Empowering locals with leadership skills
The government and non-government organisations should join hands to eliminate poverty from the country, Planning Minister MA Mannan said yesterday.
He also called for rewarding the persons -- irrespective of their social identity -- who are working tirelessly for the betterment of the country.
Mannan was addressing a discussion over the outcome of an initiative, titled “Strengthening Voluntary Civil Society Leaders for Social Action in Bangladesh”, of The Hunger Project -- a non-government organisation.
The discussion was held at The Daily Star Centre in Dhaka.
The project ran for about three years, from November 2016, with the aim to encourage people to assume leadership in their community to solve local socio-economic problems.
The Hunger Project had selected locals on the basis of several categories and then trained them on leadership skills -- over different issues like poverty alleviation and social development.
The project has benefitted about 28,000 people through its 3,946 actions in three years, said Siddique Rubel, project coordinator, The Hunger Project.
The project was implemented in 30 unions of seven districts: Kishoreganj, Tangail, Mymensingh, Meherpur, Kushtia, Chuadanga and Jashore.
One such leader is Afroza Aktar Banu of Harabhanga in Meherpur -- an assistant teacher of a local high school.
After receiving training, she held meeting with locals and selected donors in the area. “We collected funds and purchased goats for six people at Tk 31,000; two cows at Tk 94,000; and helped people run a shop with Tk 38,000,” Afroza said while sharing her experience.
Another leader, Anju Anwara Moina of Gopalpur in Tangail, said she formed a village development team and carried out projects in her locality.
Prof Kazi Maruful Islam, department of development studies of Dhaka University, suggested implementing such projects on a massive scale.
Executive Director of Institute for Inclusive Finance and Development Dr Mustafa K Mujeri termed voluntary leadership a social capital. “Such leadership can play significant role in the country’s progress,” said Mujeri.
Country Director of The Hunger Project Badiul Alam Majumdar said the project shows how a good number of people could be provided service at little expense.
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