SEDAD Bangladesh: Area of activities

On Going Activities:

Survey

Capacity Building Training

Awareness Raising Program

Democracy and Sustainable Human Development

Motivation & Sensitization

Community Health & Education Program Climate Change Adaptation Small Projects on Hogla Chatay Project, Morich Chas Project, Fishing, Goat Rearing etc.

Self-help Group Formation

Education Programs for Children with Multiple Disabilities

Providing of Educational Material

Services for the Deaf-blind & their Families

Environment, Forestry and Agriculture Program.

Family planning, Health and Nutrition Program

Providing of Assistive Devices

Disables Lives Improvement Program

Small Business Training

Women Disabled Handicraft Training

To aware for Deaf-blind People

Rally and Day Observation

Women and Child Advocacy & Awareness Program

Literacy Program

Heard of Hearing Education & Rehabilitation Program

Soft-loan Distribution



Plan of Actions: Development and rehabilitation of deaf-blind and other disabled persons with particular emphasis on women & children.

Development of human rights for deaf-blind, disabled, disadvantage people, women Right, poor distressed and destitute persons.

Vocational Training Center for the deaf-blind and other disabled groups.

Building school for the deaf-blind and other disabled communities.

Establishment a hospital/ treatment centre for deaf-blind, disabled and disadvantaged groups.

Tactile communication training & education center.

Mass education and literacy program.

Arrange agriculture training program.

Drinking water and sanitation program in rural area.

Doing Nutrition Program in Rural and urban area.

Development and rehabilitation of distressed and destitute persons living in both rural and urban areas with special emphasis on women.

Establishment of equal rights for distressed and destitute persons.

Participation in Government efforts for the development of human resources with special emphasis on Deaf-blind and other disabled persons.

Establishment of resource centers for deaf-blind, disabled, orphans, disadvantage people, women right, poor distressed and destitute persons.

Rehabilitation of mental and intellectual disabled person.

Development of heard hearing people by technical support, Education and awareness raising programmed.

To assist the government’s efforts for establishment of good governance and rule of laws in the country.

To participate in all events such as mass rallies, holding of seminars and other activities for the establishment human rights, women rights and right of all disabled & Disadvantage people.

Major Development of SEDAD in 2015-2016

Establishment of Linkages with Donors: Linkages have been established with several international & National donors and organizations. Several foreign donors came to Bangladesh, as well as SEDAD’s representatives attended in many seminars and trainings in USA and Europe on disabilities such as Helen Keller…etc.

Participation in National & International Conference

Achievements made by different Programs and Projects : During the period from July 2015 to June 2016, the following progresses have been made by different programs in co-operation with the partner NGOs:

People’s Empowerment for Addressing Climate justices and Environmental Justices (PEACE)

Distribution of Hogla leaf: We were able to aware the people through “people’s climate change school going female messenger team” about the bad effects of climate change and how peoples can be adapted with this environment, how they can save their life from any disaster and where they should go to protect them. By these awareness activities our beneficiaries getting the benefits and now they know about their rights, climate change and its impact on disabled person. The total direct beneficiaries were 480, indirect beneficiaries 2500 (they are including from mass media, civil society, local community). Besides, through a “Small Fishing Adaptation Project” we were able to develop people’s socio economic status and food security as they were affected by climate change hazard tremendously. The total direct beneficiaries were 20 and the project is ongoing successfully. However, we were also able to provide “Hogla Leaf” (A Mat made by Hogla plant) among poor and destitute communities in Shariatpur. Through this “Hogla Leaf” women made bed sheets/Mats and those products sold in the market for their daily livings and food security as well as climate change community adaptation. The total direct beneficiaries were 20 and the project is ongoing successfully.

VICAS Awareness raising Meeting : We were able to do village team formation meeting for developing women-led village climate adaptation surveillance that is called Village Climate Adaptation Surveillance (VICAS) Team, through this team we did awareness meeting with the village women for promoting benefits of climate adaptation in rural communities. By this awareness meeting our beneficiaries are getting the benefits and now they are aware of their rights, climate change and its impact on disabled and non disabled persons. The total direct beneficiaries were 480, indirect beneficiaries 2500 (these people from mass media, civil society and local community).

Small Adaptation Project : One of our major successes was in Shariatpur district in 2015. We empowered about 100 vulnerable women including Women with Disabilities WWD’s. Women were able to take control of their own life and took the matter into their own hands for any kind of abuse and injustice. Small adaptation project and capacity building (goat rearing, fish ring, chili cultivating, crops stocking and nursery), we were able to make them self sufficient and independent, besides our leadership training among the beneficiaries helped to sustain the program as well. We totally changed the communities view towards these groups of people, no longer WWD’s were looked upon as obsolete, communities are giving priorities to WWD’s for any job position, offering them help in very many ways to alleviate their sorrows. Communities are coming forward to reduce poverty by self employment for them through making linkage with local civil society organization.

Group formation meeting among women group : Climate change is a vital issue for Bangladesh and it is getting worse each day. Even though it’s inevitable in Bangladesh but through the proper education, workshop, knowledge and management its impact can be prevented in very many ways. SEDAD is currently working on 2 sub district, Goshaiarhut , Vedergong and four (4) unions, Arshinagor, Dimkhali,Kodalpur an Idulpur union in a 4 years project until 2016, in different areas on climate change education, adaptation, awareness, protection, survival in the communities in many strategic ways. In order to have a successful project completion, SEDAD form many teams to work in different areas, time to time they works individually or by cooperation with another team. There are many good sides to this, each team can share their thoughts with other, can exchange good ideas or even can offer physical help when it’s necessary.



Education program on climate change: Open field education session in the community to teach them the cause and effect of climate change. How the climate change is affecting in the Bangladesh in general, what are the responsibilities as an individual or as community to deal with the situation, what positive steps we can take to prevent it and all other areas.

Day long workshop : One of many day long workshops to discuss various climate change issue. The workshops cover many strategic areas, including pilot program, their execution, community responsibility and duties, various survival techniques and many plan executions.

Teaching Session on Climate Change : One of many training session for the facilitators on various climate change adaption program. In order to teach communities about the climate change, cause effect and other aspect of these natural phenomena, well trained and well knowledge facilitators are a must, a video session, participants are getting visual on how the climate change is affecting our eco system. Video sessions are followed by lecture to answer participant’s various questions. It’s more practical approach; viewers have more easy time to accept the fact, a fine strategic approach.

Community consultancy : Community consultancy is a key chapter in this program, SEDAD is working with the community and community’s feedback,, community cooperation is vital to this program. Times to time various pilot programs have been implemented by consulting with the community.



Field work and monitoring : A facilitator is talking with a community person, Facilitators actively do time to time survey and monitor project progress in order to have a successful project completion.

Literacy and Education Program : Education is the backbone of a nation and no nation can develop without education. The current average of literacy rate of this country is about 64%, however it varies from area to area. The literacy rate amongst the poor communities, mainly living in the rural areas is much lower as compared to the effluent community living in the urban areas. Considering this problem, SEDAD has initiated Non-Formal Education program several years back. As a part of these initiatives, SEDAD and its co-operating NGOs have provided NFE to approx 2615 children and adult during the last one (1) year out of which 505 were persons with different degree of disabilities.



Non–Formal Education provided to the Child beneficiaries: Except one School at Shibchar in Madaripur District, the other Schools were operated for both normal and disabled children from poor and distressed families as a part of inclusive education. One other added advantage and also obtained from this type of mixing well integration of the two distinct communities created a social harmony in the areas. In one NFE School, about 100 children and adults are admitted and one teacher is hired. The curricula include textbooks, from the Non-Formal Primary Education Department of the Govt. of Bangladesh. One session usually last from 6 to 12 months depending on the age group of children and adults and on the basis of their acceptance capabilities. Adequate emphasis was given in 2015-2016 for the improvement of quality education through regular training of teachers and close monitoring and supervision of School operation. After completion of education in the SEDAD, they got more priorities when they wanted to get admission into the normal Government Primary School

IGA related skill- training Activities: One of the main goals of SEDAD is to make Deaf-blind, Disabled and other distressed, destitute people as self-reliant and self sustained through provision of IGA related skill training on different IGA activities. These topics included poultry, duck and goat rearing, preparation of handicrafts, sewing by using different local products like leaf, straw, jute etc. and mats, fishing traps, flower bases etc. with bamboos. Training is also provided for vegetables, fruits and development of nurseries. Those persons who do not want to undertake skill training or who are not capable enough to undertake such training SEDAD organized some entrepreneurship development training like opening of small grocery shop, fuel selling shop, vegetable shop and selling of shopping bags etc. In these training sessions out of 3890 persons trained in the year 2015-2016, 1291 were disabled persons (I.e. 33.19%).

Skills Training for Production of Handicrafts : Training sessions were adjusted as per their capabilities and on the basis of availability of local indigenous raw materials. Some parents and guardian were also included in the training Programs. After completion of their training they were provided with some micro credit so that they can open small business to become self-reliant and improve their quality of living.

Distribution of Soft Loan:  This money has provided to the every PEACE women group to develop their livelihood support through small climate change adaptation business together.

Distribution of physical aids to different disabled persons: The Table-4, given below gives the detailed list of different aids distributed to the Deaf-blind, blind, disabled people including Women & Children with multiple disabilities by the lead NGO and its co-operators.

Some of the aids are really expensive and cannot be distributed in large numbers. During the reported year (2015-2016) some of target group were taken also for medical checkup when they become sick and free medicines were distributed to the sick person.

Press Conference at Shariatpur & participatory group meeting on Climate Change Management: SEDAD organized a press conference on Climate Change Management at Shariatpur on account of sensitizing local news representatives on the victimization of different types of Persons with Disabilities and encountering serious problems during /climate change /disaster. Not only that at the time of disaster management the stakeholders and volunteers generally forget about their support and service delivery to the persons with disabilities because they don’t know disability issue and how to handle or take care of disabled people at the time of disaster management. So SEDAD expects cooperation from the reporters and journalists to widely circulate the messages all over Bangladesh at least to make the social workers aware of the circumstances during the disaster management. The following photograph shows on such discussion.



Besides, SEDAD also conducted several participatory group discussion meetings at the village level in its working area in the district of Sariatpur, Bangladesh where disadvantaged and destitute women participated and shared different affairs about the consequences and situation of climate change.

Hygiene Promotion Program : SEDAD’s by utilizing its potentials, field force, skills and experiences has proceeded for promotion of hygiene and sanitation in the climate change/disaster vulnerability area at Shariatpur district through different types of awareness raising activities. Finally, it is contributing the long run vision to reducing the issue and SEDAD already get positive feedback from the target beneficiaries as well as local community and civil society in relation to improve the hygiene and sanitation facilities which is quite encouraging to step forward with a long run vision. As a low-lying country with 230 waterways, Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone nations of the world. It is recognized worldwide as one of the country’s most vulnerable due to its unique geographic location. As a result people of Bangladesh have to affect by different types of climate change hazard such as floods, cyclone, storms, droughts, and sea level rise etc. The impacts of global warming and climate change too crucial for the population of Bangladesh. This increases vulnerability of the people and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are particularly the most vulnerable among the vulnerable groups. Due to lack of education, knowledge and basic awareness, people often have a poor understanding of the relationship between health, water, sanitation and hygiene. So to be healthy and safety we have to understand about those matters. Hygiene and sanitation promotion is about setting an environment where people (women, children and men) can sustain their healthy behavior for reducing/preventing the risk of communicable diseases because it makes a barrier to prevent transmission of disease. Hand hygiene is a term used to cover both hand-washing by using soap and wash with water. Through popper hand washing, we can prevent water and sanitation related diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery and typhoid. However, these practices include the safe disposal of children’s feces, safe drinking water storage, hand washing at critical times and proper disposal of solid and liquid waste. Women have to be aware in three levels of hygiene promotion. Personal hygiene (including menstrual hygiene) 2. Family hygiene (including food hygiene and solid waste management) 3.Community hygiene (including house and neighborhood public places & environment)

As PEACE women groups have to take care of their goats so it should mandatory to practice hygienic behavior with goats otherwise they may also be suffered from animal related diseases. Women should aware to safe disposal of goat’s excreta and bathing regularly to make them clean and healthy. If there is any signs and symptoms look abnormal of goats it should be called Doctor for their safety. SEDAD’s by its own efforts step forward to promote hygiene and sanitation related issue among the PEACE women and other women groups and got positive feedback which encouraging to work out the problem with long run vision. Additionally, it is essential to continuous community hygiene education along with physical access to water supply and sanitation to influence for changing in hygiene behavior and decreases the prevalence of water born diseases. Besides, community participation in the decision making process is most important determinant for sustainable hygiene promotion.

Climate Club and Deaf Blind survery: 1. SEDAD organize 2 climate Club consist of 320 Students to supports disable children in the time of disaster.

2. Organized 10 advocacy meting with NGO officials in 10 district, as a result more vulnerable children) in the 40 union of 10 disaster prone districts of Bangladesh.

3.Organized climate adaptation and mitigation committee in the district, upazilla, union and village level, including the Govt officials, local community leader, journalist and support providers of disable people

Organizations’ Workshops and Seminars: Several Workshops and Seminars for advocacy and lobbing were organized by SEDAD in different working areas for creation of Social awareness for establishment of equal rights of the disabled persons in the societies.

A community based campaign for Children with Deaf-blind, blind & disable people were organized at Goshairhat Upazia at Shariatpur District and Tongi Thana at Gazipur district. SEDAD organized a colorful rally in May 2015. The Campaign and the rally were also participated by the local elites including Officials of the Social Welfare Departments. The major objective of organizing the campaign and the rally was to create awareness among the rural community people for establishment of social rights and human dignity for the Deaf-blind, disable people. About 550-760 blind, Deaf-blind and people with multiple disabilities attended the campaign and the rally in Goshairhat Upazia and Tongi Thana. Two rallies had completed successfully.

The campaign and the rally was followed by a cultural show participated by the disabled children. At the end of the rally a cultural program participated by the disabled children was also arranged.

Tree plantation: SEDAD did not have any independent program of its own in tree plantation. However, all its target beneficiaries and officials of SEDAD participated in Government tree plantation month and made roadside plantation along with Government and other NGO officials and beneficiaries. During the last year SEDAD also distributed 60100 seedlings and cuttings of fruit trees to the disabled persons including women and children and their members