Smaller NGOs changing Meherpur over years
In 1970, some youths started with only Tk 500; now their annual budget is Tk 10cr
Just before the War of Liberation in the year 1970, some young boys of Gangni Upazilla under Meherpur district stepped forward to enhance the living standard of the area's people.
They frequently faced obstacles from the social structure and people's superstition but those could not turn them down.
They started their journey with only Tk 500 on February 15 of 1970 at Palashipara in Gangni but now have an annual budget of around Tk 10 crore to run around 11 projects.
The journey of Palashipara Shamaj Kalyan Samity (PSKS) started out with educating the elderly of the area and later went on to family planning.
Initially they found superstition blocking their path but they did not lose heart and went on to turn the small organisation into one that acts as a role model.
Local non-government organisations grew up like the PSKS, bringing qualitative changes to the lives of the people of Meherpur, the country's southwestern district.
These smaller NGOs are providing education, health, alternative dispute resolution, micro credit and other services to the doorsteps of the area's needy population.
Visiting an alternative dispute resolution project of PSKS at Gangni, this correspondent talked with Surovi Begum, a 22-year-old divorcee, of Bashbari village of the upazilla. Her in-laws were demanding dowry for her marriage.
She said, “My parents gave them the money within a year. But they kept pressing me for more. My family is poor and could not afford more money.
“My ex-husband and his family members started torturing me for the money.
“At one stage, I went to the police station and filed a case but that did not help. Then I came here for mediation and now the matter is settled.”
Like Surovi, 96 people with 254 cases came for service under this project last year.
Out of them, 195 have been settled, 47 are waiting to be settled, six went to court and six was dismissed.
Shandhani Shangstha, one of these NGOs, is running a school and a clinic successfully.
The school provides a unique financial help for its students. The school authorities give a cow to the student when he or she is at class three.
Md Abu Zafar, executive director of Shandhani Shangstha, said, “The student bears his or her educational expenses by selling the milk. It also meets up the need of his or her nutrition. When the student passes SSC, he or she gives back a calf to the school authorities.
“We give priority on female students for the financial assistance which we call nutrition and rehabilitation programme. Around 160 to 165 students are now getting the financial assistance.”
Two Japanese organisations are financially assisting Shandhani Shangstha to run the school and the clinic.
Tajul Islam, director of Federation of NGOs in Bangladesh, told The Daily Star that these smaller organisations in the country's southwestern region are carrying out some admirable programmes and contributing to enhance the living standard of the people. “The successes of these organisations will encourage others to contribute in the development of the country,” he said.
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