NGOs now play the key roles to change the social, educational and financial development indicators. NGOs now are powerful players in the real sense of the term along with the governments of developing countries with the experience of some criticisms. Keeping this view in mind Global Journal has taken the initiative to rank these non-governmental organizations. It is indeed a commendable task as no such organization has yet taken any initiative to formally assess the NGOs’ contribution to human development all over the globe. “Recognizing the significant role of NGOs as influential agents of change on a global scale, The Global Journal has sought to move beyond outdated clichés and narrow conceptions about what an NGO is and does. From humanitarian relief to the environment, public health to education, microfinance to intellectual property, NGOs are increasingly at the forefront of developments shaping the lives of millions of people around the world.”
The following significant factors received consideration to rank NGOs in the global rating.
(i) Effectiveness meaning delivery against objective
(ii) Impact- outcome over output
(iii) Transparency and accountability-level of reporting
(iv) Innovation stands for fresh approaching to old problems.
This in-depth feature will no doubt invite and stimulate debate. Again, academics, diplomats, policymakers, international organizations and the private sectors will find an insight into the ever changing dynamics and innovative approaches of 100 leading NGOs. It will really invoke further attention from all concerned.
The Global Journal has congratulated the Wikimedia Foundation for achieving first place in the Top 100 for the year 2012. Wikipedia- has transformed the way in which the world obtains information, reaching 477 million visitors per month. Entirely, volunteer-driven, the site has rapidly become the largest collection of shared knowledge in human history. In the row of second ranking comes Partners in Health which works only in Haiti and is followed by Oxfam. It engages in humanitarian work, assisting those immediately affected by conflict and natural disasters. It implements development programs, seeking to lift communities out of poverty with long-term, sustainable solutions.
It’s a great honour and prestige for Bangladesh that BRAC, an NGO of the developing Bangladesh, funded and run by a visionary Bangladeshi leader Sir Fazle Hasan Abed by name, has occupied the fourth position in this world ranking. BRAC has crossed the boundary of Bangladesh and works in eleven Asian, African and Caribbean countries touching the lives of fourteen million people. It works in almost all the aspects that influence human life. BRAC vision goes thus’ a world free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination where everyone has the opportunity to realize the potential.’ BRAC’s mission is to empower people and communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease and social injustice. It’s interventions aim to achieve large scale, positive changes through economic and social program that enable women and men to realize their potential. BRAC values are Innovation, Integrity, Inclusiveness and Effectiveness. BRAC is followed by International Rescue Committee and sixth position goes to PATH. CARE International stands seventh, Medicin Sans Frontiers eighth, Danish Refugee Council ninth and tenth position goes to Ushahidi , a Kenya-born NGO.
Global Journal is a German-based magazine aimed at becoming the insider’s guide to what it describes as the ‘global issues’ scene. It made the ranking on the basis of the data sources from the organizational websites, annual reports, external evaluations and conversations with practitioners and donors. How many people they interviewed and how have not been detailed. Of course, they collected feedback quite a number of practitioners in the field. Again, the size of an NGO did not receive serious consideration rather function, the impact they made. So, it can be said that they collected the genuine information regarding the selected NGOs. When they have started, some other organizations/bodies will come forward undertake this job next year. Some raised the question why The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation were not included on the list. The Ford Foundation, Rockfeller Foundation also was not in the list. The authority advocated that the Gates Foundation is ultimately focused on grant-making, rather than running its own programs.
We can see that from a geographical perspective, over half of the 100 best NGOs are found only in two countries: thirty-seven from the United States and fourteen from the United Kingdom. Emerging countries, such as India and Brazil, contribute just over a tenth of the top non-profit organizations in the ranking while developing countries host 15 of the best NGOs. Within the top 10 ranking there are already two developing country based organizations: Bangladesh’s BRAC in fourth and Kenya-born Ushahidi in tenth. This figures says that the developing countries do influence the poverty, education, health and consciousness factors indeed.
“International non-governmental organizations have a history dating back to at least 1839.It has been estimated that by 1914, there were 1083 NGOs. International NGOs were important in the anti-slavery movement and the movement for women’ suffrage and reached a peak at the time of the World Disarmament Conference. However, the phrase "non-governmental organization" only came into popular use with the establishment of the United Nations Organization United Nation in 1945 with provisions in Article 71 of Chapter 10 of the United Nations Charter for a consultative role for organizations which are neither governments nor member states. The definition of "international NGO" (INGO) is first given in resolution 288 (X) of ECOSOC on February 27, 1950: it is defined as "any international organization that is not founded by an international treaty". The vital role of NGOs and other "major groups" in sustainable development sustainable was recognized in Chapter 27 leading to intense arrangements for a consultative relationship between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations. Rapid development of the non-governmental sector occurred in western countries as a result of the processes of restructuring of the welfare state .Further globalization of that process occurred after the fall of the communist system and was an important part of the Washington consensus. Globalization during the 20th century gave rise to the importance of NGOs.” (Source: Wikipedia). Now NGOs are visual reality of the world. Their global ranking will further add to their values.
Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431 .Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Will Kim Jong's death hasten the unification of Koreas?
Will Kim Jong’s death hasten the unification of Koreas?
North Korea lost her second generation great leader on 17 December 2011 of a heart attack brought on by mental and physical strain. The TV screen shows the heartfelt cry of the citizens which undoubtedly proves their undeniable love for their popular leader Kim Jong whatever way the world leaders termed him. Kim was groomed to succeed his father for three decades taking power when the Great Leader and the founder father of North Korea died in July 1994 to an outpouring of national grief. He extended a cult of personality as the dear leader even as many of the nation’s 24 million citizens lived on an average income of less than a dollar a day. He ruled for seventeen years since he came to power in July 1994 and resisted opening up to the outside world in order to protect his regime. “The likely succession of his third son, Jong Un, threatens to trigger a dangerous period for the Korean Peninsula where 1.7 million troops from the two Koreans and the U.S. square off every day. Kim Jong Un’s taking complete control of the helm will not take place for a while due to his young and inexperienced leadership,”-- said, Yang Moo, Jin, a professor, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. Kim leaves behind an economy less than three percent the size of South Korea’s and which has relied on economic handout since the 1990’s when an estimated two million people died from famine. The United Nations and the U.S. last year increased economic sanctions imposed as result of North Korea’s nuclear weapons activities and attacks that killed 50 South Koreans. He earned the title ‘ axis of evils’ for his country because of his nuclear activities but his genuine love and patriotism for his country gave him courage to ignore these western and outside world pressures.
In 2009 as Kim defied threats of United Nations sanctions to test a second nuclear device and a ballistic missile, technically capable of striking Tokyo. The following year North Korea lashed out militarily, prompting stern warnings from the U.S. and South Korea. An international investigation blamed Kim’s regime for the March 2010 sinking of a South Korean war ship and shelled a South Koran island killing two soldiers and two civilians. These activities convinced the world that North Korea had achieved ‘stunning ‘advances to its uranium –enriched program. In 2010 Kim set in line his succession plan, Kim Jong Un, thought to be 28 or 29 , was first mentioned in official KCNA dispatches on Sept. 28 when his appointments as general and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the party were announced.
The world knows that before the Korean war of 1950-1953 both South and North Korea had been one nation and the people could go back and forth from northern part of southern part. But it got divided into two namely North and South Korea. North Korea was influenced and helped by the Soviet Union and South by two western superpowers. During 1980s when Soviet Union collapsed North Korea started receiving no support from Russia and Eastern European countries because of their political ideology change. China, the biggest power and the giant in terms of military and commercial partner, began to establish close ties with North Korea. It angered the western powers and their ally South Korea. Both the parts began to do well in terms of economic achievement though the South proved far advanced. But in 1990s the North Korea witnessed several weather disasters and some wrong policies of agriculture coupled with receiving no help from Eastern European countries which invited a famine in the country. Hundreds and thousands of North Korean died in the famine then. Kim refrained from enforcing the usual tight restriction on mobility, permitting starving people to travel within the country to find food Kim hoped to avert a sudden loss of popular support. It was a pragmatic decision.
For three decades Kim exercised power as a high-level official rarely travelling aboard or meeting foreign leaders and often going for long periods when his domestic public appearances weren’t mentioned in the state-run media. ‘Kim was cinema buff whose personal library included tens of thousands of western moves. Obsessed with improving the country’s film output, he had agents kidnap South Korea’s leading director Shin Sang-ok, and the director’s actress wife, Choi- Eun-hi, they subsequently escaped with tape recording s of conversation they had with Kim.’( source: internet)
In 1991 Kim Jong II became Commander in Chief of North Koran’s powerful armed force. Three years later when Kim II Sung died suddenly from a heart attack at 82, most outsiders predicted the imminent collapse of North Korea as the nation had lost its venerable founder father. Just a few years later, its powerful alliances had evaporated with the fall of the Soviet Union bloc and China’s move toward a market based system. The economy was on the rocks and energy and food were in short supply. Kim Jong II inherited a genius for playing the weak hand and by keeping the major powers nervous. It was Kim Jong who managed to open dialogue and arrange a summit level meeting with the then South Korean president in 2000. Now the political analysts ask whether the two Koreas are going to be unified as Kim Jong has passed away. If it might have been done, the poverty stricken lakhs of people of North Korea would have been benefitted. Again, another group comments the unification of two Koreas will create economic imbalance between them. At present the per capita income of South Korea is seven times higher than that of North Korea. So, North Korea will be benefited thought unification. Now North Korea sees China’s full hold on her. Again, the South enjoys western support. Hillary Clinton, the USA Secretary of State, has announced help and cooperating for North Korea. She hopes to establish good relations with the new administration of North Korea. Now will these big global players allow the unification of Koreas to happen smoothly ? Besides, Kim Jong Un, the son of Kim Jong has been groomed and brought up with the same ideology of his father. Will he allow the unification? Time will untie the knot of this riddle. Let us wait to see what is going to happen?
MASUM BILLAH
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, masumbillah65@gmail.com
North Korea lost her second generation great leader on 17 December 2011 of a heart attack brought on by mental and physical strain. The TV screen shows the heartfelt cry of the citizens which undoubtedly proves their undeniable love for their popular leader Kim Jong whatever way the world leaders termed him. Kim was groomed to succeed his father for three decades taking power when the Great Leader and the founder father of North Korea died in July 1994 to an outpouring of national grief. He extended a cult of personality as the dear leader even as many of the nation’s 24 million citizens lived on an average income of less than a dollar a day. He ruled for seventeen years since he came to power in July 1994 and resisted opening up to the outside world in order to protect his regime. “The likely succession of his third son, Jong Un, threatens to trigger a dangerous period for the Korean Peninsula where 1.7 million troops from the two Koreans and the U.S. square off every day. Kim Jong Un’s taking complete control of the helm will not take place for a while due to his young and inexperienced leadership,”-- said, Yang Moo, Jin, a professor, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. Kim leaves behind an economy less than three percent the size of South Korea’s and which has relied on economic handout since the 1990’s when an estimated two million people died from famine. The United Nations and the U.S. last year increased economic sanctions imposed as result of North Korea’s nuclear weapons activities and attacks that killed 50 South Koreans. He earned the title ‘ axis of evils’ for his country because of his nuclear activities but his genuine love and patriotism for his country gave him courage to ignore these western and outside world pressures.
In 2009 as Kim defied threats of United Nations sanctions to test a second nuclear device and a ballistic missile, technically capable of striking Tokyo. The following year North Korea lashed out militarily, prompting stern warnings from the U.S. and South Korea. An international investigation blamed Kim’s regime for the March 2010 sinking of a South Korean war ship and shelled a South Koran island killing two soldiers and two civilians. These activities convinced the world that North Korea had achieved ‘stunning ‘advances to its uranium –enriched program. In 2010 Kim set in line his succession plan, Kim Jong Un, thought to be 28 or 29 , was first mentioned in official KCNA dispatches on Sept. 28 when his appointments as general and vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the party were announced.
The world knows that before the Korean war of 1950-1953 both South and North Korea had been one nation and the people could go back and forth from northern part of southern part. But it got divided into two namely North and South Korea. North Korea was influenced and helped by the Soviet Union and South by two western superpowers. During 1980s when Soviet Union collapsed North Korea started receiving no support from Russia and Eastern European countries because of their political ideology change. China, the biggest power and the giant in terms of military and commercial partner, began to establish close ties with North Korea. It angered the western powers and their ally South Korea. Both the parts began to do well in terms of economic achievement though the South proved far advanced. But in 1990s the North Korea witnessed several weather disasters and some wrong policies of agriculture coupled with receiving no help from Eastern European countries which invited a famine in the country. Hundreds and thousands of North Korean died in the famine then. Kim refrained from enforcing the usual tight restriction on mobility, permitting starving people to travel within the country to find food Kim hoped to avert a sudden loss of popular support. It was a pragmatic decision.
For three decades Kim exercised power as a high-level official rarely travelling aboard or meeting foreign leaders and often going for long periods when his domestic public appearances weren’t mentioned in the state-run media. ‘Kim was cinema buff whose personal library included tens of thousands of western moves. Obsessed with improving the country’s film output, he had agents kidnap South Korea’s leading director Shin Sang-ok, and the director’s actress wife, Choi- Eun-hi, they subsequently escaped with tape recording s of conversation they had with Kim.’( source: internet)
In 1991 Kim Jong II became Commander in Chief of North Koran’s powerful armed force. Three years later when Kim II Sung died suddenly from a heart attack at 82, most outsiders predicted the imminent collapse of North Korea as the nation had lost its venerable founder father. Just a few years later, its powerful alliances had evaporated with the fall of the Soviet Union bloc and China’s move toward a market based system. The economy was on the rocks and energy and food were in short supply. Kim Jong II inherited a genius for playing the weak hand and by keeping the major powers nervous. It was Kim Jong who managed to open dialogue and arrange a summit level meeting with the then South Korean president in 2000. Now the political analysts ask whether the two Koreas are going to be unified as Kim Jong has passed away. If it might have been done, the poverty stricken lakhs of people of North Korea would have been benefitted. Again, another group comments the unification of two Koreas will create economic imbalance between them. At present the per capita income of South Korea is seven times higher than that of North Korea. So, North Korea will be benefited thought unification. Now North Korea sees China’s full hold on her. Again, the South enjoys western support. Hillary Clinton, the USA Secretary of State, has announced help and cooperating for North Korea. She hopes to establish good relations with the new administration of North Korea. Now will these big global players allow the unification of Koreas to happen smoothly ? Besides, Kim Jong Un, the son of Kim Jong has been groomed and brought up with the same ideology of his father. Will he allow the unification? Time will untie the knot of this riddle. Let us wait to see what is going to happen?
MASUM BILLAH
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, masumbillah65@gmail.com
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Our dream in next twenty years
Our dream in next twenty years
The nation has just observed its 40th Victory Day anniversary and stepped into 41st year of our achievement of freedom. Our greatest achievement in the 20th century at the cost of supreme sacrifice of our heroic sons is our freedom but the real spirit of freedom struggle still stands far apart from the reality. Political factors stand prime barriers to materialize the dream of our liberation struggle. What percentage of freedom we have achieved in terms of education, getting health facilities from the state, social security, freedom of speech and human rights still remains a big question.
We have achieved some progress in primary education in terms of the increase of school going children but not in terms of acquiring competency level. Still seventeen percent children don't go to school at all. The fruit of freedom has not yet ripened even after 40 years for these children. This percentage shows much higher in ‘haor’ and ‘monga’ and ‘hilly’ areas. In the secondary level pass percentage is increasing every year without ensuring quality. It has become a national mania to make the students pass in the public examination whether they have the ability to pass or not. We have established 56 private universities beyond our 32 public universities even though only fifteen percent of our students study in university level and the standard of our universities in the world ranking registers many hundred miles back. As in the secondary and higher secondary levels the quality is not ensured, its negative impact is discerned in the tertiary level. Every sensible person must ask a question is it the fruit of freedom that all the educational institutions from primary to highest tier would be absolutely politicized and vitiated the academic atmosphere in the name of democracy. Teacher recruitment, student admission, getting MPO and result publication witness the naked claws of politics. I dream a Bangladesh after twenty years where all the children will go to school laughing and smiling. They will enjoy the school environment; classroom environment will attract them just like magnet. All the teachers will be trained and dedicated to real teaching and building the patriotic citizens of the country. Extra coaching for money will be a foreign phenomenon to all the students, teachers and guardians. Teachers will not have to pay bribes to the corrupt officials of the department of education who are actually like their sons but don’t feel shame to take hush money from the teachers. This evil practice will disappear for ever from the corridors of Shiksha Bhaban. The universities will be centers of excellence where the ugly touch of politics will remain thousands of miles away. The world class research and ideal education will not only invite the true knowledge seekers of the country but also from abroad.
Political programs one after another have annoyed the lives of people. But the most miserable fact appears that hundreds and thousands of youths are being arrested by the police unnecessarily. Before any political programs the young people cannot sleep in their own houses because of the fear of police action. It seems then that we are living in another country, not in our homeland. We are living in occupied Gaza strip of West Bank. When they are caught by the police, they are to endure inhuman torture. Their families are to pass through nightmare ordeals. Many families have to lose everything to save their sons from the clutches of police. A question undoubtedly surfaces in every sensible people’s mind whether we are living in the independent Bangladesh or we are passing the days of 1971 when the Pak army used to torture us. My dream of a Bangladesh after twenty years is that Bangladesh must have a well trained police force that will not be used for gaining political ends. Police will be real friends of the people and the political vengeance will disappear for good. People will really feel the taste of independent Bangladesh. Human’s rights will be established at ever tier of the nation.
Social problems such as trafficking children and women, insecurity, road accidents, human rights situation, price hike, corruption at every step have faded the dream of our nation. We just remain complacent in terms of political achievement. Real achievement and the real fruit of freedom have not yet reached the doorstep of common people. Our state machinery would be diverted to public welfare and ensure trafficking free country and a county where road accidents will be only a rare happening. We live in an independent country but it’s peculiar that hundreds and thousands of poor people die for want of treatment and medicine. Already employed doctors think of their own fortune depriving the country of their valuable service. My dream of future Bangladesh after twenty years is to ensure sound treatment facilities for all the poor people from the state and the well to do have to have good treatment in the country of their own cost. My country will produce ample doctors with humanitarian trainings and good medical skill and also have best quality hospitals both in the private and public sectors but all will ensure treatment for the people of all strata of society.
We need to be optimistic. But mere optimism without any real and qualitative change in personal, social and state life cannot be appreciated. Yes we see many changes have taken place in the lives of the people but how much still remains to be fulfilled need to be thought? Most of the cases changes have taken place in private sectors and the state machinery imposes various types of restrictions in the name of democracy actually to materialize the nefarious design of ugly politics making the countrymen the hostages of these evils. We want to see this culture has evaporated otherwise our freedom will be meaningless to millions, may be meaningful to few. Do we see any qualitative or physical change in the government offices? The answer will be a big No. Still government offices have retained the reputation of harassing people. We don’t see any changes in delivering service to the clients in state run bodies. Nor they are trained to serve the people as the citizens of a free nation. Is it our hard earned freedom? Does freedom mean only having a piece of land? I want to see my country where all the children will receive education in a beautiful and enjoyable place. Girls will not be discriminated. Citizens will receive education and education will be treated as the rights of the citizens not as opportunity. We want a Bangladesh where corruption will be thrown in the dust forever. Poverty will be kept in the museum. We no more want to be the playthings of the rival political games. Rather we want to establish a healthy culture for all where the future generation will nourish and inhale fresh air. This is our dream.
Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Teachers’ Association ( BELTA)
The nation has just observed its 40th Victory Day anniversary and stepped into 41st year of our achievement of freedom. Our greatest achievement in the 20th century at the cost of supreme sacrifice of our heroic sons is our freedom but the real spirit of freedom struggle still stands far apart from the reality. Political factors stand prime barriers to materialize the dream of our liberation struggle. What percentage of freedom we have achieved in terms of education, getting health facilities from the state, social security, freedom of speech and human rights still remains a big question.
We have achieved some progress in primary education in terms of the increase of school going children but not in terms of acquiring competency level. Still seventeen percent children don't go to school at all. The fruit of freedom has not yet ripened even after 40 years for these children. This percentage shows much higher in ‘haor’ and ‘monga’ and ‘hilly’ areas. In the secondary level pass percentage is increasing every year without ensuring quality. It has become a national mania to make the students pass in the public examination whether they have the ability to pass or not. We have established 56 private universities beyond our 32 public universities even though only fifteen percent of our students study in university level and the standard of our universities in the world ranking registers many hundred miles back. As in the secondary and higher secondary levels the quality is not ensured, its negative impact is discerned in the tertiary level. Every sensible person must ask a question is it the fruit of freedom that all the educational institutions from primary to highest tier would be absolutely politicized and vitiated the academic atmosphere in the name of democracy. Teacher recruitment, student admission, getting MPO and result publication witness the naked claws of politics. I dream a Bangladesh after twenty years where all the children will go to school laughing and smiling. They will enjoy the school environment; classroom environment will attract them just like magnet. All the teachers will be trained and dedicated to real teaching and building the patriotic citizens of the country. Extra coaching for money will be a foreign phenomenon to all the students, teachers and guardians. Teachers will not have to pay bribes to the corrupt officials of the department of education who are actually like their sons but don’t feel shame to take hush money from the teachers. This evil practice will disappear for ever from the corridors of Shiksha Bhaban. The universities will be centers of excellence where the ugly touch of politics will remain thousands of miles away. The world class research and ideal education will not only invite the true knowledge seekers of the country but also from abroad.
Political programs one after another have annoyed the lives of people. But the most miserable fact appears that hundreds and thousands of youths are being arrested by the police unnecessarily. Before any political programs the young people cannot sleep in their own houses because of the fear of police action. It seems then that we are living in another country, not in our homeland. We are living in occupied Gaza strip of West Bank. When they are caught by the police, they are to endure inhuman torture. Their families are to pass through nightmare ordeals. Many families have to lose everything to save their sons from the clutches of police. A question undoubtedly surfaces in every sensible people’s mind whether we are living in the independent Bangladesh or we are passing the days of 1971 when the Pak army used to torture us. My dream of a Bangladesh after twenty years is that Bangladesh must have a well trained police force that will not be used for gaining political ends. Police will be real friends of the people and the political vengeance will disappear for good. People will really feel the taste of independent Bangladesh. Human’s rights will be established at ever tier of the nation.
Social problems such as trafficking children and women, insecurity, road accidents, human rights situation, price hike, corruption at every step have faded the dream of our nation. We just remain complacent in terms of political achievement. Real achievement and the real fruit of freedom have not yet reached the doorstep of common people. Our state machinery would be diverted to public welfare and ensure trafficking free country and a county where road accidents will be only a rare happening. We live in an independent country but it’s peculiar that hundreds and thousands of poor people die for want of treatment and medicine. Already employed doctors think of their own fortune depriving the country of their valuable service. My dream of future Bangladesh after twenty years is to ensure sound treatment facilities for all the poor people from the state and the well to do have to have good treatment in the country of their own cost. My country will produce ample doctors with humanitarian trainings and good medical skill and also have best quality hospitals both in the private and public sectors but all will ensure treatment for the people of all strata of society.
We need to be optimistic. But mere optimism without any real and qualitative change in personal, social and state life cannot be appreciated. Yes we see many changes have taken place in the lives of the people but how much still remains to be fulfilled need to be thought? Most of the cases changes have taken place in private sectors and the state machinery imposes various types of restrictions in the name of democracy actually to materialize the nefarious design of ugly politics making the countrymen the hostages of these evils. We want to see this culture has evaporated otherwise our freedom will be meaningless to millions, may be meaningful to few. Do we see any qualitative or physical change in the government offices? The answer will be a big No. Still government offices have retained the reputation of harassing people. We don’t see any changes in delivering service to the clients in state run bodies. Nor they are trained to serve the people as the citizens of a free nation. Is it our hard earned freedom? Does freedom mean only having a piece of land? I want to see my country where all the children will receive education in a beautiful and enjoyable place. Girls will not be discriminated. Citizens will receive education and education will be treated as the rights of the citizens not as opportunity. We want a Bangladesh where corruption will be thrown in the dust forever. Poverty will be kept in the museum. We no more want to be the playthings of the rival political games. Rather we want to establish a healthy culture for all where the future generation will nourish and inhale fresh air. This is our dream.
Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Teachers’ Association ( BELTA)
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Aflatoun- social and financial education
Aflatoun- social and financial education
The Bengali poet Golam Mostofa writes, “ Future fathers lie sleeping in every child.” Children can be powerful agents of social and economic change if they are trained and brought up infusing them with social and economic values in their school life. Social thinkers and educators have been exploring newer ideas and thoughts to enrich our children in school with social values and teachings. A new concept known as ‘ Aflatoun’ has emerged in the literature of education to make the school children responsible, proactive and socially conscious citizens who can contribute to breaking the poverty cycle and to improve their own quality of life. The word ‘ Aflatoun’ is of Arabic origin and to refers to ‘ the explorer, a person who thinks, explores, investigates and acts. It also refers to Plato, known for his ideas and ethics, citizenship, social justice, respect, conservation, friendship and love for fellowmen. ( source: www.natcco.coop/index.php)
The Aflatoun program provides children and youth with the budding blocks of life and empowers them to make a positive change in their lives. If balances personal and social awareness with practical planning, saving and entrepreneurial skills. Aflatoun is delivered by network of partners which ensures that the program is adapted to local culture and requirements and is supposed at local levels. With a view to ensuring that the message of Aflatoun is passed on to all children everywhere the partnership is established and the local implementing partners are selected for the network based on the their work with children and their connections within the country. In establishing partnership special attention is given to those organizations which work for developing the situation of education as education is the prime factor to bring change in the society. A curriculum is developed focusing on personal understanding and exploration , understanding and exploring rights and responsibilities , the concept of saving and spending , learning how to plan and budget , skills that make them aware that they have choices and control over how they can use their resources and demonstrate and practice their learning through social and financial micro-enterprises where they collaborate as a team and discover how they can make the local community a safer, healthier and fairer environment. BRAC is the second largest partner of Aflatoun and has developed an Aflatoun curriculum of BRAC for children aged 6-14 years and for grades one to eight. The child’s interdependence with family , neighborhood and community and money as a means of satisfying some needs are also focused in the curriculum. Self-exploration through understanding, feelings, financial ethics and transparency , environmental preservation are other factors which are incorporated in the curriculum. Responsible behavior and citizenship, developing pride, collective action, and organizational skills are taught to the members of Aflatoun. The Aflatouns students become aware of their responsibilities, income, expenditure and saving, democratic values and leadership, fulfillment of needs and well being of the society.
Both Aflatoun and BRAC are striving to empower children. BRAC Education Program launched Aflatoun as a pilot project since 2008 in BRAC Primary schools, BRAC Adolescent Clubs and secondary schools where BRAC works for capacity building of teachers and bringing about a positive change in the overall scenario of school environment. In 1002 BRAC Primary schools, 20 BRAC Adolescent Clubs and 250 secondary schools Aflatoun activities have been introduced reaching 81914 students. The students of these institutions are now more aware of their rights and responsibilities and social issues They have learnt the importance of saving and they are now saving even if it’s small, they can prioritize where to spend, they are learning to utilize used materials, they are cost conscious now, are investigating their savings in buying hens, ducks and goats as assets, their analytical ability has developed. Hidde Van der Veer, Executive Director, Aflaoun (International) says, “Money is just a tool main objective is to develop the habit of the students to grow up socially with financial awareness.” Bernice Raldan, Program Manager, Asia, Aflaoun Secretariat said, “ In 82 countries it is going on. Bangladesh is the second largest country to continue the program whereas India is the largest one to see the program of Aflatoun.” Her lively presentation in the BRAC Centre on November 29, 2011 gathered many national and international eminent personalities belonging to education, co-operatives, banking and social development sectors. Shamim Yusuf , Senior Sector Specialist, BRAC Education Program and the Master Trainer of Aflatoun- Asia shared his experience in the said international stakeholders meeting and I was fortunate enough to be there. My interest to learn more about Aflatoun and its impact has got further momentum participating and coming in contact with the Aflatoun headquarters people. Many developing countries have started incorporating it in their curriculum to derive actual benefit from education.
As Aflatoun’s dream is the reduction of poverty with the help of socially and financially empowered children, Bangladesh context aptly fits it. The Aflatoun program originated in India in 1991 but it started witnessing its success in 2005 when Jhe Ashok fellow Jeroo Billimoria, president and founder of the Aflatoun project made it familiar with different parts of the globe. In order to internalize the concept of Aflatoun interested personalities established a secretariat in Amsterdam. Now it deals with developing financial and social skills of students as well in dealing with adversities but also prepare them for better planning the economic life ahead of them. Financial ethics are explored and children learn the importance of balancing finical skills with the judgment to use these skills responsibly. Aflatoun is grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ( 1990) .Financial empowerment hinges not only on constructive personal values systems, but also on specific , practical skills. Financial empowerment is achieved when children use their saving and spending skills to maximize their life choices. Through managing community or entrepreneur enterprises children begin to see how they can have a positive impact on their community which is one of the basic objectives of education. To save the slanting quality of education of Bangladesh Aflatoun program can play a significant game.
Masum Billah
Program Manager : BRAC Education Program and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Language Teachers' Association ( BELTA)
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, masumbillah65@gmail.com
The Bengali poet Golam Mostofa writes, “ Future fathers lie sleeping in every child.” Children can be powerful agents of social and economic change if they are trained and brought up infusing them with social and economic values in their school life. Social thinkers and educators have been exploring newer ideas and thoughts to enrich our children in school with social values and teachings. A new concept known as ‘ Aflatoun’ has emerged in the literature of education to make the school children responsible, proactive and socially conscious citizens who can contribute to breaking the poverty cycle and to improve their own quality of life. The word ‘ Aflatoun’ is of Arabic origin and to refers to ‘ the explorer, a person who thinks, explores, investigates and acts. It also refers to Plato, known for his ideas and ethics, citizenship, social justice, respect, conservation, friendship and love for fellowmen. ( source: www.natcco.coop/index.php)
The Aflatoun program provides children and youth with the budding blocks of life and empowers them to make a positive change in their lives. If balances personal and social awareness with practical planning, saving and entrepreneurial skills. Aflatoun is delivered by network of partners which ensures that the program is adapted to local culture and requirements and is supposed at local levels. With a view to ensuring that the message of Aflatoun is passed on to all children everywhere the partnership is established and the local implementing partners are selected for the network based on the their work with children and their connections within the country. In establishing partnership special attention is given to those organizations which work for developing the situation of education as education is the prime factor to bring change in the society. A curriculum is developed focusing on personal understanding and exploration , understanding and exploring rights and responsibilities , the concept of saving and spending , learning how to plan and budget , skills that make them aware that they have choices and control over how they can use their resources and demonstrate and practice their learning through social and financial micro-enterprises where they collaborate as a team and discover how they can make the local community a safer, healthier and fairer environment. BRAC is the second largest partner of Aflatoun and has developed an Aflatoun curriculum of BRAC for children aged 6-14 years and for grades one to eight. The child’s interdependence with family , neighborhood and community and money as a means of satisfying some needs are also focused in the curriculum. Self-exploration through understanding, feelings, financial ethics and transparency , environmental preservation are other factors which are incorporated in the curriculum. Responsible behavior and citizenship, developing pride, collective action, and organizational skills are taught to the members of Aflatoun. The Aflatouns students become aware of their responsibilities, income, expenditure and saving, democratic values and leadership, fulfillment of needs and well being of the society.
Both Aflatoun and BRAC are striving to empower children. BRAC Education Program launched Aflatoun as a pilot project since 2008 in BRAC Primary schools, BRAC Adolescent Clubs and secondary schools where BRAC works for capacity building of teachers and bringing about a positive change in the overall scenario of school environment. In 1002 BRAC Primary schools, 20 BRAC Adolescent Clubs and 250 secondary schools Aflatoun activities have been introduced reaching 81914 students. The students of these institutions are now more aware of their rights and responsibilities and social issues They have learnt the importance of saving and they are now saving even if it’s small, they can prioritize where to spend, they are learning to utilize used materials, they are cost conscious now, are investigating their savings in buying hens, ducks and goats as assets, their analytical ability has developed. Hidde Van der Veer, Executive Director, Aflaoun (International) says, “Money is just a tool main objective is to develop the habit of the students to grow up socially with financial awareness.” Bernice Raldan, Program Manager, Asia, Aflaoun Secretariat said, “ In 82 countries it is going on. Bangladesh is the second largest country to continue the program whereas India is the largest one to see the program of Aflatoun.” Her lively presentation in the BRAC Centre on November 29, 2011 gathered many national and international eminent personalities belonging to education, co-operatives, banking and social development sectors. Shamim Yusuf , Senior Sector Specialist, BRAC Education Program and the Master Trainer of Aflatoun- Asia shared his experience in the said international stakeholders meeting and I was fortunate enough to be there. My interest to learn more about Aflatoun and its impact has got further momentum participating and coming in contact with the Aflatoun headquarters people. Many developing countries have started incorporating it in their curriculum to derive actual benefit from education.
As Aflatoun’s dream is the reduction of poverty with the help of socially and financially empowered children, Bangladesh context aptly fits it. The Aflatoun program originated in India in 1991 but it started witnessing its success in 2005 when Jhe Ashok fellow Jeroo Billimoria, president and founder of the Aflatoun project made it familiar with different parts of the globe. In order to internalize the concept of Aflatoun interested personalities established a secretariat in Amsterdam. Now it deals with developing financial and social skills of students as well in dealing with adversities but also prepare them for better planning the economic life ahead of them. Financial ethics are explored and children learn the importance of balancing finical skills with the judgment to use these skills responsibly. Aflatoun is grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ( 1990) .Financial empowerment hinges not only on constructive personal values systems, but also on specific , practical skills. Financial empowerment is achieved when children use their saving and spending skills to maximize their life choices. Through managing community or entrepreneur enterprises children begin to see how they can have a positive impact on their community which is one of the basic objectives of education. To save the slanting quality of education of Bangladesh Aflatoun program can play a significant game.
Masum Billah
Program Manager : BRAC Education Program and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Language Teachers' Association ( BELTA)
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, masumbillah65@gmail.com
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Sir Abed wins WISE – Nobel award in education
Sir Abed wins WISE – Nobel award in education
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, the founder and chairperson of BRAC, was honoured with the third World Innovation Summit for Education ( WISE) in Doha on November 01, 2011. It is the recognition of his four decade long contribution to reduce poverty through education in Bangladesh and for spreading its model to other parts of the world. 1300 delegates across the world participated in the session. A uniquely designed gold medal with the word’ education ‘ in over 50 languages was presented to Sir Abed. In addition to it, $500000 was awarded to him. “ It’s great privilege to receive such a prestigious award. The recognition belongs to BRAC the organization I founded 40 years ago.”- Sir Abed said. Over the next forty years, he built the organization with an aim to empower people to grow as individuals. He added “On behalf of 85000 BRAC staff and 45000 BRAC school teachers that I humbly accept this award. We have helped to 1.5 million families to get out of extreme poverty and we are providing financial support to more than 8 million families in Bangladesh alone. The achievement I am proud of is providing high quality primary education for 5 million poor children who were out of school children in Bangladesh and now there are 1.2million children enrolled in our schools”. Sir Abed earned a British knighthood in 2010 and a Clinton Global Citizen Award from former U. S. President Bill Clinton in 2007. He has also received the Henry R Kravis Prize in Leadership, David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award and the Gates Award for Global Health from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Conrad N Hilton Humanitarian Prize.
The theme of “Changing Societies, Changing Education’ goes this year’s WISE summit. It discusses how education can become more effective in tackling social, economic and political challenges and promoting sustainable development in a rapidly evolving world. WISE is dedicated to building the future of education through global collaboration. The Qatar Foundation, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikh Moza bint Nasser, founded it in 2009. Its mission is to address the challenges facing 21st century education, to expand dialogue around the world and to implement practical and suitable solutions. WISE holds an annual international summit that provides a unique platform and meeting place for leaders and experts to share best practices about education . An 11-strong international committee of educational experts made a preliminary assessment and a high –level eminent individuals chaired by Dr. Abdulla took the final decision. The members of WISE Prize 2011 Jury also includes Dr. James H Billington, Librarian of Congress, USA, Naledi Pandor , Minister of Science and Technology, MP South Africa, Prof. Jeffrey D Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University, USA and Fatma Rafiq Zakaria, Chariman of the Maulana Azad Educational Trust, Inida. WSIE chairman and also the chair of the Jury said, “ Our aim is that the prize should raise global awareness of education in all societies and create a platform for innovative and practical solutions. Sir Fazle Hasan’s life and career embody the values of WISE. He recognized that education is a passport to social inclusion and opportunity. He discovered a successful formula, and he adapted and expanded it first in Bangladesh and then in other countries.”
BRAC operates in more than 69 thousand villages of Bangladesh covering an estimated 110 million people through its development interventions that range from primary education, essential healthcare, agricultural support and human rights and legal services to microfinance and enterprise development. BRAC went to Afghanistan with its role model in 2002 and now it works eight countries in Asia and Africa. After just five years in Uganda, BRAC and the MasterCard Foundation already reach over 2 million people and are on schedule to reach 4.2 million people, or over 12 percent of the population by 2016. BRAC has exceeded commitments made in 2007 to educate youth in the poorest parts of Africa and Asia, having committed to mobilizing $271 million for education at the Clinton Global Initiative conference in 2007, with a goal of reaching 7.5 million children by 2012 BRAC has already raised more than $288 million to reach 5.6 million children. BRAC introduces social and emotional learning into its curriculum, teaching self-awareness, self- management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision –making. This approach is especially important in conflict and post-conflict environment life which are the practical phenomena of the lives of children of developing countries.
Abed is the first recipient of the prize which was conceived in 2010. The WISE prize is the largest prize of its kind the in world and is considered as a Nobel prize for the field of education. The WISE committee has rightly chosen the individual for this prestigious award. We think it also hints the Nobel committee in Oslo. His vision, resourcefulness and determination are vital ingredients of the innovation process and he stands as an example to all of us who believe that education, more than anything else, determines the destiny of individuals and societies. The issue of inequality has been thrown into the forefront of world politics. How do we begin to address this? Sir Abed answers “We start with education because education is the great equalizer. “ “Innate talent is distributed equally around the world at birth, knowing no bounds of geography or class” says Susan Davis, president and CEO of BRAC USA.” Opportunity is not. We need to redress that imbalance if this world of 7 billion is to prosper as whole.”
Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, the founder and chairperson of BRAC, was honoured with the third World Innovation Summit for Education ( WISE) in Doha on November 01, 2011. It is the recognition of his four decade long contribution to reduce poverty through education in Bangladesh and for spreading its model to other parts of the world. 1300 delegates across the world participated in the session. A uniquely designed gold medal with the word’ education ‘ in over 50 languages was presented to Sir Abed. In addition to it, $500000 was awarded to him. “ It’s great privilege to receive such a prestigious award. The recognition belongs to BRAC the organization I founded 40 years ago.”- Sir Abed said. Over the next forty years, he built the organization with an aim to empower people to grow as individuals. He added “On behalf of 85000 BRAC staff and 45000 BRAC school teachers that I humbly accept this award. We have helped to 1.5 million families to get out of extreme poverty and we are providing financial support to more than 8 million families in Bangladesh alone. The achievement I am proud of is providing high quality primary education for 5 million poor children who were out of school children in Bangladesh and now there are 1.2million children enrolled in our schools”. Sir Abed earned a British knighthood in 2010 and a Clinton Global Citizen Award from former U. S. President Bill Clinton in 2007. He has also received the Henry R Kravis Prize in Leadership, David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award and the Gates Award for Global Health from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Conrad N Hilton Humanitarian Prize.
The theme of “Changing Societies, Changing Education’ goes this year’s WISE summit. It discusses how education can become more effective in tackling social, economic and political challenges and promoting sustainable development in a rapidly evolving world. WISE is dedicated to building the future of education through global collaboration. The Qatar Foundation, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikh Moza bint Nasser, founded it in 2009. Its mission is to address the challenges facing 21st century education, to expand dialogue around the world and to implement practical and suitable solutions. WISE holds an annual international summit that provides a unique platform and meeting place for leaders and experts to share best practices about education . An 11-strong international committee of educational experts made a preliminary assessment and a high –level eminent individuals chaired by Dr. Abdulla took the final decision. The members of WISE Prize 2011 Jury also includes Dr. James H Billington, Librarian of Congress, USA, Naledi Pandor , Minister of Science and Technology, MP South Africa, Prof. Jeffrey D Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University, USA and Fatma Rafiq Zakaria, Chariman of the Maulana Azad Educational Trust, Inida. WSIE chairman and also the chair of the Jury said, “ Our aim is that the prize should raise global awareness of education in all societies and create a platform for innovative and practical solutions. Sir Fazle Hasan’s life and career embody the values of WISE. He recognized that education is a passport to social inclusion and opportunity. He discovered a successful formula, and he adapted and expanded it first in Bangladesh and then in other countries.”
BRAC operates in more than 69 thousand villages of Bangladesh covering an estimated 110 million people through its development interventions that range from primary education, essential healthcare, agricultural support and human rights and legal services to microfinance and enterprise development. BRAC went to Afghanistan with its role model in 2002 and now it works eight countries in Asia and Africa. After just five years in Uganda, BRAC and the MasterCard Foundation already reach over 2 million people and are on schedule to reach 4.2 million people, or over 12 percent of the population by 2016. BRAC has exceeded commitments made in 2007 to educate youth in the poorest parts of Africa and Asia, having committed to mobilizing $271 million for education at the Clinton Global Initiative conference in 2007, with a goal of reaching 7.5 million children by 2012 BRAC has already raised more than $288 million to reach 5.6 million children. BRAC introduces social and emotional learning into its curriculum, teaching self-awareness, self- management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision –making. This approach is especially important in conflict and post-conflict environment life which are the practical phenomena of the lives of children of developing countries.
Abed is the first recipient of the prize which was conceived in 2010. The WISE prize is the largest prize of its kind the in world and is considered as a Nobel prize for the field of education. The WISE committee has rightly chosen the individual for this prestigious award. We think it also hints the Nobel committee in Oslo. His vision, resourcefulness and determination are vital ingredients of the innovation process and he stands as an example to all of us who believe that education, more than anything else, determines the destiny of individuals and societies. The issue of inequality has been thrown into the forefront of world politics. How do we begin to address this? Sir Abed answers “We start with education because education is the great equalizer. “ “Innate talent is distributed equally around the world at birth, knowing no bounds of geography or class” says Susan Davis, president and CEO of BRAC USA.” Opportunity is not. We need to redress that imbalance if this world of 7 billion is to prosper as whole.”
Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
Monday, October 24, 2011
Boat schooling- an innovation in education
Boat schooling- an innovation in education
When a student of English literature visits greater Sylhet particularly Sunamgonj he/she will remember the famous lines of S.T Coleridge, the romantic poet ‘ Water ,water everywhere, but there is not a drop to drink.” He /she can change it a little bit thus’ water, water everywhere, no land in sight or water, water everywhere, no school in sight.” We know Sylhet is called the land of haors or permanent marshland covering 30.2 percent of its land. Despite the adverse conditions and isolation, people have managed to live in the haors of Sylhet for hundreds of years. Their fighting with nature has given them courage to adjust with the roughness of natural phenomena which have become part of their lives. But the world has seen quite change in the ways of living, earning, education which have very negligible or no effect on these haor or marshlands of Sunamgonj. Of course, the poets or lovers of nature can soothe their eyes by visiting these areas just for a retreat or sojourn. Permanent living keeping them aloof from the world which we call civilized (?) will not allow our minds and strength. Still ‘homo sapiens’ have lived here for long on the lap of nature surrounded by water. The light of education and modernity hardly touches them. We the plain land people, the fortunate people and the state definitely have some responsibilities towards them. Generally and traditionally in rural Bangladesh boys are the first ones to be sent to school and girls can go to school only if the facility is not too far from home. Often, the nearest school is miles away and for girls this can represent an insurmountable challenge to their schooling. The picture of schooling in haor areas prove extremely miserable. Standing beside the education deprived populace has come under the thought of BRAC Education as it promises to extend education facilities to those who have no option for schooling.
Traditionally the natural location of Sunamgonj haor area people doesn’t send their children to school. They don’t even think of sending them to school in this age of computer and internet whereas we have promised a lot to the nation. They deserve the light of education and it is our duty to reach it to the haor children. From BRAC’s commitment to the outreach population, it started campaign and searched for every possible means and ways and talked to the local boat making people and made them know that BRAC was going to make arrangements of primary education for the haor children. People from all walks of life started welcoming this initiative. In one research it is seen that in greater Sylhet children start going to school at the age of six and their percentage is 52. In plain land this rate is 50, in haor area it is 60 and in tea estate areas it is 73. To make the dream of giving education to the deprived children of haor areas into reality BRAC Education Program launched a boat schooling program at Sunamgjon district. On 26th September 2011 a new chapter has opened in the history of education of the haor people. BRAC Education Program started schools on boats in two villages namely Dhorerpar and Rahamatpur on that day. Each boat will pick teachers and 30 registered students from nearer ‘ hati’. After finishing class they will be dropped in their home. They consider this as an excellent opportunity of becoming familiar with the letters and alphabets. At the launching event Dr. Mahbub Hossain,the Executive Director of BRAC said, “ BRAC works to support government. Our values are reflected in our work.” According to research statistics it is seen that 42 percent of the villages in Sylhet have no primary schools. In terms of literacy rate also it lags far behind the national average. The literacy rate for 7 plus populations is 40.7 percent and for adult population it is 44.4 percent but national rates are 48.5 percent and 52.1 percent respectively.
The Executive Director of BRAC, Dr. Mahbub Hossain, Director- BRAC Education Program, Dr. Safiqul Islam and the Deputy Commissioner of Sunamgonj-Muhammad Yasin Chowdhury were present in the boat schooling launching ceremony to give encouragement to the villagers and children. It also sets an example of GO and NGO-cooperation. Now this boat schooling opportunity is extended to ten villages such as Rahamatpur, Bagani and Aktapara of Jamalgonj Upazia, Dhararpar, Dharerpar of Bishamvar upazial, Bhatital of Dirai Upazial, Raghunath pur of Shalla, Rameshorpur, Jagadishpur and Gazipur of Sonakani and Tahirpur Upazila. Total ten boats will hold schooling program for three hundred children. It exists as an example for others to extend hands to bring the deprived children of the haor people under schooling program. The government can make such kind of arrangements for the haor people as well as for the children who cannot go to school due to flood in many parts of Bangladesh as frequent flood is a common natural phenomenon here. Normal schooling gets hampered every year in several parts of Bangladesh but no tangible arrangement has yet been done except to yield to the whims of nature and accept non-schooling during flood.
It deserves relevance to mention here that in BRAC primary schools 1.2 million students are currently enrolled. It is more encouraging that most of them are female students who usually get the second priority from their parents to go to school. The presence of BRAC primary schools in their vicinity has changed this notion of the parents proving their old and superstitious ideas. So far almost 5 million children have graduated and received basic education from these BRAC Primary Schools, while nearly 95 percent continue to secondary schools and they show far better performance in terms of presence in the class, cultural aspects, participation in educational activities and academic results. Introducing boat schooling has opened new vistas for BRAC Education Program and it cherishes to borrow all out cooperation from all concerned to make it a successful and sustainable project.
Masum Billah :Program Manager: BRAC Education Program
(Ex-Faculty: Ghatail Cantonment College, Sylhet, Comilla and Mirzapur Cadet College and Rajuk Uttara Model College)
When a student of English literature visits greater Sylhet particularly Sunamgonj he/she will remember the famous lines of S.T Coleridge, the romantic poet ‘ Water ,water everywhere, but there is not a drop to drink.” He /she can change it a little bit thus’ water, water everywhere, no land in sight or water, water everywhere, no school in sight.” We know Sylhet is called the land of haors or permanent marshland covering 30.2 percent of its land. Despite the adverse conditions and isolation, people have managed to live in the haors of Sylhet for hundreds of years. Their fighting with nature has given them courage to adjust with the roughness of natural phenomena which have become part of their lives. But the world has seen quite change in the ways of living, earning, education which have very negligible or no effect on these haor or marshlands of Sunamgonj. Of course, the poets or lovers of nature can soothe their eyes by visiting these areas just for a retreat or sojourn. Permanent living keeping them aloof from the world which we call civilized (?) will not allow our minds and strength. Still ‘homo sapiens’ have lived here for long on the lap of nature surrounded by water. The light of education and modernity hardly touches them. We the plain land people, the fortunate people and the state definitely have some responsibilities towards them. Generally and traditionally in rural Bangladesh boys are the first ones to be sent to school and girls can go to school only if the facility is not too far from home. Often, the nearest school is miles away and for girls this can represent an insurmountable challenge to their schooling. The picture of schooling in haor areas prove extremely miserable. Standing beside the education deprived populace has come under the thought of BRAC Education as it promises to extend education facilities to those who have no option for schooling.
Traditionally the natural location of Sunamgonj haor area people doesn’t send their children to school. They don’t even think of sending them to school in this age of computer and internet whereas we have promised a lot to the nation. They deserve the light of education and it is our duty to reach it to the haor children. From BRAC’s commitment to the outreach population, it started campaign and searched for every possible means and ways and talked to the local boat making people and made them know that BRAC was going to make arrangements of primary education for the haor children. People from all walks of life started welcoming this initiative. In one research it is seen that in greater Sylhet children start going to school at the age of six and their percentage is 52. In plain land this rate is 50, in haor area it is 60 and in tea estate areas it is 73. To make the dream of giving education to the deprived children of haor areas into reality BRAC Education Program launched a boat schooling program at Sunamgjon district. On 26th September 2011 a new chapter has opened in the history of education of the haor people. BRAC Education Program started schools on boats in two villages namely Dhorerpar and Rahamatpur on that day. Each boat will pick teachers and 30 registered students from nearer ‘ hati’. After finishing class they will be dropped in their home. They consider this as an excellent opportunity of becoming familiar with the letters and alphabets. At the launching event Dr. Mahbub Hossain,the Executive Director of BRAC said, “ BRAC works to support government. Our values are reflected in our work.” According to research statistics it is seen that 42 percent of the villages in Sylhet have no primary schools. In terms of literacy rate also it lags far behind the national average. The literacy rate for 7 plus populations is 40.7 percent and for adult population it is 44.4 percent but national rates are 48.5 percent and 52.1 percent respectively.
The Executive Director of BRAC, Dr. Mahbub Hossain, Director- BRAC Education Program, Dr. Safiqul Islam and the Deputy Commissioner of Sunamgonj-Muhammad Yasin Chowdhury were present in the boat schooling launching ceremony to give encouragement to the villagers and children. It also sets an example of GO and NGO-cooperation. Now this boat schooling opportunity is extended to ten villages such as Rahamatpur, Bagani and Aktapara of Jamalgonj Upazia, Dhararpar, Dharerpar of Bishamvar upazial, Bhatital of Dirai Upazial, Raghunath pur of Shalla, Rameshorpur, Jagadishpur and Gazipur of Sonakani and Tahirpur Upazila. Total ten boats will hold schooling program for three hundred children. It exists as an example for others to extend hands to bring the deprived children of the haor people under schooling program. The government can make such kind of arrangements for the haor people as well as for the children who cannot go to school due to flood in many parts of Bangladesh as frequent flood is a common natural phenomenon here. Normal schooling gets hampered every year in several parts of Bangladesh but no tangible arrangement has yet been done except to yield to the whims of nature and accept non-schooling during flood.
It deserves relevance to mention here that in BRAC primary schools 1.2 million students are currently enrolled. It is more encouraging that most of them are female students who usually get the second priority from their parents to go to school. The presence of BRAC primary schools in their vicinity has changed this notion of the parents proving their old and superstitious ideas. So far almost 5 million children have graduated and received basic education from these BRAC Primary Schools, while nearly 95 percent continue to secondary schools and they show far better performance in terms of presence in the class, cultural aspects, participation in educational activities and academic results. Introducing boat schooling has opened new vistas for BRAC Education Program and it cherishes to borrow all out cooperation from all concerned to make it a successful and sustainable project.
Masum Billah :Program Manager: BRAC Education Program
(Ex-Faculty: Ghatail Cantonment College, Sylhet, Comilla and Mirzapur Cadet College and Rajuk Uttara Model College)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed deserves next Nobel Peace Prize
The future recipient of Nobel Peace Prize
This year the world’s most prestigious Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian social worker Leymah Gbowee and Tawakul Karman of Yemen as the recognition of their ‘ non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace building work for promoting peace, democracy and gender equality. Most of the recipients in the award’s 110-year history have been men but this year it shows a striking difference. It gives a new signal and bears a special significance. Nobel Committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland’s announcement clandestinely explains how much importance has been attached to women empowerment in the global arena in awarding this prize, “We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women achieve the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society.” We congratulate the three glorious women on winning this prestigious award and give thanks to the Nobel Committee for their judicious and subtle decision.
Sirleaf, a Harvard-trained economist, is the first democratically elected president of Liberia since 2005. She has contributed to securing peace in Liberia, to promoting economic and social development, and to strengthening the position of women. In her reaction she said ‘the award gives her a stronger commitment to work for reconciliation in the war –torn West African nation’. Gbowee, a trained social worker, was cited for her efforts in organizing women, across ethnic and religious dividing lines to bring an end to the long war in Liberia and to ensure women’s participation in elections. She introduced ‘sex strike’ to compel the males to work with them. Liberian conflict killed 250000 people and ruined the country. Karman heads the Yemeni organization Women Journalists Without Chains and has been jailed several times over her campaigns for press freedom and her opposition to the government of president Ali Abdullah Saleh.She took to the streets of the capital along with about 50 other university students in January , demanding the resignation of president Ali Abdullah Saleh. She is the first Arab woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize.
The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 98 times to individuals and 23 times to organizations since 1901. The youngest peace laureate was Mairead Corrigan aged 32, and the oldest 87-year old Joseph Rotblat. Peace prize actually covers a variegated range of fields. In 2004 Wangari Maathai of Kenya was awarded the peace prize for planting four crore trees to bring change in weather, supply shed fuel and fruits to the farmers and increase the food production. Peace cannot prevail where poverty reigns. The absence of social security and illiteracy cannot bring peace. Very rare examples exist in the world to work against all these ills . This rare work has been done by a Bangladesh son named Fazle Hasan Abed and his organization named BRAC which has already earned name, familiarity and fame beyond the boundaries of this developing nation. The Nobel Committee is entreated to take into consideration and enlist the name of this icon whose contribution to the fields which remain responsible for establishing peace in the globe in the next year Nobel Peace Prize. President Tutu, another Nobel laureate commented on Sirleaf’s prize that’ it is too late.’ People also consider Sir Fazle Hasan Abed’s winning the Peace Nobel Prize is getting late.
BRAC strives to achieve its mission by working with the poor, especially women and children, engaging in multifaceted development interventions, to promote positive changes in quality of life, working towards attaining socially, financially and environmentally sustainable programs. It actively promotes human rights, human dignity and gender equity and helps shape national and global policies on poverty reduction and social progress. BRAC launched its journey in the field of micro finance in Bangladesh in 1974. Today it is the largest poverty focused microfinance provider in the world with 8 million members and USD660 million in outstanding loans. The micro-finance program has achieved this success by implementing a model that focuses on building the structure and system for sustainable microfinance with the ability to reach scale and organizing the poor in a manner that enables them to form a compact for empowerment and growth through micro-finance.
BRAC boasts of a huge non-formal primary education with 38000 one-room primary schools which presently impart education to 1.2 million children. 5 million Students have already graduated from these schools. It also runs 8250 primary schools through 782 NGOs. These schools enroll children often deprived of the option of continuing schooling due to poor economic background, ethnic backgrounds and disabilities. The schools employ local women as teachers and above 60 percent of the students are girls. BRAC runs 26, 350 pre-primary schools and so far 3 million children have been promoted to primary schools. In the first public examination for class five BRAC schools occupied the second position in the country. It has a special life skill courses for both adolescent boys and girls at the village level. It provides scope for socializing, access to reading materials and develops leadership skills. There are 8868 ADP centers all over the country. Its Post-primary basic education intervention develops the capacity of rural secondary school teachers in English, Mathematics, Science and Management. This intervention also works to increase the self esteem among students by engaging in co-and extracurricular activities that again contribute to improving the quality of education. The multipurpose community learning centers or popularly known as Gonokendras provide continued learning and IT facilities for all of the people in the community with minimum education and foster community contribution in spreading education. Gonokendras extend education facilities to the doorstep of the village women, disabled and people deprived of formal education.
BRAC offers primitive, preventive, limited curative care and reproductive health services to more than 100million people in rural and urban Bangladesh through its Essential Health Care services. Community Health Workers and Volunteers of BRAC Health Program make regular household visits to raise awareness on basic health and hygiene issues. They apply the techniques of inter-personal communication, arranging health forums and providing treatment for common diseases and pregnancy related care. 85000 Community Health Volunteers popularly known as Shasthya Shebika and more than 7000 Community Health Workers are trained to offer these services. In partnership with the Government of Bangladesh BRAC is implementing the community based Tuberculosis Control Program covering 88million population. WASH program intends to ensure improved supplies and sanitation facilities to individual households, schools and communities. This program ensures access to sanitation services for 17.5million people of 150 upazials, hygiene education for 38.5 million people and safe water services for 8.5million people across rural Bangladesh.
“ Translating Awareness into Action” is the motto of the Social Development Program aiming at enabling the rural poor especially women to build secure and use socio-political assets to improve their well being, reduce vulnerability ,take advantage of new opportunities, exercise their rights and play a more active role in public life. BRAC promises to protect and promote rights through legal empowerment especially for the poor and marginalized through its Human Rights and Legal Services. It creates awareness on human rights and laws to empower the poor and marginalized through community mobilization and capacity building. BRAC presently works in eight countries other than Bangladesh.
More than one lac regular and irregular staff members work relentlessly for the success and further innovation of this large organization. Awarding Nobel Peace Prize to its founder or the organization will encourage the entire cluster of beneficiaries and give impetus to all concerned for steering the welfare oriented efforts in all parts of the globe extending real opportunities to the people wishing to see this planet as a peaceful abode.
Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA)
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
This year the world’s most prestigious Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian social worker Leymah Gbowee and Tawakul Karman of Yemen as the recognition of their ‘ non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace building work for promoting peace, democracy and gender equality. Most of the recipients in the award’s 110-year history have been men but this year it shows a striking difference. It gives a new signal and bears a special significance. Nobel Committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland’s announcement clandestinely explains how much importance has been attached to women empowerment in the global arena in awarding this prize, “We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women achieve the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society.” We congratulate the three glorious women on winning this prestigious award and give thanks to the Nobel Committee for their judicious and subtle decision.
Sirleaf, a Harvard-trained economist, is the first democratically elected president of Liberia since 2005. She has contributed to securing peace in Liberia, to promoting economic and social development, and to strengthening the position of women. In her reaction she said ‘the award gives her a stronger commitment to work for reconciliation in the war –torn West African nation’. Gbowee, a trained social worker, was cited for her efforts in organizing women, across ethnic and religious dividing lines to bring an end to the long war in Liberia and to ensure women’s participation in elections. She introduced ‘sex strike’ to compel the males to work with them. Liberian conflict killed 250000 people and ruined the country. Karman heads the Yemeni organization Women Journalists Without Chains and has been jailed several times over her campaigns for press freedom and her opposition to the government of president Ali Abdullah Saleh.She took to the streets of the capital along with about 50 other university students in January , demanding the resignation of president Ali Abdullah Saleh. She is the first Arab woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize.
The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 98 times to individuals and 23 times to organizations since 1901. The youngest peace laureate was Mairead Corrigan aged 32, and the oldest 87-year old Joseph Rotblat. Peace prize actually covers a variegated range of fields. In 2004 Wangari Maathai of Kenya was awarded the peace prize for planting four crore trees to bring change in weather, supply shed fuel and fruits to the farmers and increase the food production. Peace cannot prevail where poverty reigns. The absence of social security and illiteracy cannot bring peace. Very rare examples exist in the world to work against all these ills . This rare work has been done by a Bangladesh son named Fazle Hasan Abed and his organization named BRAC which has already earned name, familiarity and fame beyond the boundaries of this developing nation. The Nobel Committee is entreated to take into consideration and enlist the name of this icon whose contribution to the fields which remain responsible for establishing peace in the globe in the next year Nobel Peace Prize. President Tutu, another Nobel laureate commented on Sirleaf’s prize that’ it is too late.’ People also consider Sir Fazle Hasan Abed’s winning the Peace Nobel Prize is getting late.
BRAC strives to achieve its mission by working with the poor, especially women and children, engaging in multifaceted development interventions, to promote positive changes in quality of life, working towards attaining socially, financially and environmentally sustainable programs. It actively promotes human rights, human dignity and gender equity and helps shape national and global policies on poverty reduction and social progress. BRAC launched its journey in the field of micro finance in Bangladesh in 1974. Today it is the largest poverty focused microfinance provider in the world with 8 million members and USD660 million in outstanding loans. The micro-finance program has achieved this success by implementing a model that focuses on building the structure and system for sustainable microfinance with the ability to reach scale and organizing the poor in a manner that enables them to form a compact for empowerment and growth through micro-finance.
BRAC boasts of a huge non-formal primary education with 38000 one-room primary schools which presently impart education to 1.2 million children. 5 million Students have already graduated from these schools. It also runs 8250 primary schools through 782 NGOs. These schools enroll children often deprived of the option of continuing schooling due to poor economic background, ethnic backgrounds and disabilities. The schools employ local women as teachers and above 60 percent of the students are girls. BRAC runs 26, 350 pre-primary schools and so far 3 million children have been promoted to primary schools. In the first public examination for class five BRAC schools occupied the second position in the country. It has a special life skill courses for both adolescent boys and girls at the village level. It provides scope for socializing, access to reading materials and develops leadership skills. There are 8868 ADP centers all over the country. Its Post-primary basic education intervention develops the capacity of rural secondary school teachers in English, Mathematics, Science and Management. This intervention also works to increase the self esteem among students by engaging in co-and extracurricular activities that again contribute to improving the quality of education. The multipurpose community learning centers or popularly known as Gonokendras provide continued learning and IT facilities for all of the people in the community with minimum education and foster community contribution in spreading education. Gonokendras extend education facilities to the doorstep of the village women, disabled and people deprived of formal education.
BRAC offers primitive, preventive, limited curative care and reproductive health services to more than 100million people in rural and urban Bangladesh through its Essential Health Care services. Community Health Workers and Volunteers of BRAC Health Program make regular household visits to raise awareness on basic health and hygiene issues. They apply the techniques of inter-personal communication, arranging health forums and providing treatment for common diseases and pregnancy related care. 85000 Community Health Volunteers popularly known as Shasthya Shebika and more than 7000 Community Health Workers are trained to offer these services. In partnership with the Government of Bangladesh BRAC is implementing the community based Tuberculosis Control Program covering 88million population. WASH program intends to ensure improved supplies and sanitation facilities to individual households, schools and communities. This program ensures access to sanitation services for 17.5million people of 150 upazials, hygiene education for 38.5 million people and safe water services for 8.5million people across rural Bangladesh.
“ Translating Awareness into Action” is the motto of the Social Development Program aiming at enabling the rural poor especially women to build secure and use socio-political assets to improve their well being, reduce vulnerability ,take advantage of new opportunities, exercise their rights and play a more active role in public life. BRAC promises to protect and promote rights through legal empowerment especially for the poor and marginalized through its Human Rights and Legal Services. It creates awareness on human rights and laws to empower the poor and marginalized through community mobilization and capacity building. BRAC presently works in eight countries other than Bangladesh.
More than one lac regular and irregular staff members work relentlessly for the success and further innovation of this large organization. Awarding Nobel Peace Prize to its founder or the organization will encourage the entire cluster of beneficiaries and give impetus to all concerned for steering the welfare oriented efforts in all parts of the globe extending real opportunities to the people wishing to see this planet as a peaceful abode.
Masum Billah
Program Manager: BRAC Education Program and Vice-President: Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA)
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
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