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Recent Highlights in Bangladesh
America Week 2009 held in Barisal
February 17, 2009
The sixth
USAID Launches Improved Livelihood for Sidr Affected Rice Farmers (ILSAFARM) project
February 17, 2009
Effective December 16, USAID Bangladesh has awarded a US$4.71 million grant to fund ILSAFARM project to improve food security and alleviate poverty among cyclone affected small scale rice producers. The project will support activities in the eight Sidr Affected rice producing districts of Bangladesh. USAID will support activities that improve the production of rice through using the Urea Deep placement technology that makes the rice production much more cost effective compared to the conventional technology. Overall, the Sidr affected farmers are expected to increase rice production by about 74,000 metric tonne by the end of the project in 2010.
USAID-Funded Rural Energy project Receives Future Energy Prize
February 17, 2009
Grameen Shakti was awarded the first “Zayed Future Energy Prize 2009” for reaching rural people successfully with renewable energy technologies. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces HH General Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan presented the award at the World Future Energy Summit on January 19. The Prize is US$ 1.5 million, a Certificate and a Gold Medal. USAID supports Grameen Shakti through a $2 million activity to focus on the economic empowerment of rural women by training them to install and maintain photovoltaic Solar Home Systems (SHS), Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS) that use 50% less fuel wood and Biogas plants that generate gas from human and animal waste and is used for cooking. Grameen Shakti has installed more than 200,000 Solar Home Systems, more than 6,000 biogas plants and over 25,000 improved cooking stoves. With the prize, they plan to install 1 million Solar Home Systems by 2010 and construct 500,000 biogas plants and 10 million Improved Stoves by 2012. They have also set up 33 Grameen Technology Centers all over Bangladesh to train rural women as Solar Technicians/Entrepreneurs.
USAID/Bangladesh’s Rural Energy Project Beneficiary Receives French Microcredit Award
February 17, 2009
Ambia, a female solar technician and entrepreneur has received a micro-entrepreneur award from Planet Finance, a French micro-credit organization. She was trained by the USAID-funded renewable Energy program and participated in the training of women technicians on solar renewable technology. Ambia set up her own business at home to assemble the solar home systems generating energy from the sunlight. She is one of the more than 1,000 rural women technicians trained in the 20 Grameen Technology Centers (GTC) established in different parts of Bangladesh under the USAID project. The training program has now been expanded to the cyclone Sidr-affected areas to train an additional 1,700 women technicians. USAID’s funding has increased the installation of solar systems from 2,000 per month to more than 6,000 per month.
USAID launches “REAL” to assist Sidr affected population
February 16, 2009
USAID Bangladesh awarded US$3.5 million dollar to Helen Keller International (HKI) to fund a livelihood project titled REAL (Reconstruction, Economic Development and Livelihoods). The project will support the Cyclone Sidr-affected population to support activities that develop alternative, sustainable income-generation opportunities such as cash for work and homestead gardening; value-added agricultural processing techniques such as preserving vegetables and fruits with solar dryers, and create and preserve bio-diverse, high-quality seed stock which later serves as safety net in times of disasters. This is a two year award which will end on December 21, 2010.
USAID Mission Director Meets Dhaka University Students on international Youth Day
August 19, 2008
A group of fourteen students along with the Chairman of the Department of Development Studies of Dhaka University met with the USAID Mission Director, Denise Rollins, to observe the ‘International Youth Day’ on August 12. The Mission Director gave a presentation on USAID’s activities in Bangladesh to the students and discussed about the roles of US Government in developing Bangladesh.
The Mission Environment Officer was present in the event to address this year’s theme, ‘Youth and Climate Change: Time for Action’, and spoke about USAID’s initiatives to preserve the wetlands of Bangladesh through its programs. The students also had the opportunity to ask different questions on USAID and its programs to the Mission Director.
$100,000 grant made to Hellen Keller to Ensure Nutritional Support to Mothers and Children in the Sidr Affected Regions
August 19, 2008
USAID Bangladesh has recently awarded Essential Nutrition Actions project to Helen Keller International as an emergency response activity for nutritional rehabilitation work in the Cyclone Sidr-impacted coastal areas of Barishal division.
The project uses an integrated approach for improving maternal and child health and nutrition and will target 5,600 households with pregnant women and lactating mothers and children less than two years of age.
Barishal division is one of the most food insecure areas of Bangladesh and has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the country. The situation further declined after the devastating cyclone on November 15, 2007. Recent surveillance shows that magnitude of malnutrition and wasting, or low weight for height, among children increased after the cyclone, raising the need for intervention to improve nutritional status of women of reproductive age and children below two years of age.
The project will primarily focus on improving breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices of children under two years of age, nutrition care for sick and malnourished children, prevention of Vitamin A deficiency, promotion of micronutrients, and nutrition for women.
Essential Nutrition Actions is a community-based project that will rely on behavior change communication and community mobilization to achieve its objectives. Trained field level staff of the project will conduct targeted women’s group meetings, individual counseling visits for selected households, establish linkages with health facilities and health providers, and conduct advocacy meetings with local level community leaders.
USAID LAUNCHES “PROGATI” TO HELP FIGHT CORRUPTION
June 15, 2008
The United States Government, acting through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), recently launched PROGATI, a four year project designed to control corruption by strengthening public oversight of government funds. PROGATI, an acronym for “Promoting Governance, Accountability, Transparency and Integrity” will work together with government agencies, civil society organizations, NGOs and media outlets to promote improved governance of public resources.
PROGATI will introduce participatory activities in four thematic areas. First, it will work with the parliament to assist them with management of national budgets and monitoring of government expenses. PROGATI activities will also help monitor the usage of public resources to establish a more transparent and accountable relationship with the public. To increase citizen understanding and participation in the national budget process, PROGATI will collaborate with civil society organizations that play an important role in promoting reform. The project will team up with media outlets and journalists to help raise professional standards and build a culture of investigative journalism that encourages reporting on corruption issues.
USAID works closely with NGOs, local government and major political parties in Bangladesh to build on the country’s capacity for participatory democracy, strengthen its institutions of good governance, and support its culture of tolerance. USAID activities support political party reform and credible elections, promote transparent and accountable government, support effective and participatory local governance, combat trafficking in persons, and encourage civic engagement by key leaders of influence.
The United States Government has a long history of extending assistance to Bangladesh to recover from disasters, to try to escape poverty, and to engage in democratic reforms. Through USAID, the USG’s assistance to Bangladesh includes support for the return to democracy through free, fair and credible elections and more transparent and accountable governance; support for a better educated, healthier and more productive population; and assistance to increase economic opportunities through equitable economic growth, improved food security and disaster mitigation.
USAID Provides US$100,000 to Combat Food Crisis in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
June 13, 2008
The United States Government has provided US $100,000 as an emergency response to the impending food crisis in the Chittagong Hill Tracts caused by a severe rat infestation. This phenomenon occurs every 40-50 years as a result of gregarious bamboo flowering. As the bamboo flowers and fruits, the population of rats in the affected areas grows exponentially due to the sudden overabundance of food. Once the rats have eaten all the bamboo fruits, they turn to crops and stored grain, rapidly devouring everything in their path. In some areas, rats devastated entire fields in less than 48 hours, causing up to 90% crop damage and jeopardizing the food supply for more than 25,000 families in the hill districts. In response to this crisis, USAID will fund efforts by CARE in partnership with UNDP to provide indigenous seeds to affected farmers so they can plant new crops before the onset of the monsoon.
The fourth ORS production line: another Success for USAID
June 12, 2008
The new Oral Rehydration Saline (ORSaline) production line at Social Marketing Company factory was switched on by the USAID mission director Denise Rollins on Monday, April 28th. This new USAID funded fourth line, in the SMC’s factory in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, will add about 50 million sachets annually to the current full production capacity of about 170 million sachets of ORS. Considering the increasing demand for ORS and its impact on reducing diarrhea-related child death, the
USAID Introduces 'Monimix' to fight against childhood Iron Deficiency Anaemia
June 12, 2008
The USAID and SMC funded micronutrient program was launched through introduction of 'MoniMix' - a micronutrient powder which can be easily mixed at home to fortify foods to address childhood Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA). The micronutrient program was launched to address IDA in Bangladesh where about 64 percent of children aged 6 to 23 months and 42 percent of children aged 24 to 59 months suffer from IDA. The program aims to improve nutritional status of under-five children, particularly of those with childhood IDA. The program intends to increase knowledge and awareness among parents and health service providers about the importance of micronutrient containing food and adequate dietary intake, and promote exclusive breastfeeding and proper complementary feeding of nutrition rich foods.
USAID comes forward to help rehabilitate fish ponds damaged by Cyclone SIDR
June 12, 2008
USAID recently awarded a grant to WorldFish center to support the Cyclone Affected Aquaculture Rehabilitation Project (CAARP). CAARP will help rehabilitate fish ponds damaged by the Cyclone Sidr. The project plans to provide a major boost to livelihoods for some of the poorest families who have been affected the worst by Sidr and have aquaculture as their primary income.
The project will provide farmer with packets containing lime and fertilizer to rehabilitate the damaged fish ponds. It is expected that more than thirty two thousand farmers living in five districts across the south and south-western areas of Bangladesh will be rehabilitated and nearly thirty thousand households will regain livelihoods through the successful completion of the project.
USAID to Provide 90,000 Metric Tons of Food Aid to Bangladesh in 2008
June 12, 2008
USAID will provide food aid worth of $78 million to Bangladesh this year. US Ambassador Moriarty was present at the
USAID supported food aid programs target the poorest of the poor who live in the most food insecure and vulnerable areas of the country. USAID food aid assistance is designed to bridge the gap between disaster response and development by supporting planning and preparedness activities. USAID has helped build 245 multi-purpose disaster shelters, developed about 4,000 community-based disaster mitigation structures, and established a stockpile of emergency disaster kits for 30,000 families. USAID provided training to local disaster committees, volunteers and school teachers in 271 of the country’s 277 disaster-prone sub-districts. The program focuses on protection of assets by raising homesteads, and by building raised access roads to markets and schools. The program develops alternate livelihood options for the ultra-poor through activities such as poultry raising, dairy farming, and vegetable gardening. The program also provides a safety net for the poor through food and cash for work projects. In all, program activities are helping 4 million people in more than 3,000 villages. USAID’s five year Food Security and Disaster Management Program will address disaster risk mitigation and adaptation to climate change threats.
Additional USAID Relief Supplies Arrive For Cyclone Victims
December 3, 2007
USAID provided an initial $100,000 in emergency funds immediately after the cyclone
November 23, 2007
In response to the disaster caused by Cyclone Sidr, USAID awarded emergency grants totaling $100,000 to CARE/Bangladesh and Save the Children. The grant to Save the Children in the amount of $70,000 will provide food and cooking utensils to approximately 5,000 affected households in the Patuakhali and Barguna Districts of the Barisal Division. The grant to CARE/Bangladesh in the amount of $30,000 will provide rice, pulse, oil, salt and other essential food items to 1500 families in Moralgonj and Saronkhola upazilas of the Bagerhat District. CARE will engage its existing partner NGOs currently operating in Bagerhat District for this response. A portion of the funds will also be used for transport and distribution costs to ensure that these vital supplies reach their intended beneficiaries as soon as possible. .
United States Provides a total of $2.1 million in emergency funds
November 23, 2007
In response to a request for international assistance, the
An additional $1 million will be directed to humanitarian organizations currently working in the affected area and will assist in meeting the immediate needs of the Bangladeshi people.USAID has deployed a five-person disaster assessment team to assist with relief and recovery efforts in conjunction with the USAID Mission and U.S. Embassy.The team is working alongside local authorities to conduct field assessments that will identify additional needs and areas where we might be of assistance.
In addition, USAID is airlifting relief commodities including 300 rolls of plastic sheeting, 5,000 blankets, 2,500 family hygiene kits, and 2,500 water containers. The relief commodities, which arrived in Dhaka on November 20 will benefit 15,000 people in need USAID’s partners Save the Children and CARE have some non-emergency Title II food resources in Bangladesh. USAID is currently loading a non-emergency food shipment destined for Bangladesh.
A U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) medical team was in Bangladesh prior to the cyclone, and that team is now assisting in relief efforts. DOD is also deploying an 18-member Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team (HAST) to assist as well. The U.S. Navy ship U.S.S. Kearsarge is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on November 23 (Fri), while the U.S.S. Essex is scheduled to arrive on November 26 (Mon).
The United States extend its deepest sympathies to the government and people of Bangladesh in the face of this major natural disaster and stands ready to further assist in the relief effort based on needs identified in the coming days.
Administrator Fore Visits Bangladesh: Assures US assistance
November 23, 2007
U.S. Director of Foreign Assistance and Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Henrietta H. Fore was in Bangladesh on Wednesday, November 20 for a one-day visit. During her visit, she observed first hand the devastation caused by cyclone Sidr and met with the Chief Advisor of the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed to discuss how the
She stated that President Bush has asked the entire US Government, both civilian and the military to try to help as much as possible and assist in the next few days and weeks. She assured that the US Government will look at immediate needs as well as medium term and long term needs in Bangladesh such as schools, roads, embankments and rural electrification. She lauded the people of Bangladesh for the prevention efforts that have taken place in the intervening years which has resulted in far less loss of lives compared to the cyclone of 1991.
Administrator Fore also said that a cyclone of this proportion is always a serious challenge for any government anywhere in the world. There are immediate needs, there will be medium term needs but everyone should think of this as a long-term joint effort.
USAID Partner receives AGFUND International Prize 2007
October 9, 2007
On September 22, Rights Jessore, one of the local partners of USAID was awarded with the AGFUND (Arab Gulf Program for United Nations Development Organizations) International Prize for Pioneering Development Project, 2007 for introducing an effective model for the prevention and protection of the trafficking victims and successfully implementing the project.
The USAID funded project implemented the "Community Mobilization to Combat Trafficking-CMCT project in three southwestern districts of Bangladesh. The main objective of the project was to reduce the incidences of human trafficking through community mobilization. The project formed Counter Trafficking Women Forum (CTWF) consisting of 15 female members which included members from the local government, teachers, college students, social workers and housewives. The forum organized and conducted a number of mass awareness raising program at their working areas. The project also launched a Hotline Mobile Service (24 hours) to establish social safety net to reduce human trafficking.
From 2001-2007, the Academy for Educational Development (AED) implemented a USAID-funded project titled “Bangladesh Human Rights Advocacy Program- BHRAP”. The project addressed four main human rights areas of trafficking in persons, violence against women, access to justice and child rights. In partnership with 16 local NGOs, AED carried out several activities including human rights advocacy, civic education, community mobilization and service provision to protect survivors of human rights violations.
National Interfaith Dialogue to Sensitize Interfaith Leaders on HIV Prevention
October 9, 2007
With support from the USAID Bangladesh AIDS Program (BAP), the Masjid Council for Community Advancement (MACCA), a local faith-based organization organized a National Interfaith Dialogue in September 10 with the objective to sensitize interfaith leaders on HIV prevention.
Approximately 100 religious leaders of four different faiths (Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian) along with the development partners exchanged their views on the prevention of HIV and AIDS. The local development organizations discussed specific cases of HIV/AIDS and sought religious clarification from eminent religious leaders on sensitive issues such as people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA), Prostitution and Injection Drug User (IDU) and HIV positive children. Providing references from religious scriptures, religious leaders focused on the proactive role of the faith leaders at the community level to tackle HIV. While they were critical about some behavior that may lead people to be vulnerable to HIV infection, they strongly expressed their views that every infected person should be entitled to care and compassion. They underscored the importance of practicing religious values for a better life. The participants expressed their appreciation for the initiative which provided opportunity for interfaith interaction on various development issues as well as delicate social issues such as HIV/AIDS.
USAID-supported Family Health International (FHI) has successfully utilized MACCA’s religious networks in Bangladesh for HIV prevention by facilitating greater involvement of Imams and religious leaders. MACCA brings the interfaith leaders together to promote subject matters such as gender, health (including HIV/AIDS), poverty, and human rights through dialogues, talk shows, seminars, workshops, and training sessions. Their presence heavily contributes to eradicate misperceptions that religions inhibit in development issues. Additionally, MACCA organizes Imam (religious leader) training sessions at divisional and district levels to engage influential religious leaders in HIV, AIDS, STI prevention, care and support work. Six imam training sessions were held during the last two months in which 147 Imams received training.
USAID to provide $199 million to continue Health, Economic Growth and Environment programs in Bangladesh
October 8, 2007
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) signed formal agreements on September 29 to continue joint development activities in the health, economic growth and environment sectors. Under the new agreements, USAID will provide a total of US$199 million in the aforesaid sectors.
USAID will provide US$173 million over five years to fund programs supporting maternal and child health, family planning, tuberculosis eradication and HIV/AIDS mitigation under the health and population agreement. This cements a long and productive relation between USAID and the Ministries of Finance and Health and Family Welfare.
USAID will also provide up to US$19 million over nine years to support programs that strengthen private sector productivity and the overall business enabling environment. Several ministries will be involved, with the Ministry of Commerce taking the lead.
Also, an additional funding of US$7 million over five years in the environment sector will support natural resource conservation and biodiversity preservation programs in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and will be expanded to include wetlands and other vital habitats around the country.
Government Formalizes Co-Management in Approval of Five Management Plans at USAID Sites
July 3, 2007
January 17:the government of Bangladesh approved a new conservation approach in five Management Plans covering more than 22,000 hectares of natural forest protected area (PA). These five PAs directly affect the livelihoods of over a quarter of a million low-income people living in surrounding areas.
The new management plans, developed with technical support from USAID’s Nishorgo Support Project (NSP), provide specific means by which local communities surrounding PAs can benefit from park management and have a greater voice in decisions made concerning the parks. Under the new plans, recognized Co-Management councils and their executive committees, composed of a range of local stakeholders, can benefit from the range of economic values associated with PAs, including tourism revenue and periodic forest management activities.
With
support from USAID’s NSP, the Forest Department has embarked on a
radically different approach than in past. Forests are no longer
managed to be cut but rather managed in a participatory way that
achieves conservation ends and contributes to local stakeholder
livelihoods. The Government-approved management plans will make the
transition to this new approach easier for people at the field level
who are traditionally more reliant on government policies.
Students Commended as the Future Leaders of Influence
July 3, 2007
Students Commended as the Future Leaders of Influence
Photo: The participants of the bus tour with USAID officials
(Photo: USAID)
February 5-7: USAID/Bangladesh organized a major outreach program–the Student Bus tour to Sreemongol. The tour was part of the leaders of Influence program. The outstanding response and spontaneous participation from the students made the event a great success.
The bus tour is one of the many outreach initiatives of USAID/Bangladesh intended to provide future leaders with an opportunity to learn about development first hand. This involved detailed project briefings coupled with site visits, demanding full concentration and spontaneous participation from the students. This is not an easy task- the group visited five projects in three days and each of the projects had something new to offer. The students were very interactive while conversing with the project staff as well as the beneficiaries. Evenings were spent in seminars discussing development issues as it pertains to Bangladesh. Also, the group intends to prepare a report of their experiences for use by USAID. USAID/B would like to thank all the partners involved for their wonderful support throughout the tour.
USAID Celebrates International Women’s Day
July 3, 2007
Colleagues learning about tools and programs that help women grow as an individual and voice against any sort of violence.
(Photo: USAID)
March 08: USAID and US Embassy jointly celebrated
International Women’s Day to signify the courage, strength, and
contribution of women everywhere. The day long celebration included a
gender and development fair by USAID partners, Pot* songs on gender
equality, self examination for breast cancer and a panel discussion on
this year’s theme “Ending impunity for violence against women.” USAID
mission director Gene George and charge d’ affaires Ms. Geeta Pasi
inaugurated the event.
The event was the very first initiative on USAID’s behalf to bring together its partner organizations to showcase their effort to better womens’ standing in Bangladesh. The event provided a platform for the partners to share their printed and audio-visual materials produced on gender and development issues. A lunch time video show featured women’s struggle for justice in a rural community in Bangladesh, illustrating the subtle changes taking place in the attitudes and behavior of individuals and communities regarding a woman’s place in society. Considering the importance of awareness about breast cancer, the US Embassy Health Unit also organized two demonstration sessions on breast self-examination
USAID Relief Assistance to the Tornado affected families in Bhola
July 3, 2007
March 22 : USAID supported Save the Children (SC)/USA distributed 1,000 emergency survival packages to the tornado stricken people of Bhola- a coastal district in Bangladesh. The packages included non-perishable items such as plastic sheets, utensils, rope, candles and soap and were given to those whose houses were fully/partially damaged or destroyed by the tornadoes. Priority was given to female headed households, multiple-child households, pregnant women and households with physically challenged members.The year’s first violent storm lasted for ten-minutes and damaged or destroyed 3,754 houses, injured 200 and killed 10 people. The storm was followed by a heavy hail shower which destroyed seasonal crops. Trees and social infrastructure were also damaged.
USAID supports the most food insecure and vulnerable coastal populations in Bangladesh by intervention in community-focused capacity development activities to prepare for, mitigate, and respond to disasters in the country’s cyclone belt under its humanitarian assistance program.
USAID Supports Uniting for the Newborns
July 3, 2007
March 28: USAID-supported “Save the Children” organized a launching event titled “uniting for newborns” to raise awareness regarding the state of neonatal health in Bangladesh. The event marked the arrival of thousands of baby caps made by knitters and crotchetier groups throughout the U.S. as part of Save the Children's campaign to save newborn lives worldwide.The first twenty four hours of life are the most dangerous time for babies in the developing world. Of more than four million newborns who die each year, two million die within the first 24 hours of life. Each year in Bangladesh, 150,000 babies die during the first month of life. A baby cap — which helps to keep newborns warm — symbolizes one of the simple solutions in a package of health measures that can save many of these young lives.The caps will be distributed through the USAID funded “ACCESS - Safe Motherhood and Newborn Care” project to new mothers and their babies throughout two major districts of Bangladesh- Dhaka and Sylhet. Distribution of caps will be incorporated into ongoing child survival efforts to increase awareness among expectant and new mothers about proper care of newborns at birth, including keeping the baby warm.
The idea for the caps project was spun from U.S. knitters. Two of the knitters, Ms Mollie Juberien, 14, and her teacher Ms. Mary Draper visited Bangladesh in March to assist Save the Children to deliver the caps to different districts of Bangladesh. Molly’s school participated in this initiative by knitting caps as well. USAID’s “ACCESS” project strives to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes by promoting healthy maternal and newborn health care practices at home and increasing appropriate and timely utilization of home and facility based services. The project is expected to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce newborn deaths by 12-15% over a period of three years. |