Duration and period: 28 months (March 2013 to March 2016)

Project Location:

District	Upazila	Union	Village	House- hold	Total population	Literacy rate
Hobiganj	1. Baniachong	1. Baniachong Uttar Paschim 2. Baniachong Dakhin Paschim	27   19	4301   4344	24546   24464	40.1%   35.9%
	2. Ajmeriganj	3. Shibpasha 4. Jalsuka	22 16	4495 2992	24479 16181	35.14% 41.21%
Total	2	4	84	16230	89670	38.09%

 

Beneficiaries:

District	Upazila	Union	Village	Targeted house- hold	Direct beneficiary	Indirect beneficiary
Hobiganj	1.Banianchong	1. Baniachong Uttar Paschim 2. Baniachong Dakhin Paschim	27   19	600   600	3420   3360	24546   24464
	2. Ajmeriganj	3. Shibpasha 4. Jalsuka	22 16	550 250	2750 1350	24479 16181
Total	2	4	84	2000	10,880	89670

 

2000 households belong to the marginal and vulnerable section of community people.

Baniachong Upazila: 1200 households and Ajmeriganj Upazila: 800 households. 35 villages were finalized among 84 villages after baseline survey of households.

Budget of the Project 

Grant from Oxfam HK BDT.  1st Year (March 2013-February 2014):    4,500,000.00

2nd Year (March 2014-June 2015:  6,500,000.00

              Total Budget                         1,1000,000.00

Project/Program Summary

The project was located in the “Haor”(wetland ecosystem) basin of north-east Bangladesh, a region particularly vulnerable to climate change and, because of physical conditional prevailing there and being the habitat of poorest communities of the country.

Intervention for Development through Empowering and Adopting Livelihoods (IDEAL) was designed considering the livelihood security aspects of the programmatic area. Thus the very local context of ‘Haor’ was deeply analyzed and socio-economic issues are taken into consideration. ‘Haor’ inhabitants mainly face typical problems before the monsoon i.e. before flood, during the flood and aftermath. Taking that into account, project interventions were also designed to have best result and impact.

 

While designing the project; participatory planning exercises were conducted at the grass-root level and integrated multi-sectored approach (holistic manner) approach was incorporated.

 

The goal of IDEAL project

“Enhance sustainable livelihoods for quality life and social justice of at risk poor people”.

 

IDEAL project worked in 35 villages and of 4 unions which were in Banaichong and Ajmeriganj Upazila of Hobiganj district, having a target of 10880 beneficiaries.

 

Program Components

Four program components were designed as major types of output to be achieved to contribute to the project objectives:

1. Increased access to food and income security and enjoyed quality life
2. Develop women leadership to improve gender equality
3. Improve community capacities to manage disaster risk, conserve environment and adapt with climatic impact
4. Develop and empower community institutions to communicate and claim their rights and entitlements

 

The above mentioned components were designed to be more congruent with goal, objectives and role of the SWF. These were also congruent with the main strategy of the project. The subcomponents were as follows:

1. Increased access to food and income security and enjoyed quality life

Sub-components:  Skill development training, formation of MSE and LSPA, linkage to access for loan from financial institution, develop village and cooperative banking, support early vegetable seed, workshop and seminar on different social issues for vulnerable people social rights, making list of vulnerable members for freedom fighter, VGF, VGD, old aged, disable allowance and other benefit, making list of landless members to get khas land,  demonstration package on organic fertilizer (wastage and earth worm), workshop on primary health care, child education and family planning in groups, learning visit for group leaders, medical camp, vaccination camp for livestock, day observation, campaign for social learning, cultural fair and social events, formed gender and human rights cell.

2. Develop women leadership to improve gender equality

Sub-components: Leadership development training, lesson discussion on gender and human rights, policy advocacy dialogue on women’s rights, workshop on GBV, family and social values.

3. Improve community capacities to manage disaster risk, conserve environment and adapt with climatic impact

Sub-components:  Formed disaster management committee, DRR workshop, disaster risk assessment and analysis, community disaster management plan, develop a community system for monitoring, evaluation, documentation, lobby and advocacy, activate the UDMCs, community people conserved fish and birds breeding area, tree plantation and  policy advocacy dialogue on fishermen rights to access to open water body.

4. Develop and empower community institutions to communicate and claim their rights and entitlements

Sub-components: Base line survey, formed 80 groups, formed executive committee, orientation on rules and regulations of group, prepared constitution for cooperative society, opening bank account for cooperative society, develop fund for cooperative society, conduction of training and workshop on leadership, PRA, PSP, accounts, planning and documentation, advocacy and networking on the issue of strengthening and functioning of local government, policy advocacy on the issue of good governance and anti-corruption, lesson discussion and workshop on good governance, anti-corruption and RTI, campaign, rally and discussion on RTI, organized annual general meeting for CS, registration for CS and organize meeting with different service provider of GOB, CSO, NGOs and donors regarding phase out of groups/cooperative society.

Result: After completing these activities some achievements are now visible in the project area. As 6 female LSP- Livestock, 18 female tailors are incoming good amount of money and increased their social acceptance, early marriage is under control by taking initiatives of local leaders with cooperation of NGOs, Local government and administration. Gender and Human Rights Cell mitigated domestic violence of 55 women in their family.

1 women secured their leadership position in UP as ward member. 22 women leaders are participating in local salish (arbitration). Around 25% established communication and linkage with local government, NGOs and different Line Agencies. 8 women already got membership at UP standing committee previously, new standing committee yet formation. Around 60% community people are now aware about disaster preparedness, mitigation and climate change impacts as a result of providing Lessons in group. DRR committee formed in UP Wards. 75% HHs (1560 HHs out of 2000 HHs) made aware on conserving indigenous mother fish by discussing lesson in group. 67% (1343 HHs out of 2000 HHs) HHs are aware on conserving areas for safe breeding of both native and migratory birds by lesson discussion. 65% group leaders are able to manage their finance independently specially savings.

The group members established their linkage and got access to local resources and institutional facilities are locally available.455group members have received loan from financial institutions like: ASA, BRAC, Padakhep and Grameen Bank, undertaken different projects for their livelihood improvement.