One of the most remarkable impacts of our work over the years is seeing how the men and women who are overcoming the effects of poverty are also keen to walk alongside their own communities to see others flourish.
On my most recent trip, I heard stories from our staff of how the local community based organisations once registered with the government are able to start envisioning ways to serve.
Registration means they are eligible to apply for government grants (starting at 10,000 taka) to run their organisation. As their relationship with the government and their credibility grows, then other opportunities arise.
One particularly strong group has been asked by the government to start a children’s club in their community. Another was able to successfully advocate for a police station to be located in their village as they were feeling unsafe due to an uptick in violent crimes against women.
Over the last year, our team has been encouraging visits between the groups to help spread ideas and grow a vision for what could be possible.
But some groups are continuing to struggle to run themselves independent of our staff support. So our team has developed training plans tailored to their particular needs. Our goal is that every one of the 92 CBOs would be fully self-sustaining within the coming three years.
In talking to one of our field workers, Hasna Hena, about the groups she is working with and her plans for the coming year, the conversation went to what the group themselves hope to achieve. And she shared this story with me.
After registration, the Pratyasha Mahila Unnayan Samity (Expectations Women’s Development Association) hopes to gain a government grant to help establish an old people’s home for the most vulnerable members of their community.
When asked why, Hasna Hena said “they were concerned to see one lady in their group who wasn’t cared for by her children in her old age, and don’t want anyone else to suffer like this”.
This lady has two sons who live in Dhaka, who have neglected her since her husband died. While she has a duck and hen for eggs and she has occasional work cleaning at the local market and railway station, she has resorted to begging to fill the gap. However, she is a dedicated and hardworking group member who never misses a weekly group meeting and continues to save 10 taka (80c) a week from her meagre earnings.
Hasna Hasna says “It is hard to hear of her story and it makes me forget my own sorrows. I would help more if I could.”
Being faced with this kind of poverty is difficult for our staff like Hasna Hena, yet it is also an encouragement to continue providing the mentoring support for this inspiring group of ladies to achieve their dream.
Many groups continue to focus on their own savings and lending, and perhaps start further savings groups. But others are leading the way in finding new ways to serve their own communities.
And it is truly beautiful.
-Lisa West-Newman, CEO
So much is possible when we work together for good.
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