::. Unnayan Uddog -- Helping the poor in a Sustainable Way .::

	CURRENT ACTIVITIES
	a.Food Security through Community Food Bank and Employment Generation: An Action Research in Natural Disaster Prone Areas in Northern Bangladesh
	Unnayan Uddog has been implementing an action research program titled Food Security through Community Food Bank and Employment Generation: An Action Research in Natural Disaster Prone Areas in Northern Bangladesh in achieving food security for the rural poor in collaboration with two universities – Jahangirnagar University of Bangladesh (Department of Geography & Environment) and Royal University of Hull (Department of Geography), UK from 1st September 2008. The project is funded by DelPHE/DFID (For details: www.foodsecuritybd.com).
	b. PHC and HIV/AIDS Programme
	UU provides primary health care (PHC) education to its beneficiaries through its group meetings and orientation session. Recently it put emphasis on campaign on STDs and HIV/AIDS and reproductive health care. It provides necessary advices on reproductive health care including the choice of population control, which is an important right of a woman to achieve gender equity. It mainly does awareness campaign along with its small-scale primary health care services. To achieve gender equity it does awareness campaign among the community people. It arranges meetings for exchanging ideas, observes different days relating to population control, gender issues, etc. It started this programme in 1997 with the financial assistance of Department of Social Welfare, Government of Bangladesh and its own fund. Unnayan Uddog has been working to combat the threat of HIV/AIDS since its inception in 1997. It has a comprehensive policy to make aware of its target group about HIV/AIDS, reproductive and primary health care at household level during weekly meetings. It does survey among different risk groups, develops orientation/BCC materials, arranges trainings to local NGOs, peer-groups on HIV/AIDS, conducts workshops, meetings, observes World AIDS DAY regularly. It has been working for a specific target group, e.g., the garments workers with the help of UNFPA and BGMEA since 2005. Unnayan Uddog leads a network of 82 local/national NGOs, namely, Partnership for Community Health (PCH). So it can disseminate message to different stakeholder effectively on urgent basis and in a cost effective manner. It observed the World AIDS Day-2006 & 2007, World Population Day 2007 & 2008 with the assistance of UNFPA-Bangladesh, and BGMEA. Unnayan Uddog regularly updates its policies and data-base in line with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and thus National AIDS and STD Programme (NASP), UN agencies and development partners at regular interval. UU is leading to raise fund to implement an awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS involving mainly the schools children. One of the major components of the project is “No Shame” campaign. All the PCH members are involved under the leadership of Unnayan Uddog. PCH members lay covering all the districts of the country so that it can disseminate message quickly throughout the country.
	c. Fisheries
	Food Assisted Fisheries Sector RD Project
	With the assistance of Directorate of Fisheries (DOF), Government of Bangladesh and World Food Programme (WFP) it had re-excavated derelict ponds, ox-bow lake/canals, Beels (water bodies) to cultivate fish. The main objectives of this programme are:
	· To increase fish production by re-excavating water bodies including ponds; and · To generate employment opportunities for the rural poor, especially for the women.
	WFP provided resources to the Government of Bangladesh to generate income during lean period under this project. Unnayan Uddog had re-excavated 43 ponds during the period of 1996-2002 where a total of 325 beneficiaries (70% of them are women) are cultivating fish. Our beneficiaries have right to cultivate fish in those ponds up to 1212. Unnayan Uddog provides micro-credit and training support to cultivate fish.
	Development of Fish Drying System:
	It provides technical support to the fishermen of Chanda Beel in developing fish drying system. It had improved the traditional fish drying techniques and introduced household based domestic driers for this purpose under the project in 1995-96. The Directorate of Fisheries (DOF) provided financial assistance to the project. However, the project has a micro- credit fund which is used to continuing micro-credit support to the fisherwomen till now.
	d. Water and Sanitation
	Arsenic Mitigation Programme
	The news of arsenic contamination in the ground water in the early 1990s came as a great shock to both policy makers and ordinary citizens of Bangladesh. The hand tube wells were once projected as the source of safe water for the rural inhabitants, which ultimately raised the indicators related to primary health care. Bangladesh was acclaimed as a success story in this field. However, this success is now being questioned by many quarters. To address the national problem it implemented the `Arsenic Mitigation Programme’ with the assistance of UNICEF and DPHE during 2002-2003. Second, it carried out ‘Monitoring and Quality Improvement of Traditional Dug Well to Mitigate the Arsenic Problem’ under special allocation of the Ministry of Science and Information & Communication Technology for the financial year 2004-2005. At present, it carries out awareness campaign on arsenic problem and use of safe water - four alternatives sources identified by DPHE, UNICEF and others concerned since 2002. It has been working to demonstrate a model programme in harvesting rain water to meet up the need of the dry season at coastal region through community management.
	Village Sanitation Centre (VSC)
	Unnayan Uddog has been implementing this programme aiming to ensure proper sanitation for the rural poor at Tangail and Gopalgonj from its own fund. It mainly advocates for use of proper sanitation through group meeting, arranging orientation sessions to the school students and teachers, adolescents who have not enrolled in schools, imams, etc. It shows Video and distributes educational materials to develop health awareness among village people. Unnayan Uddog produces slab latrine at its VSC to provide sanitary latrine to the target group at low cost.
	e. Programme for Poor and Street Children
	Unnayan Uddog believes that `a society or a company which relies on child labor is eating its seed corn.’ From this point of view it puts emphasis on the proper care of children, especially the working children. It provides basic education, skills development training and provides micro credit support so that they can do economic activities after the completion of the education. It provides basic education and skills development training to the street children. It runs this program from its own resources and remaining resources, such as, training equipments, which were saved from the Child Labor Elimination Project (funded by ILO).
	Unnayan Uddog is implementing a child sponsorship programme which is quite different, innovative and sustainable in nature. To do sponsor a child, it helps to establish a small family-business to the sponsored child with the commitment of the parents that they will send their child who is not enrolled or drop-out due to extreme poverty causes.
	For the child sponsorship programme it has been developing a network of good people around the globe who are providing moral support as well as helping to raise funds. Under the programme it has provided sponsorship support to five children on experimental basis. The target of the programme is to provide sponsorship to 10000 (ten thousand) children by 2009.
	f. Nari Kendra (Centre for Women)
	Women are discriminated and most oppressed class in male dominated society in Bangladesh. Though they are mostly confined in household works but they have little influence on the family. Their opinions are rarely considered in decision-making process of the family. It happens partly because they have no participation in the direct earning process of the family. Facts reveal that if they could earn for the family they would be empowered. On the contrary, opportunity to work in the formal sector is limited for them and they are often exploited as cheap labor. But if they could have education or skills training they would be involved in the economic activities. Considering it, UU has established a center namely `Nari Kendra (Centre for women)’ to render different types of services including skill development training to the disadvantaged women so that they could be involved in the self-earning economic activities aiming to develop their socio-economic conditions. Unnayan Uddog provides skills development training to the rural and disadvantaged women on sewing Nakshi Kantha (embroidery quilt/decorated bed sheet with special motif) tailoring, boutique, candles and different types of jute and cane items. After the completion of training it provides micro credit support so that they can start their economic activities. UU helps them to sell their products in the renowned outlets in Dhaka. Under the supervision of UU, the poor women are showing outstanding performance in self-employment generation. Now a portion of them is self-dependent and can contribute to their family.
	Nakshi Kantha
	Unnayan Uddog has introduced this programme with specific objective. Bangladesh is a developing country with limited resources. It has limited items to export as such it faces difficulties to earn foreign currency. In search of an alternative export item it has been giving extra efforts to develop the quality of the artisans who are involved in the project. It has been giving emphasis on developing the design and quality of works. Under this project our artisans produces Nakshi Kantha, wall mate, cushion cover, table clothes, etc. Now, they sell their products in the local market but it has a plan to export it through our organizational efforts.
	g. Rehabilitation of Persons with Disability
	Unnayan Uddog has been involved in disability rehabilitation programmes through the community approach in 1997. The objectives of its programmes are:
	· To determine the prevalence of disabilities and to assess the socio-economic status and to identify the basic needs of the peoples with disabilities; · To raise awareness among the community people for the prevention of disability and building positive attitude towards them; · To identify the available local resources and opportunities for the medical, educational and economic rehabilitation; · To advocate and motivate the different stakeholders, both in government and non-government sectors for ensuring access to the resources and development programmes; · To ensure education for the loco-motor and other disabled students at the community; · To ensure accessibility for all types of PWDs to the public institutions and service centers; · To ensure preventive and curative services to the identified PWDs; · To ensure economic rehabilitation of PWDs; · To build capacity of local indigenous grassroots NGOs, CBOs, and formal and non-formal community institutions in the field of disability.
	h. Non-Formal Primary Education
	Unnayan Uddog has been running 10 NFPE schools for rural poor children since 1995.
	i. Savings and Micro-credit
	The savings and micro-credit programme of Unnayan Uddog facilitates the people into formation of groups aiming to building up their capacities and skill, use of small loans among the target group members and help them to be involved in income generating activities. This programme has been also working with the objective to achieve the self-reliance, economic empowerment and sustainability of the target group. It encourages the beneficiaries for the regular deposition of saving, proper utilization of loan and refunds it in time.
	j. Salish Kendra
	Unnayan Uddog runs two Salish Kendras in its project area. The majority people can not go to the court for justice as it is expensive and time consuming. In this perspective, it runs this programme. Salish or mediation is an indigenous method of dispute resolution prevailing in the rural areas of Bangladesh. Mutual empathy and understanding of each other situations- there is maximization of choices available for acceptable settlements for both the disputing parties. Conflicts resolves and consensus emerges as a natural participatory negotiating exercise under the keen supervision of the mediators.
	k. Advocacy Programme
	The Advocacy Programme is one of the major programmes of Unnayan Uddog. Under this programme it advocates for birth registration and defends against child trafficking, dowry, early marriage, rights, child labour, gender issues, health and sanitation, use of safe water, etc. It has been lobbying and networking among the local community based peoples' organization and the promotion of good governance at the local and national level for this purpose.
	l. Training Programme
	It conducts 2 types of training, such as, a. professional training for NGO executives and b. Human Resource Development (skills development) for different target groups.
	Training for NGO Professionals
	The approaching millennium promises to accelerate the process of globalization which are already irreversible and advancing dizzily before our eyes to envelop the most remote people of the world in a suffocating embrace structure, values and ideas that we took granted for most of the centuries are disintegrating. Global answers are required if we are to adjust to and understand one another. A host of broad questions have been emerged. How can local cultures retain their sense of identity and dignity in the face of the global onslaught of non-stop satellite television, instant high-tech communication systems? We are failing to connect different points in the global political and cultural landscape. This failure is costing the nation the loss of power and dignity. In the global village concept we are to compete and preserve our identity. Knowledge is the pre-dominant that will enable us to progress. To the given context, the NGOs need more professionalism to blooming as alternative social power to cope with the situation throughout the world.
	Keeping it in mind, a specialized training programme has been designed by Unnayan Uddog to strengthen the capacity of the NGOs working at rural areas and the persons interested to set up a new NGO. Fresh university graduates or who completed her/his O & A levels may also participate in the courses - Grant Writing and Fundraising, which will help them to boost up their carrier in non-profit sector. Active assistance (grant writing and liaison with donor under lucrative terms and conditions) will be provided to procure funds for the respective organization of each trainee. The training programme will be conducted on the following:
	Name of the Courses
	1. Setting up a NGO: Conceptual Understanding and Necessary Requirements 2. Capacity Building: An Organizational Approach 3. Grant Writing, and 4. Fundraising
	Details of Courses
	i. Setting up a NGO: Conceptual Understanding and Necessary Requirements
	This is an introductory course on conceptual understanding of an NGO, focusing on necessary requirements to establish it. This course will also highlight the relation and position of an NGO in development process now a day. The participants of this course will learn the following:
	· Conceptual understanding of an NGO · Relation in development process · Prospect and future of a non-profit · How to select a right group of people to set up an NGO · Preparation of a right constitution · Technique of drafting resolution, minute of meeting and accounting system · Rules of maintaining necessary books · Appropriate authorities of registration · Source of funds
	Please note: Anybody wants to set up a new NGO will be especially benefited from the course. There is an arrangement to provide necessary assistance in this regard.
	ii. Capacity Building: An Organizational Approach
	This is an introductory course on capacity building from the perspective of organizational development. Capacity building takes place at different levels, such as at the individual level, organizational level or at a broader societal level. This course concentrates on building the capacity of organizations so that they can work with donors and local partners more effectively. The course will focus on:
	· Basic concept of development and identify the role as a change agent · Examine the link between organizational development and capacity building · Understanding organizations: How they work, develop and adapt in a rapidly changing environment · Need of partnership: The demand of time · Finding out new ideas to intervene (scope of work) · Finding out the address of appropriate donors (including browsing the Net) · The right approach to contact a donor · Technique of preparation of a good profile, annual report, field report · Monitoring and evaluation · Cost effective and efficient management system
	Please note: This course is designed for people engaged in capacity building programmes with some experience of organizational development, and who wish to explore issues around different types of intervention.
	Please note: The participants attended in course no. 1 & 2 will be assisted in seeking funds and to make liaison with donors on behalf of their respective NGOs. They will also be provided with address of donor organizations and format of application for funding. Necessary help will be provided to prepare 5/6 pps/formats for each participating organization and submit those to prospective donors. Each participants will be provided with address of 500 -1000 prospective donors.
	iii. Grant Writing
	This is an introductory course on Grant Writing, which deals with the process of grant proposal writing. It teaches the skills needed to become an expert grant writer. It gives a holistic view of the grant process, highlighting the relevance and importance of each phase. Participants of this course are taught each step of the grant process from researching grant leads to developing long-lasting relationships with funding sources. It helps to understand the priority areas of the donors and therefore to build up the concept for grant writing. This broad scope of instruction gives attendees a crucial competitive advantage. This course is designed for both the novice learning how to write a grant proposal and the grant writing professional seeking to streamline a development programme. The participants of this course will learn the following:
	· Holistic view of grant process · Understanding of donor's priority · Different techniques of grant writing · Making liaison with donors
	Please note: The participants of this course will receive 10 grant proposal samples for her/his organization at no additional cost.
	iii. Fundraising
	This course is designed in such a way that after completion of the training the participants will be familiar with hundreds of techniques and basic keys to fundraising for NGOs, schools, colleges, and other social institutions. The participants will learn how to obtain funds from foundations and corporations, donors and, as well as, government sources. This course will also teach the different techniques of Internet based fundraising, finding out the prospective donors through browsing the Net. After completion of the course the participants will be able to work as fund raising consultant. The course content as follows:
	· Keys to successful fundraising · Fundraising strategies · Creating the case for support · Development of specific programmes · Appeal for event management · Techniques of using Internet in searching prospective donors
	Please note: The participants of this course will receive dozens of samples of documents (such as pps, fundraising guidelines, sample letter for direct approach, strategies, etc.) on different fundraising techniques at no additional cost.
	Skills Development Training
	Unnayan Uddog provides different types of skills development training on tailoring, embroidery, boutique, leather goods, making of paraffin candle, poultry and livestock, etc. to its beneficiaries and sometimes to the members of the other NGOs. The objective of this programme is to help the poor people to earn money through self-employment.