly with Women and children affairs ministry of GoB and Shishu (children) academy. It was one of the best national programs where State Minster for Women and Child affairs led the rally. Nearly 1,500 children joined this rally from different organizations of Dhaka city. Also, more than 55,000 women and men participated in 423 places to observe the day through the country. What was the biggest challenge? Ensuring the National Girl Child Day celebration was organized all over the country was the biggest challenge. Though it is a National Day, it is still included in the ‘children’s week’ and there is no budget allocation for NGCD for other organizations. So, THP still must budget accordingly to make this day a success. Other organizations participate but do not contribute financially. What was the most important lesson learned?

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Program Areas

Inputs* Outputs Most Significant Change

Need to mobilize more resources and build a grater alliance from nation to grass root level.

Monitoring & Evaluation

TOTAL $08 THP

$0 USD (0 Taka)

In-Country Funding

$0 USD (0 Taka)

Documentation Collections

M&E Data Collection and Analysis Looking back over the last quarter, what do you think was the most significant change or breakthrough in Monitoring & Evaluation? Activities, output and outcome related data has been collected by volunteer coordination meeting at union level. What was the biggest challenge? Holding union coordination meetings regularly were the biggest challenge. It is a day long program and volunteers can sometimes not make that type of time commitment. Additionally the cost to hold such meetings has risen. Previously it would cost 25-30TK per person and now it is more than 50TK. What was the most important lesson learned? There is a need to support to volunteers to be accountable to hold meeting and provide skill to collect data.

*Inputs represent partial direct program expenditures as they do not include staff time and other resources allocated in project implementation. $1USD =72.02 Taka

8 In 2011 THP-BD did not have a fixed budget for M&E system. Data was gathered primarily through coordination meetings, women following meetings and other meetings.

Many of these program monitoring expenditures were covered under another head.

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Advocacy & Alliances

British Council:

The Hunger Project has partnered with British Council to deliver Active Citizen Program (AC) since September 2009. A key theme of this program is `locally engaged, globally connected’ and this program is dedicated to work with young people so that they take part in community work (such as SAP, different issue based activities. There are also projects such as the adult literacy center, sanitation and safe drinking water workshops).

BRAC: The Hunger Project and BRAC have entered into a partnership for creating MDG unions in 4 unions of Mymonsingh District. This was one year pilot project that ended July 2011. Based on the success and performance of this project, the life of project has been extended for one year more by BRAC. THP Bangladesh is currently engaged in the following funding proposals:

BRAC (New Project )Helen Keller International (HKI)

Bangladesh’s Nodal Agency

British council (For National Youth Parliament Project)

Australian High Commission

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Media coverage, special meetings, events and/or ceremonies In this reporting period, six different stories and news articles related THPB programs have been published in various dailies, links to the articles are given below:

http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2011-09-30/news/190042

http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2011-10-05/news/191324

http://www.kalerkantho.com/index.php?view=details&type=gold&data=Book&pub_no=662&cat_id=1&menu_id=43&news_type_id=1&index=0&archiev=yes&arch_date=05-10-2011

http://www.banglabarta24.net/Tamplate/news.php?news=TsnGacTTH23W&&ac=kidz

http://www.banglanews24.com/detailsnews.php?nssl=ce21254dd4a3896852fdcb391311cbe0&nttl=61211

http://www.dailysangram.com/news_details.php?news_id=39886

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Partner Story:

Efforts and Achievements of Saleha By: Tasmia Foyez, Assistant Program Officer, THP-BD9

It is really challenging as a woman to proceed in the male-dominated society. A strong woman has to be a survivor, someone who can who can on this challenge heroically. Manowara Afroz Saleha is a model of that. From childhood, Saleha dreamed of being a teacher and someone who worked for the development and betterment of society. Saleha was born in 1969 in the union of Channilakhiya and the village of Kumarikanda. Her father stayed with his family in Netrokona district to tend to his agricultural work. Her mother was a homemaker. Saleha was the eldest among two siblings. Sadly, her younger brother died at the age of six years old.

Nevertheless, she was the only girl child of her family. As the only daughter she was adored by her parents. Her parents wanted her to be well educated. Unfortunately, reality did not make that possible. In 1976, Saleha’s father became terribly sick and passed away. She was shocked by this sudden tragedy and mourned for her father. She said she often felt there is no one else who understood and supporter her in this world. After her father’s death a serious economic crisis made life seem utterly hopeless to her and her mother. As a result, they were compelled to seek shelter and support from a distant relative. Saleha’s struggle continued but she continued to study and dedicate herself to hard work. Saleha started her primary education at Nurul Ulum Khareji Madrasa in Netrokona. In 1981, she has received her Dakhil degree successfully from Gituary Dakhil Balika Madrasa in Mymensing district. After her Dakhil degree, she began planning for the next stage of education. She talked to her cousin Mr. Mokammel Haq who gave her hope to arrange a job. Thus, she moved to live with her cousin in Chittagong district. It was in 1987; regrettably she was deceived by her cousin Mr. Mokammel when he proposed Saleha wed hm. Saleha was forced to marry her cousin with the permission both their families. She had to enter a new life and quit her studies. But in 1990, she had received a one year sewing training from Mohila Bishoyok Odhidoptor. With these new skills she became more self-reliance and got a job in 1994 at BRAC N.F.P School as teacher, even though she was not highly educated. She felt that her gob and her marital life were going quit well until she got in a dispute with her mother-in-law. During her wedding, Salah’s mother-in-law

9 This story written by Tasmia Foyez, THP-BD publication staff.

1: Manowara Afroz Saleha with her students

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demanded dowry to her mother. But Saleha’s mother did not agree to give dowry. Because of that purpose Mr. Mokammel was influenced roughly to his mother. His mother blamed Saleha in many ways and this attitude also influenced her son. As a result, Saleha was tortured brutally by her husband and he put her on the train track. After that, neighbors picked her up from the rail line and made sure she got treatment from the hospital. With time, Slaeha recovered and filed a case against her husband’s family. The verdict of the case was in support of Saleha. After retribution was made, Saleha decided to go back to her husband with the mutual understanding that he would no longer abuse her.

Henceforth, from Saleha’s personal experience she gained a broader understanding about the condition of women in society. She made a plan to mobilize women to work for violence against women. In 2005, she has established Shapla Shomobay Shomity to promote for self-help work and various other social programs. Today there are nearly 35 members in this organization. They have around 30 thousand taka and save 10 taka per month. With the relation of this social work, Saleha was introduced to the Union Parishad reserved seat member Ms. Sahinur. Ms. Shahinur informed her about The Hunger Project-Bangladesh’s animator training of. Saleha completed the training successfully in 2006 at nine hundred thirty four batches10. She was also motivated to attend the session on women empowerment. Aafter attending the program she started to expand her social work. She has established a kindergarten school for underprivileged children called Roj Kindergarten School. This school is entirely directed by voluntary service. Saleha is the head teacher of this school where she works with three other teachers to educate nearly 100 children. Accordingly, Saleha has received training in the Women Leadership Foundation Course form The Hunger Project-Bangladesh in 2010 at 51 batch. Her views have changed as a result of this training. She realized, if women become empowered they move forward. She said she feels every women needs to receive this training. Sleha is now also working to stop child marriage and working with women in her region to provide sewing training. Saleha now expects to be the elected member of union parishad. She has plan to establish an organization (Baondho Kutir Shilpo) for getting involved women at the same time a hostel to rehabilitate the older women. Saleha is not only working for the women emopwerment and the underprivilefged child but also for sanitation. she has arranged meetings, rallys, and stage dramas to educate poeple aboute the importance of using sanitary latrines. Though Saleha is not formally educated, she has been working for the underprivileged people in society. With an extreme effort she has becomes successful in fulfilling her childhood dream.

10 A batch refers to the tracking number of the specific training.

Figure 2: Saleha speaking to local women

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Human Resources

Travel

Staff Changes

One of our district coordinator named Debu left THPBD for a “better job opportunity”

Staff Development

None this reporting period

Key Field Visits

Country Director visited in Comilla, Savar, Rangpur and Mymonsingh.

International Travel

Country director visited Pakistan to join a seminar.

Investor Trips

None this reporting period

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Next Quarter Priorities

Program Areas Goals and Priorities

Community Mobilization

75 Vision, Commitment and Action Workshop

29 PAR follow up meeting

920 students (girls and boys) will be trained as Active Citizens

8 skill trainee follow up

29 PAR unit meeting at union level

199 Youth unit follow up meeting

15 adult literacy centre set up

502 Ward Action Team meeting

69 citizenship workshop

62 coordination meetings at union level

560 female and male will be trained as animators

42 primary education committee meeting

28 IGA awareness meeting

450 animators will be trained as facilitator to facilitate citizenship workshop

Gender Equality 62 women leadership training and follow up meeting

30 women leaders meeting at local level

Village Development Campaigns

432 places IWD celebration

99 campaign on WASH

290 court yard meeting on various MDGs issues’

62 campaign on universal primary education

Good Governance

855 Union Parishad representatives will be trained toward creating MDG union

45 meeting with UP to hold Ward sabha

40 bi-month consultation meeting with UP

41 workshop for strengthening standing of committees of UP

Advocacy &Alliances

`Narir Kotha’ (Success stories of women leaders) will be published.

Monitoring & Evaluation

SIPA team will do the following activities in order to improve the M&E system:

Identify the key gaps in THPB’s monitoring and evaluation system.

Create a user-friendly set of tools to allow THP to evaluate and track its program.