MUNNU Begum, in her mid-30s, wants her children to achieve what she herself could not. Munnu’s eyes fill with tears of joy when she sees her kids going to school every morning with school bags on their shoulders.
“Education is very important. I couldn’t have it. Had I been able to continue my education, things would have been different. But poverty robbed one of that opportunity,” says Munnu, a growing agro-entrepreneur of Gaibandha district.
Only a few years back, Munnu could not imagine one day she would be able to send her kids to school. It was a tough time for her as she had to live with her family in a tiny, damp house. She and her husband, Anwarul, had to work as a day-labourer. And often they could not buy enough food for the family.
Those difficult days are over. Things have changed for Munnu and her family. As a hardcore poor of Polashgachhi village, she made it possible by joining Jibikayan Group (JG), a livelihood support forum formed under Social Investment Program Project (SIPP).
SIPP was set up in 2003 as a result of the government’s efforts to provide the poor access to small-scale socioeconomic infrastructure and services with financial support from the World Bank.
The Social Development Foundation (SDF), the executing agency of SIPP, was established by the government in 2001 as an autonomous, non-profit organisation. Its charter requires SDF to support social development and poverty alleviation in Bangladesh through financing community-based development activities. SDF provides assistance funds to the hardcore poor like Munnu Begum and Anwarul to create sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Under SIPP, 14,200 Jibikayan Groups (Livelihood Groups) have been formed, comprising 211,197 households in 942 villages under Gaibandha and Jamalpur districts. Livelihood activities of SIPP are designed to maximise livelihood benefits for the poor, especially the hardcore poor.
Munnu Begum borrowed Tk 1,000 from her group to buy a goat. The goat gave birth to three kids. She sold them for Tk 4,000. She bought her husband a rickshaw-van with the money. Thus the loan gave Munnu and Anwarul an income-generating activity and the dream of a new life.
From its Village Development Fund, SDF provides loans to JG members at the rate of Tk 2,500 per household. With the loans they form village institutions which support income generating activities to improve the lifestyle of the poor. Village Development Fund (VDF) is disbursed as a one-time livelihood assistance grant to the vulnerable and disabled people. Skill development training is provided to the young members with self-help fund to the poor and the young for undertaking income-generating activities.
With another loan of Tk 5,000 from the self-help fund Munnu bought a bull calf. With livestock training from SDF experts and upazila livestock office Munnu raised the calf and sold it for Tk 14,000.
Out of the earning of Anwarul’s rickshaw-van, the couple started saving for the future. The savings and Munnu’s profit from her livestock business encouraged them to take a 0.2 acre plot on lease for growing maize and potato. Now they are preparing to grow rice in the Aman season.
The poor in the Jamalpur district have similar stories of success. Livelihood development programme of SDF begins with identifying the priorities and livelihood strategies of the poor.
After resource mapping, SDF undertakes need-based programmes to train the poor in knitting, welding, mechanics, driving, electrical and electronic repair, embroidery, security services, cow fattening, dairy, poultry, apiculture, goat-rearing, sweet-making, rice husking, cap making, small businesses as the communities want.
The beneficiaries have been given skill development training assistance from the skill development fund. Out of 17,900 identified hardcore poor youths in SIPP villages of Jamalpur and Gaibandha districts, 795 have received seed money and 1194 hardcore poor youths and 200 hardcore poor women received skill development training. Of them, 350 are already employed.
In the two districts, 2275 vulnerable people have received a one-time grant of Tk 3000-4000 per head for starting income-generating activities and 3678 JG members started livelihood activities with self-help fund.
Community development through building capacity and linkages with relevant agencies and organisations is the goal.
By April, G4S hired 167 hardcore poor trained by SIPP of Gaibandha and Jamalpur, as security guards.
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