A little attention that changed their lot

Slum dwellers in a Kushtia municipal ward relocating houses to construct a lane and a drain under a UNDP project being implemented by the municipal authorities. PHOTO: STAR

After motivation under a UNDP programme, over 3000 people in --- area in the town now live in a hygienic environment and have launched income generating projects without any loan.

They have demolished at least 150 houses and built footpaths and drains to improve their living conditions. and relocated so many shanties to build roads and ensure sanitation.

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They also have earned basic knowledge about hygienic living. They themselves decide things for the better and jointly implement those.

The changes they brought about was beyond their imagination years ago, some of them said while talking to this correspondent.

This has been possible after the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme launched its Local Partnerships For Urban Poverty Alleviation Project (LPUPAP) in August 2000 with the cooperation of Kushtia Pourasabha.

The project is being implemented by the municipality with technical assistant from United Nations for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat).

"Success was not achieved easily because creating awareness was a very difficult job", Kushtia Municipality Chairman Anwar Ali told this correspondent. He is also chairman of the 'Project Coordination Committee' (PCC).

After about four years, the project now covers 12 wards in the municipality. Thirty-three 'Community Development Committees (CDCs) have been formed covering of 31,842 people of 7814 families.

The slum dwellers have constructed 4499.80 meters of footpath, 2899.45 meters of drain, 750 drain slabs and culverts and laid water supply pipelines and installed 1996 pucca latrines in their areas, all done with their savings.

The people taking loans are engaged in different income generating activities like running tea stalls and hotels, making Naxikatha (a traditional decorated quilt), raising poultry and rearing milch cows and goats and making confectionery items.

Some people have done an exceptional work. They have jointly set up a spice factory, which produces grind spices with a brand name -- Community Gura Mashla' (community grind spice).

At least 330 people of different ages are being trained in 24 vocations like nursing, wielding, sewing, poultry raising and light engineering work at a cost of Tk 4145400, he said.