A project supported
by European Commission |
|
Implemented
by |
RDRS Bangladesh
in association with DCA, FCA, CSA &
NCA
|
 |
Project
Area |
| 6 Districts |
| 29 Sub-districts
|
| 260 Unions |
| |
Wage
rate is 82% of national average. |
42% population
live below poverty line. |
Literacy
rate is 39% as compared to
47% national average. |
1.2 million
people get affected by natural
disasters every year. |
|
|
Basic
Facts |
| Duration |
: |
3.5 years (from Jan 2003). |
| Total Project Cost |
: |
2.5 million EUR. |
| Support from the EC |
: |
1.5 million EUR. |
| Direct Beneficiaries |
: |
260 Union Federations 150,000
poor families |
| Consortium Members |
: |
DanChurchAid, FinnChurchAid,
Church of Sweden Aid, Norwegian
ChurchAid |
| Implementing Partner |
: |
RDRS Bangladesh |
| Project Location |
: |
Northwest of Bangladesh. |
| HR Involvement |
: |
80 staff (33% women).
330 Volunteers (56% women). |
|
|
Project
Summary |
The project develops
capacity of Union Federations as self-managed
community based organisation of disadvantaged
rural poor to support development
of their member groups and group-member
families and their wider community
with institutional, social, cultural
and civic opportunities. |
|
Overall
Objective |
To Promote
Social Empowerment (positive
social changes) in rural communities
through effective Community-based
Organisations. |
|
Specific
Objectives |
|
Improve Federations’ governance
and democratic culture. |
|
Protect and promote Federations’
legal status as CBO. |
|
Effective day-to-day
organisational management. |
|
Enhance community
facilities under Federation management. |
|
Promote social
awareness and human/women rights. |
|
Promote local level advocacy and civic
engagement. |
|
|
Major
Interventions |
|
Institutional Development. |
: |
53% |
|
Social Awareness Raising. |
: |
27% |
|
Civic/political
Engagement. |
: |
20% |
|
| All together 30 individual
activities under 3 major categories. |
|
Implementation
Progress |
|
Recruitment and orientation completed. |
|
Organisational procedures upgraded. |
|
Federation monitoring
system revised. |
|
Federation gradation
completed. |
|
89 Women Rights
Cells initiated. |
|
Disaster Committees activated in 260
Federations. |
|
Training modules & materials prepared. |
|
Major purchase for 1st year
completed. |
|
Annual independent audit completed
in 260 Federation. |
|
Project
Activities |
Post election
Orientation. |
Local arbitration
and mediation. |
Celebration
of significant days. |
|
Federation
leaders training. |
Construction
of community resource centres. |
Establishing
community library. |
Voter education. |
Theatre
and folk-song gathering. |
Training
for cultural groups. |
Federation
Audit & AGM. |
Federation registration. |
Exposure
visit by Federation leaders. |
Information
dissemination through media. |
Rural workshop/action
mobilisation. |
Social-event support services. |
|
Staff and
volunteer training. |
Grassroots Advocacy |
Establishing Women Rights Cell. |
|
|
Major
Accomplishments |
|
Election concluded in 256 Federations. |
|
New leadership emerged in 70% cases
altogether. |
|
Women leadership
increased to 47%. |
|
21 Federations
obtained govt. registration. |
|
100% Federations
had AGM. |
|
Federations provided voter education
in 260 unions. |
|
25 cultural groups equipped with training
& musical instruments for awareness
. |
|
Disaster preparedness campaign in
260 unions. |
|
89 Women’s Rights Cells established. |
|
35 Community Library established. |
|
Some
Results/Changes |
|
A break-through in existing leadership
monopoly. |
|
95% Federations regular in holding
meeting. |
|
Members’
attendance in meeting increased to
87%. |
|
More than 54%
groups paying regular subscription. |
|
Savings at group-level
by members increased. |
|
14 Federation started Profit distribution
to members. |
|
Victims increasingly rely on Federations
for justice. |
|
Transparency at Federation-level improved. |
|
Appreciation of Federations by community
increased. |
|
Federations more active as local advocacy
agent. |
|
Financial
Progress
As of December 2003 |
Figures in Euro |
Expenditure
Head |
Allocation |
Utilisation |
%
Utilised |
| Human Resource |
185,833 |
128,870 |
69% |
| Travel (local) |
485 |
1,309 |
270% |
| Equipment, material |
168,178 |
147,713 |
88% |
| Local office cost |
22,861 |
12,130 |
53% |
| Other cost/services |
16,121 |
7,780 |
48% |
| Training, consultancy
etc |
27,240 |
21,344 |
78% |
| Inputs/Activity
costs |
|
|
|
| |
a. Institution Building |
94,051 |
65,274 |
69% |
| |
b. Social Awareness |
53,182 |
44,486 |
84% |
| |
c. Civic Engagement |
20,727 |
18,078 |
87% |
|
| Total direct eligible
cost |
588,678 |
452,465 |
77% |
|
|
Problems
encountered |
|
Agreement was signed with some unavoidable
delay. |
|
First six months had little implementation
pace. |
|
For social change,
the project duration is short. |
|
Recruitment of
women staff was difficult. |
|
Some activities
did not get enough time. |
|
Financial & Administrative rules
offer less flexibility. |
|
Time-gap between project planning
& implementation. |
|
Future
Challenges |
|
Union Parishad is envious of Federation. |
|
Maintaining the social functions introduced. |
|
Increasing implementation
partnership. |
|
Maintaining the
resources/capacities built. |
|
Civic engagement
being new is difficult. |
|
Govt. registration may invite corruption. |
|
