BEES Annual Report 2008-09 edited by Anirudha Alam

8/8/2019 BEES Annual Report 2008-09 edited by Anirudha Alam

1/69


2/69

ABCN Area Based Community NutritionADR Alternative Dispute ResolutionAIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

AM Area ManagerANC Antenatal CareAP Area PackageARI Acute Respiratory InfectionATTP Agricultural Technology Transfer ProjectBARC Bangladesh Agriculture Research CouncilBCC Behavioral Change and CommunicationBEES Bangladesh Extension Education ServicesBKB Bangladesh Krishi BankBMI Body Mass IndexBNFB Bureau of Non-Formal EducationBP Blood PressureBPHC Bangladesh Population and Health ConsortiumBRDB Bogra Rural Development ProjectCAR Contraceptive Acceptance RateCBD Community Based Distribution

CBHP Community Based Health ProgramCC Clinical ContraceptiveCDD Control of Diarrhoeal DiseaseCE Continuing EducationCIDA Canadian International Development AgencyCNC Community Nutrition CentreCNO Community Nutrition OrganizerCNP Community Nutrition PromoterCRWRC Christian Reformed World Relief CommitteeDAE Department of Agricultural ExtensionDFID Department for International DevelopmentDMF Diploma in Medical FacultyEPI Expanded Program for ImmunizationERP Education Resource ProviderESP Education Service ProviderFO Field OrganizerFSP Financial Services for the Poorest

GOB Government of BangladeshGMP Growth Monitoring and PromotionHIV Human Immune Deficiency VirusHNPSP Health, Nutrition and Population Sector ProgramHPSP Health and Population Sector ProgramHRD Human Resource DevelopmentHSA Health Service ActivitiesIDA International Development AgencyIDC Information and Development CommunicationIEC Information, Education and CommunicationIFR Infant Mortality RateIGA Income Generating ActivitiesIUD Intra Uterine DeviceMATS Medical Assistance Technology School

MCH-FP Maternal and Child Health- Family PlanningME Micro EnterpriseMFMSF Micro Finance for Marginal and Small Farmers

MFTS Micro Finance and Technical SupportMMR Maternal Mortality RateMO Medical OfficerMOPME Ministry of Primary and Mass EducationNEARS Network for Ensuring Adolescent Reproductive Right and

ServicesNGO Non-Government OrganizationNID National Immunization DayNNP National Nutrition ProgrammeODA Official Development AssistanceOSD Occupational Skills DevelopmentPAP Poverty Alleviation ProgramPKSF Palli Karma Sahayak FoundationPLCEHD Post Literacy and Continuing Education for Human

DevelopmentPNC Postnatal Care

PS Program SupervisorRDP Rural Development ProgramREM Research, Evaluation and MonitoringRLF Revolving Loan FundRMC Rural Micro CreditROSC Reaching Out of School ChildrenRPF Rural Production FarmRTI Reproductive Tract InfectionSAP Social Assistance ProgramSF Supplementing FoodSIPP Social Investment Program ProjectSM Social MobilizerSRLP Socio-economic Rehabilitation Loan ProjectSTD Sexually Transmitted DiseaseTB TuberclosisTBA Trained Birth AttendantTOT Training of Trainer

TT Tetanus ToxoidUM Unit ManagerUP Union ParishadUPP Ultra Poor ProgramUMC Urban Micro CreditUN United NationsUZ UpazilaVDC Village Development CommitteeVG Vulnerable GroupWATSAN Water and SanitationWGM Weight and Growth MonitoringWI Winrock InternationalWUSC World University Services of Canada

AcronymsAcronyms


3/69


4/69


5/69


6/69


7/69

From the Desk of

Executive Director

Helping them to help themselvestowards self-reliance

Since the inception, BEES has been at the forefront of assuring thesocial & economic empowerment, human rights and dignity ofdisadvantaged people at community level. We put poverty alleviationand sustainable development onto BEES' agenda and have beencontinuing to work with a broad range of stakeholders to bring about abetter Bangladesh. As a blue print for contributing to achieve a justsociety and a decent standard of living for every destitute man, womanand child, our poverty alleviation program is well-equipped with suchtwin key objectives as unlocking the value of neglected humanresources and expanding the scope of social pragmatic change.

BEES has come a long way. But it still has a long way to go. It honorsthe past and celebrates the present. Through this praxis, we areconsecutively reflecting on the keys and ways to our success and oursustainability over 34 years to possess the future stronger and brighterand make a sustained impact. Catering to the target groups especiallythe marginal farmers, landless people, helpless women andmalnourished children, BEES has been operating overarchingdevelopment programs cooperating with them. Thus, it is setting thepace of progress for them through helping get organized to win the raceof prosperity.

One of the crucial secrets to our programmatic achievements is aprofound passionate investment in building the capacity of thebeneficiaries. BEES believes that scaling up life skill in dealing withchallenges is the stepping stone to sustainable development. With this

point of view, it is giving emphasis on leadership development ofneglected human resources for their livelihood development. We havebeen stimulating their inner beings through effective promotionalactivities similar to training, orientation, community convention,courtyard meeting and so on. Thus, BEES is bridging the gap betweentheir aspiration and action to translate the target into reality throughdemand driven and integrated approach.

Coping with time and need, BEES is very much responsive to theexisting social issues and never backed away from challenges toexecute its mission. This is another of its 'trademarks'. With thiscontinuation, it is integrating innovation with implementation constantlyfor yielding opportunities of ending poverty for the community peoplethrough their self-reliance and improvement of lifestyle.

BEES is always dreaming of a Bangladesh where human dignity isvalued and no social discrimination is made on any basis. Nowadays, itis a thriving and wide-spreading development organizationsupplementing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Over the yearsof letting greater majority of the rural and urban poor people to get thegateway of prosperity for socioeconomic uplift, it has been conductingdifferent development programs & projects with special emphasis toMicrofinance, Agriculture and Social Forestry, Health & Nutrition andEducation.

07 BEES REPORT 08-09


8/69


BEES has been striving to motivate, organize and groom up the deprived men and women through well-coordinatedlocal resource mobilization that they can work together to form an institution to attain a higher degree of resilience inmanaging their own affairs. It has also remained faithful to its core values based on philanthropic beliefs and ispromoting volunteerism, diversity, integrity and responsible accountability. It works across different communitiesoffering a prosperous scope for the poor especially the destitute women to visualize their potentials throughparticipatory based holistic approach. We are sharply aware of empowering women resources with a view to doublingthe national development as a whole.

During the reporting period 2008-2009, BEES had to experience colorful situation through trial and error a period oflearning and developing alternative user-friendly means appreciated by the community people. It had to confrontseveral undesired troubles and difficulties associated with staff dropout and some fund flow constraints whichhampered the implementation of the programs. Nevertheless, BEES attained a significant success in its field-basedinterventions. As per the target set in individual program plan, BEES' achievements reached up to the mark.

In 2008-2009, we consistently called for adequate resources to respond to the timely need of the poverty alleviationdemanding deprived people's equal participation in solving their own problems. Counting on the committed andresourceful collective action contributed by stakeholders' eagerness was our greatest asset and will continue to stemthe spread of vulnerability related to ignorance, il literacy, environmental pollution, practices of risky behaviors, genderbased violence & discrimination, HIV/AIDS, STD and unemployment.

With the support and encouragement of different target groups and beneficiaries, BEES has been advancing its

priorities on helping them to help themselves towards self-reliance. Thus it is reflecting on human resourcedevelopment, financial and social empowerment of disadvantaged community people through providing essentialawareness, know-how, guidance, instruction and much needed credit. Over the reporting year 2008-09, itsMicrofinance program and the Micro-enterprise Development initiative played important role to keep up acceleratedemployment and income generation in the intervention areas. Covering an estimable achievement in addressing thehealth and nutritional status especially of women and children, health & nutrition activities undertook an enhancedemphasis to provide basic health services to the community people. The activities executed and lessons learned duringthe reporting period had performed the groundwork for the upcoming years of successful operations and furtherenhancement of initiatives.

Our movement is richly resourced with stakeholders' willing to share their time, expertise and skills. Without theircommitment and contribution breathing life into our efforts, we could not attain the desired results in performingcommunity based activities. The Almighty rained down great blessings constantly upon us to navigate our journeyahead over the year 2008-09. We are looking forward in deep faith His all-powerful help for our continuing and

enhancing progress in addressing poverty, disease, hunger and other key development challenges. It is obviously truethat the enthusiasm and determination of all members of BEES-family were the main source of the spirit to further thegoals and objectives each and every day. I am thanking our donors and other development partners for their past andcontinued financial, ethical and timely support to our core operation which translated all our initiatives into success.Simultaneously, I am enormously grateful to the Policy Formulating Body of BEES who contributed with passion tomoving our mission forward as well as for being with us all the time.

This year's annual report is a glance back at where we started and where we are today, a demonstration that remindsus how rich our history is and how much we have to look forward to. At length, I hope this report chockfull ofpresentations on measurable outcomes and impressive accomplishments will be of interest to the esteemed readers.

Saiful Islam Robin


9/69


Catering to the communityCaring for collective prosperity

Since its inception in 1975 as a project of Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, BEES has been performing to

address the critical needs of deprived community people and empower them for success and leadership in their lives

and communities. It is always envisioning a day when the neglected people can sustain themselves and their families

and are empowered to define and attain their ultimate targets and aspirations, contribute to strong communities and

build a better Bangladesh for everyone. But there are no magic bullets to provide quick solution to the complex

challenge mostly related to poverty, ignorance, illiteracy and ill-health. Addressing this growing reality, BEES is always

striving to yield opportunities for the disadvantaged, illiterate, neglected, unskilled and destitute people, especially the

women of the society, to strengthen their resiliency through scaling up their life skill. It has been assembling a rangeof objectives for helping them break the cycle of poverty through their empowerment, self-reliance and improvement

of lifestyle.

Eliminating poverty is being woven into the fabric of BEES over 34 years to place this hallmark initiative at the forefront

of its mission. At present, BEES is a successful, prosperous and wide-reaching development organization promoting

peace, justice and dignity for all and supplementing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It has been strengthening

its responsibility to its target groups through executing different programs and projects. It is scaling up its achievement

for socio-economic uplift of the greater majority of the rural and urban poor people letting them cement their footing on

to the road to self-reliance.

Executive

Summary

Executive

Summary


10/69


Ensuring sustainable development begins with community people - with ensuring that they have enough capacities tocontribute to overall development activities. Thinking over this pivotal point, BEES has been catalyzing communitydevelopment through its comprehensive social mobilization and stimulating deprived people's inner beings for dealing withexisting social challenges. Its focusing on leadership development strengthens their capacity to take charge of their owndevelopment at the group and community level. Bringing beneficiaries under the same umbrella of prosperity, BEES ismaking them form homogenous groups to facilitate social pragmatic change through social and economic emancipation.Any kind of destitute, displaced and deprived people are by and large the target group of BEES. Coping with the time aswell as in response to the existing problem and demand, BEES has to make changes in the criteria of selecting target

group. The objectives and goals set for initiating new programs and projects to cater to the beneficiaries covering widerange of population under its development fold often make BEES bring about changes in the criteria of target group.

With a consecutive presence in the field of social development related activities, BEES' programs tailored to specificdevelopment needs is being fine-tuned for broad-based participation of the local stakeholders and producing optimumsocial benefits. Its development initiatives spread to 4,500 villages of 165 upazilas in 30 districts of Bangladesh. Nowit is mapping out plan to enhance its development efforts to new areas for shaping golden tomorrow in favor ofneglected people. Having concrete efforts towards the target of community empowerment in true sense, BEES hasbeen carrying out a wide range of diversified programs with special emphasis to Micro-finance, Agriculture and SocialForestry, Health and Nutrition, HIV/AIDS Prevention and Education. A number of support as well as special programsundertaken are contributing to achieving the objectives of the main programs.

The poor may be turned into the potential human resources through making them involved with easy finance

comprising savings, favorable access to credit and insurance facilities. In this way, they may be encouraged to investtheir money and effort in productive activities. At the same time, they get enough confidence to manage their risksbetter, build their assets gradually, develop their own micro-enterprises, enhance their income earning capacity andultimately enjoy an improved quality of life. Internalizing all of these significant points, the Microfinance Program ofBEES is promoting economic growth and development by creating a self-sustaining credit service among the poor andhardcore poor over the years in its intervention areas. BEES provides three types of products and services to its groupmembers under the Microfinance Program:

i) Credit, ii) Savings, iii) Credit Plus Services through Seba Package

i. Credit

BEES provided credit to its group members to initiate different income generating activities. Credit operations werecarried out through a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) in a systematic process. It provided credit to its beneficiaries throughsuch subprograms under Microfinance Program as Rural Micro Credit (RMC), Microfinance and Technical Support,

Ultra Poor, Financial Services for the Poorest (FSP), Microfinance for Marginal and Small Farmers, Urban Micro-Credit(UMC), Micro-Enterprise.

ii. SavingsSavings opportunities with BEES provided members with fund for consumption, children's education, improvednutritional status and other investment. Income from savings generated greater capacity for self-investment, andenhanced the ability to face external shocks by the group members. It also provided security for old age and servedas a contingency fund during natural disasters when income level fluctuated.

iii. SebaWith a view to making microfinance program more effective, creative and acceptable at community level throughcredit plus services, BEES incorporated Seba in its credit activities. It is conducting Seba package for the targetgroups so that they can move to a higher degree of self-reliance with a sustainable growth. BEES believes that

parallel to financial support, people need to widen their periphery of knowledge, skill and fulfill social requirementsin a pragmatic manner. Therefore, BEES arranged Seba Package to link credit facility with the following essentialservices to address these issues:

Insurance

General and Reproductive Health Services

Agricultural Support Services

Funeral Cost

Pre-school

Incentive for Pregnant Mothers (having maximum two children)

Training.


11/69


During the reporting year 2008-09, BEES was ableto cope with different unfavorable situations relyingon its proven experience and dynamicmanagement. Under microfinance program, a totalof 109072 members consisting of 6,386 groupsreceived support from BEES in this year. Among thebeneficiaries of different components consideringvarious types of IGAs, the cumulative disbursement

was Tk. 5440.91 million. By the end of the reportingyear Tk. 4922.50 million was found as outstandingmoney and the recovery rate was over 98%, revealsa better performance.

In this year 2008-09, BEES' Agriculture and SocialForestry program attained a remarkable success. Itdistributed summer vegetable seeds including okra,red amaranth, ridge gourd, ash gourd andkangkong among 1,12,902 beneficiaries against thetarget of 1,16,200 and winter vegetable seedsincluding bottle gourd, Indian spinach, redamaranth, sweet gourd and radish among 1,05,062

beneficiaries against the target of 1,12,050.

Under Poultry & Livestock Program, BEESdistributed loan of Tk. 86.7 million among 12,248beneficiaries. Out of total disbursed loan, anamount of Tk. 24.20 million was disbursed forpoultry farming and the remaining for livestock rearing and farming. A total of 2,480 poultry farms and 4,502 livestockfarms were established, where 39,142 poultry and 14,200 cattle were existing respectively.

Education is necessary to make community people linked with farsighted and pragmatic view. Thinking over this pivotal

point, BEES is implementing different education programs over the years. During the reporting period 2008-09, BEES

operated Post Literacy and Continuing Education for Human Development (PLCEHD-1) and Reaching out of School

Children (ROSC) under its education program. It is mapping out to take comprehensive but more need based

education oriented programs giving emphasis on quality services to its beneficiaries.

BEES has been conducting health programs at community level to improve over all health status of the disadvantaged

community people. It is reducing the occurrence of the common diseases that affect the poor most through the

activities as to providing general health-care, maternal & child health-care, facilitating health education services,

HIV/AIDS prevention, operation of satellite Clinics and so on.

BEES is executing National Nutrition Program (NNP) in its different intervention areas. During 2008-09, BEES provided

the core Area Based Community Nutrition (ABCN) services in 6 upazillas (Tongipara, Gopalgonj Sadar, Muksudpur,

Bhanga, Sadarpur and Madaripur Sadar) under Gopalgonj, Faridpur and Madaripur districts through area package #

10 of the National Nutrition Program. It has been implementing the activities in those areas from December 2003.

BEES has commenced to implement another package # 13 of NNP from May 2008 in 4 upazilas (Fatikchhari,

Hathazari, Anwara and Bashkhali) of Chittagong district. From March 2009, BEES has been implementing Area

Package # 32. There till end June 2009 the household survey was being continued.

Training is the stepping stone to build up the capacity of staff and beneficiaries. During the reporting period, a total

of 61,985 trainees received training. Among the trained persons, more than 75% were beneficiaries and 25% were

staff. A total of 2,479 training courses were organized on different topics like credit and savings management, cow

and goat rearing, chick and duck rearing, beef fattening, parent breeder, mini hatchery, broiler and layer rearing,

mushroom cultivation, crop production, nursery production, fish production, human and leadership development,

community operational manual, tailoring, tissue cultured banana production, social mobilization, accounts

management, monitoring and supervision, kitchen/homestead gardening, office and personnel management,

annual planning and budgeting and the list goes on. Among the recipients, almost 90% were female in case of

beneficiaries training.


12/69


Effective communication is the key precondition to take programs towards achieving the desired goal. So, BEES is verymuch aware of utilizing proper and timely means and materials to bring about necessary communication with a viewto implementing program smoothly and efficiently. Over the reporting period of 2008-09, BEES' Information &Development Communication (IDC) cell performed a range of communication oriented activities like behavior changecommunication (BCC), advocacy, networking, social/community mobilization and so on through the scope of message& material development, audio-video and photography. It edited and published Annual Report 2007-08 focusing thetarget versus achievement on the activities of different projects/ programs of the organization implemented during therespective year. As a part of enhancing the scope of advocacy and BCC, IDC Cell published Desk and Wall calendar

2009 containing month planner, exclusive messages and photos highlighting its projects and programs.

BEES' Research, Evaluation & Monitoring (REM) cell executed several activities with an efficient streamlinedmanagement during the reference year 2008-09. It prepared the organizational progress report of 2006-2009 basedon target to exhibit the annual success and failure of the organization. It conducted an impact analysis on SocialInvestment Program Project (SIPP), phase-II to exhibit the impact of the target beneficiaries as well as the communitylevel regarding socio-economic and environment aspect of the intervention areas.

BEES is always in position for mounting far-reaching development campaign counting on collective action. It is sharingwith the target groups through respective program interventions for steering their own development phenomenally. Theactivities implemented and lessons learned during the period of 2008-09 have performed the groundworkcomprehensively for the ensuing years of successful operations and further extension of programs. It is an essentialfact that poverty and its net of escalation lie at the core of the social issues like lack of awareness and insufficient

access to livelihood oriented latest technology & information. So to bridge the gap between aspiration and action ofbuilding long-lasting human capacities at community level, BEES has been continuing to map out means and ways intoits action research for tapping potential of local resources.


13/69


14/69


15/69



16/69


17/69


18/69


Organizational Structure 2008-2009


19/69


20/69

2.0 Microfinance ProgramMicrofinance holds a big promise to generate income and employment and alleviate poverty in our country. This, inturn, has positive social effects at different levels of society. Most of the people of Bangladesh extremely vulnerable topoverty are deprived of the facilities to borrow, save and invest in productive activities for the lack of access to theformal banking. With a view to addressing this rigorous and wide ranging problem, the micro-credit program of BEES


21/69


(Bangladesh Extension EducationServices) has been striving to reducepoverty through income generating andother promotional activities. Consequently,thousands of poor men and women arebeing able to bring about positive changesin their livelihood every year. They arebeing provided with credit at a reasonable

rate that they become able to be involvedin various income generating activities andthus become financially self-reliant.

Starting the microfinance activities wayback in 1979 through agreement withBangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB), BEESbeef up its inclusive social developmentprogram at community level. At present,BEES is receiving major fund from PKSFand conducting Micro-credit program in 30districts of Bangladesh. It is also providingthe training and other logistic support

depending on the requirements of theprogram/projects. Under the MicrofinanceProgram, the other interventions cover theservices related to micro-enterprisedevelopment, education, institutionbuilding, legal rights; health, MCH-FP,nutrition, environment, sanitation, disasterpreparedness; women employmentgeneration and human resourcedevelopment i.e., training. The target groups of BEES Microfinance Program are landless poor people focusing inwomen, people who own


22/69


Components of Microfinance Program

BEES has been providing credit, savings and credit plus services entitled Sheba Package to its target groups throughits Microfinance Program.

i) Credit

BEES offers credit to its group members to take different income generating activities. Having savings with BEES inone of the main preconditions to be eligible for getting loans. Credit operations are carried out through a RevolvingLoan Fund (RLF). This RLF consists of PKSF, bank loan, members' savings, and BEES's own fund. A 1% Loan LossReserve is kept to cover the risk of bad debts. Loan utilization ability, savings deposit habits, repayment of loan,

financial development and presence in the group meetings regularly allow the borrowers to take higher loans. A UnitOffice is supposed to become self-sustaining the credit operations. Under Microcredit Program BEES has disbursedtotal Tk.544 crore and recovered Tk. 492 crore up to June, 2009.

Key Features of Loans

Loan range Tk. 4,000-3,00,000 (US $ 57-4286)

Interest rate 12.5% flat (Ultra Poor 9.2%)

Loan recovery rate 99%

Repayment mechanism: Equal weekly installments (45 weeks) excepting Seasonal Loan

Loan products

Rural micro-credit, urban micro-credit, micro-finance & technical support program, ultra poor program, financial supportfor the poorest , micro-finance for marginal & small farmers program, seasonal loan, and micro-enterprise developmentprogram loan, etc.

Key components and products of microfinance program are given bellow:

a) Rural Micro-credit (RMC)

Rural Micro credit is one of the major interventions of BEES. Presently Micro credit program of BEES is on going in 28districts covering 140 upazilas throw 94 unit offices. Under this program, a total of Tk. 270 crore has been disbursedas loan and about Tk. 245 crore has been realized. The recovery rate was 99%.


23/69


b) Micro Finance and Technical Support (MFTS)

Apart from micro credit facilities, BEES provided necessarytechnical support to its group members. PKSF is givingfinancial support of this program. The members received thetraining on modern agricultural techniques, livestock andpoultry development through this program to enhance theirskill. Presently this activity is running in three districts. Under

this program, a total of Tk. 44.04 crore has been disbursed asloan, and about Tk. 39.72 crore has been realized. Therecovery rate was 99%.

c) Ultra Poor Program (UPP)

Micro-credit programs of BEES covered 25 million peoplethrough 5.0 million households. But many ultra poor are stillout of coverage of this program. Neither the government, northe NGOs' micro-credit programs became able to extend theservices towards them satisfactorily. BEES has kept the stepto assist those people for getting access in micro-creditservices. The poor who have no land or house of their own,have to live hand to mouth and are far away from mitigatingthe basic needs remaining out of the reach of credit support

and savings behavior - are covered under the initiative. BEEShas presently undertaken to assist the ultra poor to takefollowing income generating activities:

Cottage industry based on indigenous materials, e.g., bamboo or bamboo cane, hogla, cane, mat etc.;

Livestock and poultry rearing;

Tailoring;

Nursery development project;

Vegetable cultivation & seed production;

Small shops to sell retail products;

By-cycle and rickshaw repairing shop;

Other feasible activities as and when required.

Moreover, BEES has been providing credit to the ultra poor with motivation and skills development training so that theycan become self-employed on a sustainable basis. A total of 450 beneficiaries received training on beef fattening, goatrearing, poultry & duck rearing, cow rearing and tailoring during the reference year. Under this program, a total of Tk.48.32 crore has been disbursed as loan and about Tk. 43.70 crore has been realized. The recovery rate was 99%.

d) Financial Services for the Poorest (FSP)

BEES started FSP project in July 2002 for the hard core poor people of Madhabpur upazila of Hobigonj district. Itsview is to develop a sustainable model for reducing the number of the extreme poor based on effective use of micro-credit and other financial & technical services to enhance their income and improve their livelihood. Under this projectthe major activities are group formation, social mobilization, group meeting, savings collection and micro creditmanagement, awareness raising on social issues, human development and leadership training, skill training on variousIGAs for self-employment and wage-employment, technical support in the field of IGAs etc. BEES organized 197

groups and enrolled 4,177 target beneficiaries with these groups; provided human development training to 3,749beneficiaries and skills training to 645 beneficiaries, organized 3 workshops, disbursed loan Tk 63.78 million to 3,649beneficiaries through this project.

e) Micro Finance for Marginal and Small Farmer (MFMSF)

This program has been taken to support the marginal and small farmers to provide with credit facilities as well astechnical support. Initially PKSF has extended financial support to undertake the activities in Sherpur and Netrokonadistrict. In near future this program will be extended in the other parts of the country. Under this program, a total of Tk.7.21 crore has been disbursed as loan and about Tk.5.63 crore has been realized. The recovery rate was 99%.


24/69

f) Urban Micro-Credit (UMC)

BEES has been operating micro-credit activities among the rural poor since 1979. But there is a great portion ofpeople who are dwelling in the urban areas having no minimal basic amenities. A remarkable number of peoplemigrate from villages to the urban areas every year for seeking work. They lead their lives as rickshaw puller residingin the unhygienic environment of the slums in the towns. Some of them are involved in unsocial and illegal activitiesfor earning their livelihoods as well. Considering this over-all situation, BEES thought that it was very much necessaryto help those destitute and disadvantaged people ensuring their rehabilitation and socio-economic uplift. With the helpof own fund, BEES has been working for their development consecutively over the last the 10 years. Recently PKSFhas provided fund to BEES for this purpose and the program Urban Micro-Credit (UMC) has been more strengthenedwith an auspicious mobility. Now BEES is providing credit facilities to 10906 beneficiaries in 28 units under thisprogram. Among of them, PKSF has funded Tk.8.60 crore that has been disbursed to 10906

members in 28 units. A total of Tk. 56.54 crore has been disbursed as loan and about Tk. 50.88 crore has beenrealized. The recovery rate was more than 98%.

g) Micro-Enterprise (ME)

BEES observed many small entrepreneurs, craftsmen and skilled workers in the rural areas struggling hard toovercome their sufferings due to scarcity of capital; so, BEES realized that financial support to them would helppromote their business and thus enhance development initiative including subsequent employment opportunity in therural and urban areas.

Micro-Enterprise Development Program is not completely new in BEES, though formally started in 1994. Primarily inthe early phase of its evolution, the program was initiated with the support of 1 million taka in small pocket in Sherpurupazila under Bogra district.

The result was very positive, therefore, from July 1997, it was promoted in other potential BEES micro-credit

intervention areas to support small entrepreneurs under micro-enterprise development program. The loan provision ofthis program was from Tk 30,000 to 3,00,000 (US $ 429-4286). Under this program, a total of Tk.92.14 crore has beendisbursed as loan and about Tk. 83.73 crore has been realized. The recovery rate was 99%.

h) Seasonal Loan Program (SLP)

Every beneficiary is eligible to receive two loans, one is regular loan and another is seasonal loan. Seasonal loan is ashort term loan for a particular season. Duration of this loan is for 3-6 months. Under this program, up to the end of thereporting year a total of Tk. 2.32 crore has been disbursed as loan, and about Tk. 2.32 crore has been realized. Therecovery rate was 100%.



25/69


ii) Savings

The collection of savings is an important part ofcredit operation; and the regular savings of a groupindicate a better discipline in the group's creditoperation. From the members' point of view, savingsrepresent an opportunity to save a lump sumamount of money and earn profit for them, which

they cannot avail of from the formal market or anyregular financial institution. Savings opportunitieswith BEES in future will provide members with fundfor consumption, children's education and otherinvestment. BEES members deposit two types ofsavings:-

a) Weekly savings

Every member deposit minimum Tk. 20 /- per weekas a weekly savings. It is a compulsory savings forthe member. BEES gives 5% interest for thissavings. When members are interested to leave theorganization they get back their entire savings.

b) Emergency savings

This is an additional savings for the members. Members can deposit minimum Tk. 10/- every week as an emergencysavings. Members can withdraw this savings in any time and any purpose.

By the end of the reporting year it was found that the savings balance was Tk. 162.06 million deposited by the clients

iii) Credit Plus Services through Seba

BEES provides credit plus services entitled Seba through such 4 major components as - a) Insurance, b) General andReproductive Health, c) Training and d) Input Delivery. Seba package has been playing an important role to make theMicrofinance Program more effective and integrated. Through this service, BEES is trying to link credit facility withdifferent essential services like widening beneficiaries' periphery of knowledge, skill and fulfilling their socialrequirements in a pragmatic manner.

During the reporting period followings were the details about the components of Seba package.

Insurance

The insurance provision is almost similar. Any of the group members of BEES are eligible for insurance service.Without an insurance policy the credit program may face problems in recovering the outstanding loans from theborrower's successors in case of death. BEES has introduced the insurance policy to mitigate this problem, whichensures borrower's scheme and high repayment rates. BEES covers the borrower's death risk and their husbands.BEES's insurance service provides a capital some of Tk. 5,000-20,000 (US $ 71-286) to the nominee of the deceasedand Tk. 1,000 is given to deceased member's family as a funeral cost.

General and Reproductive Health Services

BEES has been implementing the health service under Seba Package since July 2002 for developing the health related

issues of beneficiaries and their family members parallel to microfinance loan facilities. Trained paramedics aredelivering health services through static and satellite clinics. BEES has the plan to recruit a paramedic at every unitoffice level. Paramedics are equipped with limited diagnostic facilities at static clinics attached to unit offices with ahope to expand its services in future. Paramedics visits groups through the satellite clinics and provide preventive andcurative treatments catering to the beneficiaries. They provide essential medicine free of cost and other necessarymedicine in subsidized rate as well. They refer the case to the local govt. health facilities if it is found critical. The targetbeneficiaries are mothers, children, adolescents and the elderly family members of the microfinance groups. BEES'implementing staff and their family members have also access to the clinic.

The paramedics of BEES under Seba package are providing following services:

ANC, PNC & ENC services to pregnant women, lactating mothers and new born babies.


26/69


Counseling & helping to ensurebreastfeeding promotional activities.

Counseling & helping to get EPI facilitiesfrom the local Govt. Health Facilities.

Counseling & helping to get FP facilitiesfrom the local Govt. Health Facilities.

Providing nutrition knowledge and

awareness through BCC forums andcourtyard meetings.

Providing household food securityknowledge and awareness throughKitchen Gardening.

Providing knowledge and awareness onARH (Adolescent Reproductive Health)& HIV/AIDS/STI prevention.

Till end June 2009 a total of 43 paramedicswere working for health service deliveries. Amedical officer from BEES central officeworked for 2 days in a week in the static

clinic of Urban Area Office, Dhaka and rest 3days through intensive field visits tosupervise the paramedics at satellite andstatic clinics and monitor activities therein.During the reporting period 2008-09, healthservices through Seba were deliveredamong the group members of microfinancefrom 2,712 villages/wards of 526 unions of163 upazilas of 28 districts with their familymembers. A total of approximately 327,216people from different communities from atotal of 109,072 members (females 94% andmales 6%) under a total of 6,386 groups that

were served by the paramedics.

During the reporting period out of totalregistered cases 6.5% for ARI (AcuteRespiratory Infection), 5.5% for diarrhoea,13.2% for malnutrition, 4.4% for worminfestation, 10.3% for skin diseases and15.4% were treated as other cases which

includes fever, headache, anemia, hyperacidity, asthma, general weakness, allergy, low back pain, leucorrhoea etc.Among all the cases 4.2% and 2.1% received ANC (Ante-natal Care) and PNC (Post-natal Care) respectively. 1.5% ofthe cases were immunized by TT (Tetanous Toxoid). For contraceptive methods users 17.6% for pill, 10.5% for condom,5.0% for injectables, 1.8% for IUD (Intrauterine Devices), 1.0% for ligation and 1.0% for vasectomy were recorded.

Input Delivery Services

Seed, seedling, sapling, fertilizer and pesticide distribution; fencing, supervision and follow-up etc are the services.Under Input Delivery Services, quality seeds of 12 types have been distributed twice a year for homestead gardeningduring the year.

The target beneficiaries receive the above services and other health related services through group meeting and staticand satellite clinics established by BEES making them 'Human capital' in production.

Achievement

During the reporting year 2008-09, BEES was able to cope with different unfavorable situations through its provenexperience and dynamic management. In this year, a total of 109072 members consisting of 6386 groups received


27/69


support from BEES through microfinanceprogram. Among the beneficiaries of differentcomponents considering various types of IGAs,the cumulative disbursement was Tk. 5440.91million. By the end of the reporting year Tk.4922.50 million was found as outstandingmoney and the recovery rate was over 98%,reveals a better performance.

During the reporting period BEES disbursedthe loan on different IGAs. Small Enterprisewas the highest IGA of micro enterprisedisbursed loan.

BEES field worker organized meeting withgroup members once a week to collect the

installments against the disbursed loan,individual savings and to discuss differentsocial and technical need based issues likefamily planning, social awareness, various IGA activities, plantation, women right's and gender equity, disadvantagesof dowry and early marriage, utilization of indigenous resources, etc. BEES also established linkages among theenterprises, different money lending institutions, raw material suppliers, buyers, shopkeepers, salesman, and otherGO/NGO stakeholders.

Other planned activities under the micro-finance program such as auditing of the program activities by the internalauditors, annual auditing by the external audit firm and regular monitoring and supervision of the activities were foundcompletely satisfactory throughout the year.

Winning the War on Poverty,

Sima Begum a Successful Woman

Yearning for being self-reliantEarning livelihood to prosperity

Ahead of time of being a member of BEES (Bangladesh Extension Education Services), the financial condition of SimaBegum was not good. She was passing extremely distressful time in her life. Stumbling in every step in her family life,she had to face a lot of constraints and difficulties in maintaining her family without fulfilling minimal family need. Herhusband Md. Rustam operated a small grocery shop and could not earn enough living for their daily family need.

Component-Wise Loan Disbursement, Number of Members, Outstanding,Recovery and Savings Balance Status as on June 2009

Name of ProgramTotal Members (in

number)Disbursed Amount

(Tk. in million )Total Recovery(Tk. in million)

Total Outstanding(Tk. in million)

Savings Balance(Tk. in million)

RMC 59372 2842.9 2584.5 258.4 62.1

UMC 10906 565.4 508.8 56.6 13.3

ME 3843 781.4 697.3 84.1 23.0

SEASONAL 102 171.9 16.8 155.1 0

SRLP 0 20.32 20.32 0 0

FSP 812 63.7 61.9 1.8 0

MFTS 9375 440.4 397.2 43.2 15.0

UPP 18636 483.2 437.0 46.2 11.4

MFMSF 3434 72.1 56.3 15.8 2.7

Total 106480 5145.62 4780.12 661.2 127.5

IGA Wise Loan Disbursement of Micro Enterprise Component

Sl. No. Name of IGA % of Disbursed Loan

1 Small Enterprise 80.37

2 Poultry Farm 1.66

3 Milking Cow 1.78

4 Food Processing 0.67

5 Small & Cottage 2.18

6 Agriculture 0.71

7 Fish Culture 0.45

8 Transport 2.13

10 Special Production 1.84

11 Others 1.02


28/69


One day, Sima Begum found that a meetingparticipated by some community womenwas being conducted in the yard of hervillage Bhairabpur of Bhairab upazila. Sheobserved it very eagerly and got interestedto grasp what they were discussing about.She became to know that BEES wasproviding credit to the deprived and poor

people. So she made contact with therespective Field Organizer and UnitManager of BEES showing her interest forgetting loan from BEES. They told her to bea member of Bhairabpur Mohila Samiti-55and as per their advice she did so.

After being member of BEES Samiti, SimaBegum took first loan to strengthen thegrocery business run by her husband. Sheand her husband began to try heart and soulto establish their business with this loan.Consequently, the business was being

expanded with remarkable success. At thesame time, she was repaying the loan ininstallments regularly. With this continuation,she took further loans for 7 times. She wassincere to continue good relation with BEESand taking necessary trainings on differentissues related to livelihood and life skilldevelopment as well.

Sima's 9th loan amounted to Tk. 60,000.00taken on November 2008 was on starting acake factory. She was very muchdetermined that she would be successful inthis business. Her confidence made her take

the businesses towards prosperity. She wasdoing better in businesses with herhusband's help. After that, she did not haveto step back. Now her cake factory is well-established. Her bakery goods have greatacceptance in the local market. Manybusiness men also came to her to purchaseher factory products to sell them in themarkets of Dhaka. Presently, 8-10 workers are engaged in her cake factory and each of them is earning Tk. 5,000.00per month in an average.

Before being a member of BEES Samiti, Sima was only a housewife. She had not any source of income to save herfamily from the inevitable vulnerability to chronic poverty and hunger and could not contribute to the well-being of herfamily. Now, she is successful business woman and self-reliant in true sense. Her monthly net income is more than Tk.30,000.

Keeping pace with her increasing earnings, Sima Begum is very much aware of spending money for scaling up accessfor her family members to general health care, education and other basic amenities. Her children are getting highereducation. As she is financially and socially empowered, many of her neighbors come to her to know about unlockingthe secret of success and self-reliance.


29/69


30/69


3.0 AGRICULTURE PROGRAMWith a view to improving the well-being of rural people by building their productive, social and environmental assets,BEES' Agriculture Program is an important development activity supplementing sustainable development as a whole. Inmuch of Bangladesh, agriculture is a strong option for spurring growth, overcoming poverty and enhancing food security.Agricultural productivity growth is vital for stimulating growth in other parts of the economy as well. Surmountingwidespread poverty requires confronting widening rural-urban income disparities. That's why, BEES has the very intention

to generate rural jobs by diversifying into labor-intensive, high-value agriculture linked to a dynamic rural, nonfarm sector.

Promoting agriculture is imperative for meeting the Millennium Development Goals of halving poverty and hunger by2015. BEES' Agriculture Program a prime driver of agriculture-related industries and the rural nonfarm economy atcommunity level is contributing to rural development as a potential economic activity, promising livelihood and providerof environmental services in its intervention areas.

3.1 Agriculture and Social ForestryUsing agriculture to promote development and deal with the challenges ahead, it is necessary to address climatechange and overcome looming health pandemics for plants, animals and humans. Agriculture & Social ForestryProgram of BEES has been expanding opportunities to thousands of rural poor to move out of such kind ofvulnerabilities all along. There is no doubt that timely technology based agriculture & social forestry can create goodenvironmental outcomes in using natural resources. It is also a major provider of environmental services sequestering

carbon, managing watersheds andpreserving biodiversity. BEES' Agriculture &Social Forestry Program is making thefarming systems of the rural poor lessvulnerable to climate change. This programhas been managing the connections amongagriculture, natural resource conservationand the environment awareness as anintegral part of using agriculture fordevelopment.

3.1.1 Major interventions

Group formation, social/community

mobilization, management of savings andcredit, agro-technology transfer, establishinghome gardening, conducting agro-demonstration at farmer's field, creatingawareness related to health, nutrition,personal hygiene & family planning,conducting training & workshop for projectstaff and beneficiaries, distributing seedlings/saplings/ grafting and other inputs amongbeneficiaries .

3.1.2 Achievement

In the period of 2008-09, BEES' Agricultureand Social Forestry program achieveddesired success as per the pre-decided plan.BEES distributed summer and wintervegetable seeds among the targetbeneficiaries in this year. It distributedsummer vegetable seeds including okra, redamaranth, ridge gourd, ash gourd andkangkong among 1,16,950 beneficiariesagainst the target of 1,20,200 and wintervegetable seeds including bottle gourd,Indian spinach, red amaranth, sweet gourd


31/69


and radish among 1,05,062 beneficiariesagainst the target of 1,12,050.

Training for staff and beneficiaries

In the year of 2008-09, BEES organizedtraining for 138 staff and 2,467 beneficiarieson rice, fruit & vegetable production throughthe utilization of modern agro-technology,mashrum cultivation, nursery management,tissue cultured banana production and itsdemonstration, fish production, supervision &monitoring and program management. Afterreceiving the training on crop production anddifferent agricultural issues it was observedthat more than 60% beneficiaries were ableto increase 7% crop production from baseline production.

Improved Technologies

Under the Agriculture and Social ForestryProgram BEES trained its beneficiaries about

some agro-based improved technologies like vegetable seed production, spacing of seed sowing, tree plantation inagricultural crops, homestead gardening, mini orchard establishment, compost preparation using kitchen waste anddung, rice-fish production, IPM in vegetables & crops, and vegetative propagation of fruit trees, soil and fertilizermanagement during the year.

Agriculture Fair

For introducing the activities and to reach to the vast population within a very short time BEES participated in 25agriculture fairs during the reporting year as its schedule work. These fairs were held in Dhaka, Norshingdi, Gazipur,Fraidpur, Gopalgonj, Sherpur, Noakhali, Feni, Chuadanga and Madaripur district.

Demonstration Plot

Under the program demonstration plots are established by the progressive farmers with the aim to enhance the nutritionalwell being through intake of fresh vegetables, utilization of fallow lands around the homestead as well as idle manpower

and to earn extra money. During the reporting year, a total of 320 demonstration plots were set up in 320 farmers' field.Aman, oil seed, pulses, summer and winter vegetables, heap compost preparation, green manure, farm yard manure,kitchen gardening, existing fruit trees management, orchard preparation were the items demonstrated for the progressivefarmers. Farmers got required nutrition from a variety of vegetables throughout the year and ensured economic benefitsas well. However, a total of 30,530 farmerswere benefited from these initiatives.

Tree Plantation

For ensuring better environment & betterhealth and enhancing the economic status ofthe beneficiaries through plantation, everyyear BEES distributes fruit, timber andmedicinal trees among its beneficiary

members. In the reporting year, BEESdistributed 98,200 different types of fruit treesincluding mango, jackfruit, carambola,lychee, blackberry, guava, coconut, lotkonand olive among its beneficiary membersunder its Agriculture and Social ForestryProgram. It also distributed 32,230 neem,shishu, mehegoni, akashmoni, shegun,raintree, etc as timber plants and 12,225arjun, hartaki, bohera as medicinal plantamong its beneficiaries for plantation.


32/69


Agricultural Inputs delivery

BEES delivered quality seeds and seedlings/saplings as agricultural inputs to its beneficiary members during the year.

Under agriculture and social forestry program BEES also disbursed crop credit for its selected farmers to produce more

crops utilizing agro-technologies achieved from training for improving their economic condition as well as upliftment

nutritional status. During the reporting year, BEES disbursed Tk.216.00 million among 47,200 farmers.

3.2 Poultry and Livestock ProgramPoultry & Livestock is BEES' one of the oldest program with the pivotal objective of utilizing poultry and livestock

potentials fully towards poverty reduction, nutritional enhancement as well as sustainable agricultural resource

development. It is a wide spreading program in BEES' intervention areas to bring changes to beneficiaries' lives in

terms of their income generation.

It is significant to note that roughly 70% of the landless women are directory or indirectly engaged in traditional poultryand livestock rearing in rural areas of Bangladesh. It is a good source of income to be self-reliant. Viewing livelihood

development through integrated social development lens, BEES has been continuing Poultry & Livestock Program to

increase income particularly of women, reduce poultry & livestock mortality, improve the variety of poultry birds and

upgrade the local breeds of livestock through crossbreeding and fulfill the protein requirement of the disadvantaged

people. Capitalizing on a vast experience, the program is providing the services for example providing different types

of training to the selected group members, vaccination, arranging credit facilities and other necessary assistances

through its technical staff to the program beneficiaries.

3.2.1 Major interventions

Group formation, social mobilization, savings and credit management, conduct training and workshop for project staff

and beneficiaries, arrange improved breed poultry birds and cattle, arrange vaccine for poultry & livestock.

3.2.2 AchievementUnder Poultry & Livestock program, a total of 16,300 beneficiaries were covered against the target of

17,000, which implies about 96% achievement. BEES arranged several training courses related to

poultry and livestock for its

beneficiaries as well as staff. During

the reporting period, a total of 45 staff

and 7,539 beneficiaries received

training on chicks, keys and model

rearing, mini hatchery, poultry

management, goat and cattle rearing &

farming.

During the reference year, BEES

distributed loan of Tk. 86.7 mill ionamong 12,248 beneficiaries. Out of

total disbursed loan, an amount of Tk.

24.20 million was disbursed for poultry

farming and the remaining for livestock

rearing and farming. A total of 2,480

poultry farms and 4,502 livestock farms

were established, where 39,142 poultry

and 14,200 cattle were existing

respectively.

Agricultural Inputs Delivery

Sl. No. Type of inputs Number of Beneficiaries

1. Seed 112902

2. Seedlings/Saplings of vegetables 44,525


33/69


After receiving training, beneficiaries could realize the need of vaccination and vaccinated 58,040poultry birds and 25,300 livestock in their communities. They could increase their monthly income up toTk. 2,100-2,400 in average through involving with poultry and livestock activities.

Well-defined Targets and Self-confidence Brought

Happiness to Piyaras Life

Leaping at the opportunity to be self-reliantReaping rewards of hard work

At present, Piyara Begum is very much well-known for her thriving business and dairyfirm in her community. She is constantlyindustrious and sincere to her target thathow she will translate it into reality. But evenfew years ago, she and her family membershad to pass their daily life in the company ofdrastic poverty and hunger. At last, she hasbeen able to surmount all of thesedistresses with the financial and socialassistance of BEES (Bangladesh ExtensionEducation Services) grappling with differentproblems and unfavorable situations.

One day, Piyara Begum attended a meetingcum orientation on Cow Rearing: Methodand Practices at her village Ghatura ofBrahmanbaria district facilitated byLivestock Manager Md. Rezaul Haque

Sarker organized by Ghatura Mahila Samitiof Brahman Baria Sadar Unit. After that, shecontacted Credit Assistant Md. Nazrul Islamto get admitted in this BEES Samiti and became known in detail that BEES has been providing micro credit along withnecessary training under Micro-Finance and Technical Support (MFTS) Project.

Receiving a 6-day training on Dairy Production, Piyara Begum took first loan amounted to Tk. 4,000 from BEES on July2004 for cow rearing project. Adding extra Tk. 6,000 of her own with the money of loan, she bought a milk-producingcow of local variety with a calf. Selling the milk, Piyara was repaying the loan in installments regularly. In the meantime, she received training on beef fattening as well. Then she took the second loan amounted to Tk. 20,000 for buyinga bullock.

Category-Wise Number of Trainees Received Training from Different Courses

Training topicsCategory wise no. of staff and beneficiaries received training from

different courses

Staff Beneficiaries

Chick rearing 50 120

Key rearing 50 7790Model rearing 50 75

Mini hatchery 50 70

Poultry management 50 90

Cattle rearing and farming 50 248

Goat rearing and farming 50 218


34/69

Piyara Begum was getting more skilled coping with time and counting on experience in managing her project as to cowrearing and fattening. She reared the bullock for 6 months and then sold it for Tk. 40,000. With this continuation of hercow rearing and fattening project successfully, she took loans Tk, 25,000, Tk, 30,000 and Tk, 20,000 for further timein 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively.

No doubt that Piyara Begum is well-off and self-reliant at present for her uphill struggle and persistence. She is verymuch aware of general health care, using safe water and providing education to her children. Prior to being memberof BEES, she had no source of income and the income of her husband Md. Abu Musa was not enough to manage

basic amenities for the family at that time. When she fell into any financial problem no one would extend his/her handproviding even Tk. 10 as loan to her. But her hard work, pragmatic confidence and profound perception led her to thepotential future. In her personal, family and social life, now she is happy and empowered that she is being requestedto participate in making any decision in her community. The neighbors come to her to take necessary guidance andadvice what they should do to be self-reliant.



35/69


36/69


4.0 Education ProgramLighting up lives, education matters more to sustainable development. It is necessary and basic prerequisite for social

justice, peace and ultimately reducing poverty. Thinking over this pivotal point, BEES (Bangladesh Extension Education

Services) has been conducting Education Program over the years to supplement national efforts towards building an

illiteracy-free society which eventually helps the poor empower themselves to come out of poverty.

BEES has been driven to take education as a fundamental need and believes that the lack of access to qualityeducation is a great hindrance to life-skill and livelihood development. Being involved with the education program in

1984 through offering the functional education for its beneficiaries, it has been facilitating its diversified education

program with community based inclusive approach. During the reporting period 2008-09, it conducted 2 different types

of projects under its Education Program:

Reaching Out of School Children (ROSC)

Pre-primary education as Early Child Development (ECD).

4.1 Reaching Out of School Children (ROSC)ROSC is for 5 years project from class one to five with the objective to create scope of primary education for reaching

out of school children, to increase quality of primary education in the project school, and increase capacity & capability

of relevant organizations. Among the age of 7 to 14 years old are the students of ROSC, and in one class 25 to 35

students are enrolled under the guidance of one teacher.

ROSC program is operated with the financial support of Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MOPME) of

Bangladesh Government. MOPME also provides the support as to teacher's honorarium, training, school dresses for

learners, teaching materials and grant to NGOs which are treated as Education service provider (ESP) and Education

Resource Provider (ERP) through Directorate of Primary Education (DPE). Where, BEES executed the role of ESP.

The major responsibility of BEES is to supervise the activities of ROSC schools and to conduct the meeting of School

Management Committee through Field Supervisors of respective project.

4.1.1 Achievement

During the reporting year BEES conducted 12 schools, and it also formulated 12 school management committees. The

target of learners to promote in class IV was 412 who studied in class three but it achieved 99% of target. Since the

ROSC beneficiaries are drop out or not going to any formal school so that it is difficult to continue them successively.

About 1% learners left the school after completion the level three. The teaching period was three hours in a day andsix days per week. Generally the schooling schedule was from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm. The SMC meeting was held

bimonthly for strengthening educational sessions of the schools. The learning of the students was evaluated through

conducting periodic and final examination.

4.2 Pre-Primary Education as Early Child DevelopmentEarly childhood is a time of remarkable brain development that lays the foundation for later learning. Considering more

scope in early childhood in managing and shaping children's behavior, the preschool period is an opportune time for

early intervention to prepare them to begin formal schooling. With a few notable exceptions, children from poorer and

rural households and those socially excluded have significantly less access to preschool than those from richer and

urban households. The children most likely to benefit from preschool program - those most exposed to malnutrition and

preventable diseases -are the least likely to be enrolled.

BEES thinks that preschool with the holistic approach of combining nutrition, health & social awareness and education

is very much effective in improving young children's current welfare and their development. It is indeed an inclusive

program to build on traditional child care practices, respect children's linguistic and cultural diversity and mainstream

children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Mobilizing community people as well as partnering with them at all levels, BEES' preschool program is a short-term,

community based and multifaceted group treatment program for children in their preschool or early primary school

years (4 - 6 years old). It focuses on supporting parents, enhancing parenting practices, reducing children's problematic

behavior, developing children's social skills and enhancing their self esteem through initiating training oriented

activities in problem solving and behavior management as well.


37/69


What's more! Preschool Program of BEES performs the ground work of sustaining education for marginalized and

disadvantaged children reducing dropout trend among them. In other word, it networks with and mobilizes the different

stakeholders towards improving the quality of education to increase the rate of retention and transition of children in

formal/mainstream schools.

BEES (Bangladesh Extension Education Services) has a great inclination to implement any kind of developmentprograms on the basis of need. It would like to take further plans and initiatives for more inclusive Preschool Program

being enriched with updated and timely dimensions for the people of the most disadvantaged areas vulnerable to

extreme poverty (monga), natural disaster (chronic flood) and socially neglected (tribe people).

BEES' ongoing Pre-primary Education as Early Child Development project is for the duration of eight months. Its major

objective is to stimulate 5 organs of sense at the early stage of children, create the scope of early learning at the age

of 4-6 years, and to prepare mental & physical development for going school by their own interest.


38/69


4.2.1 Achievement

BEES operates 3 centers target to enroll 90 children for providing pre-primary education with its own technical &

financial resources under Sreepur unit office of Gazipur district. But due to unavailability BEES has enrolled 81

students. The centers have been started in April'08. The methodology & curriculum of SISIMPUR Outreach Materials

has been followed for the early child development project. Three teachers are recruited and provided them basic

training for three days. Three School Management Committees were formed for running well the activities of ECD

through involvement of local people. BEES expect that after completion the period of the course the learners will be

able to admit to the formal primary school with their own interest.


39/69


40/69


5.0 Health, MCH-FP and Nutrition

ProgramScaling up the access to basic health services, BEES has been executing different types of health programs mostlyrelated to MCH-FP (Maternal and Child Health-Family Planning) and Nutrition at community level catering to thebeneficiaries. It has been improving and sustaining the availability of preventive and basic curative health-care services

by creating, promoting and strengthening the necessary health-care systems in the intervention areas. The mainobjective of its health program is to improve over all health status of the disadvantaged community people and help toreduce the occurrence of the common diseases that affect the poor most. Under this program, the key activities are asfollows:

Providing general health-care services

Providing maternal health-care services

Provision of child health-care

Provision of family planning activities

Facilitation of health education services

HIV/AIDS prevention

Operation of satellite Clinic.

Bangladesh is one of the countries with highest incidence of malnutrition and child & maternal mortality. Giving agreat emphasis on these matters, BEES stepped into the path towards eliminating the course of hunger and under-nutrition. Starting Health & Nutrition activities in Bogra district in 1979, it has been performing the health programbased on integrated approach with such components as primary health care, growth monitoring, maternal & child


41/69


care, family planning, reproductive health literacy, HIV/AIDS & STD prevention, immunization, balanced diet,poultry rearing, kitchen gardening, cooking demonstration, water & sanitation, arsenic mitigation and otherpromotional activities.

5.1 National Nutrition Program (NNP)Nutrition is the cornerstone of sustainable health development. Through the lens of vast experience as to healthprogram implementation, BEES thinks that without nutrition development can bear no fruit. Lacks of nutrition, people

are not able to put their best effort in shaping their well-being related to their personal, family and social life. So theymay be turned into the burden of a nation. Realizing this important fact in depth, BEES has been executing nutritionprogram under the stewardship of different health programs from the very beginning. It is enhancing its efforts inmarshaling development activities continuously through implementing comprehensive nutrition program like NationalNutrition Program at community level.

National Nutrition Program (NNP) is a program of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare with the financial support ofWorld Bank. This project commenced on December 2003 with the vision to reduce malnutrition, particularly amongwomen and children, to the extent that it ceases to be a public health problem. Its goal is to develop and strengthencommunities' capacity to assess, and analyze the causes of their malnutrition problems and to make better use offamily, community and external resources to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable groups. Food insecurity is notonly the cause of malnutrition; behavior, social attitudes, and a lack of understanding and knowledge of nutritionalneeds tend to be associated with this. Since September 1, 2006, NNP has been working under HNPSP (Health,

Nutrition & Population Sector Program). According to this new sector, specific objectives of nutrition package havebeen modified from NNP to HNPSP as follows:

To reduce the prevalence of Low Birth Weight (


42/69


Area Package # 32. There till end June 2009 the household survey was being continued.

Target Beneficiaries

Children less than 2 years old

Pregnant women

Lactating mothers

Unmarried adolescent girls

Newly married women

5.1.1 Achievement

1. Covered population and target groups

ABCN based core services were delivered to the target groups among the population of AP # 10 in a total of 79 unionsand 1 Poursava of 6 upazilas through 1207 CNCs and in AP # 13 in a total of 60 unions and 1 Poursava of 4 upazilasthrough 1301 CNCs. During the reporting period, till end June 2009, a total population of 3,320,990 with different targetgroups from 587,572 households (HH)received core ABCN services in 10 UZs.

2. Birth weight measurement and growthmonitoring of children less than 2 years

In June 2009, in 10 UZs a total of 3,088 livenewborn babies were registered and birthweight of 3,018 babies was recorded, thecoverage being 97.73%. Out of total weighed3,018 newborn babies, 175 (5.67%) werefound having weight less than 2.5 Kg, that is,low birth weight (LBW).

In 10 UZs out of 125,285 registered childrenbelow two years of age, 121,166 wereweighed in June 2009 and overall growth

monitoring and promotion (GMP) coveragewas 96.71%. For AP # 10 & AP 13 this is99.05% and 94.05% respectively.

In June 2009, a total of 7,857 under 2children were identified as the hard core poorin 10 UZs. Among them 2,600 were childrenof 7-12 months and 5,257 were children of13-24 months. All of them were supplied withSF irrespective of their nutritional status.

3. Breastfeeding promotion status

In June of 2009, among the live born babies99.51% of them received colostrums at birthin 10 UZs. About 61.83% babies receivedexclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months ofage. In that month, 87.03% of childrencompleting 6 months of age startedcomplementary feeding in 10 UZs.

4. Weight monitoring of pregnant women,ANC, care to lactating women,micronutrient supplementation and


43/69


supplementary feeding (SF)

In 10 UZs, a total of 31,991 pregnant womenwere registered in June 2009 and the weightmonitoring coverage was 94.57%. For AP # 10and AP # 13 weight monitoring coverage was97.88% & 90.21% respectively in that month. InJune 2009, out of 31,991 registered pregnant

women a total of 1,209 pregnant women werefound with BMI below 17.0 in 10 UZs and theywere supplied with supplementary feeding (SF).During the reporting year for supplementaryfeeding in both the APs # 10 & #13 thepercentage was remarkably decreased. Theunderlying causes were increased food itemscost and less paid food packet for the WGMs.

5. Pregnancy weight gain and pattern ofdelivery assistance

During the reporting year 36.50% of pregnantwomen just before/after delivery in June 2009were found with a pregnancy weight gain of 9 Kg

or more in 10 UZs of 2 area packages.

A total of 3269 deliveries were recorded in 10UZs in June 2009. Out of this number 58% ofdelivery cases were performed by Trained BirthAttendants (TBA), whereas untrained birthattendants (Traditional Dai) conducted delivery in13% of cases. About 17%, 9% and 4% deliverieswere conducted by nurses, doctors and othersrespectively.

6. Maternal mortality ratios (MMR)

During the reporting year, maternal deaths were

reported during pregnancy and within 42 daysafter delivery in 10 UZs. In AP # 10 maternalmortality ratios were nil (0) & 1.75 per 1,000 livebirths for the months May & June of 2009respectively. In AP # 13 maternal mortality ratioswere 3.18, & nil (0) per 1,000 live births for themonths May & June of 2009 respectively.

7. Infant mortality ratios (IMR)

During the reporting year, deaths were reportedfor children under 1 and grouped into deathswithin 28 days and within 29 -365 days of theirbirth. In AP # 10 IMR were estimated as 15.34 &

11.35 per 1,000 live births for the months May &June of 2009 respectively. In AP # 13 IMR were13.24 & 14.93 per 1,000 live births for themonths May & June of 2009 respectively.

During those two months highest number ofdeaths were due to pneumonia (or ARI) andother causes. In the clause of other causes ithas been observed that majority of the deathswere due to drowning. Death toll due topneumonia was 8 & 3 for the months May &June of 2009 respectively in AP #10. And that of


44/69


for other causes were 5 & 8 respectively forthe same time period. In AP #13 death tolldue to pneumonia was 26 & 22 for themonths May & June of 2009 respectively.And that of other causes were 17 & 16respectively for the same time period UMsand FSs from were instructed to give moreemphasis on prevention of pneumonia

related issues along with the findings of othercauses in CNP and CNO refreshers training.Death tolls due to convulsion and diarrheahave reduced hopefully and considerably.

8. Behavior Change Communication(BCC) forums

BCC is one of the vital components of ABCNactivities. BCC is considered as the finalfrontier of ABCN activities. It has beenpredicted with conviction that continuousBCC will finally bring a permanent changeamong the beneficiaries so they will adopt

ABCN activities by heart. Through different HE sessions and forums BCC were conducted among the differentbeneficiary target groups.

In June 2009, in 10 UZs, a total of 20,081mothers of moderately malnourished children were registered. Out of thema total of 17,470 (87%) mothers participated in the BCC forums. They received counseling about child feeding andcare. For them out of 2,508 target forums a total of 2458 (98%) were conducted in that month.

A total of 164,550 adolescent girls of age 13-19 years were registered in 10 UZs in June 2009. Out of them total133,286 adolescent girls (81%) participated in the BCC forums (4 in each CNC in a month). In AP # 10 and # 13 theparticipation rates are 90% and 70% respectively for the same month. The literacy rate in AP #13 is comparativelyhigher than that of AP #10. And during May - July 2009 majority of the adolescent girls were engaged with SSC & HSCexams. That is why the participation rate in AP #13 is lower than AP #10. They were counseled about basic nutritionalfacts, reproductive health, life skills, delayed marriage, anti-dowry motivation etc. They were also provided with Iron-Folate supplementation at the dose of two tablets per week and de-worming tablets (Albendazole 400 mg) at 6 months

interval.

Total 15,096 newly wed women were registered as of June 2009 in 10 UZs. Out of them a total of 13,586 (90%) of thenewly wed women attended BCC forums. They were counseled about contraception, delayed pregnancy, reproductivehealth etc. They were also provided with Iron-Folate supplementation at the dose of two tablets per week. During thereporting period, forums for adolescent boys, mothers-in-law, fathers-in-law and husbands of newly weds & pregnantwomen were held as bi-monthly basis.

9. Use of safe drinking water, iodized salt and sanitary latrine

During the year users of safe drinking water, iodized salt and sanitary latrine were recorded in the program inventionareas. The beneficiaries were counseled through different BCC forums to prevent their health from diseases using safewater, iodized salt, sanitary latrine. In June 2009 salt specimens from 510,465 households were tested for Iodine bythe traditional methods in 10 UZs of 2 area packages. Out of them 434,121 households (85.04%) were found positive

qualitatively iodized salts being consumed by the family members.

10. Referral

A total of 1171 children were referred to different Govt. and NGO health facilities for growth faltering, severemalnutrition and severe illnesses in June 2009 from 10 UZs. Among them 99% of children were properly managed afterreferral. And a total of 792 pregnant and lactating women were referred from a total of 2508 CNCs to nearby Govt. andNGO health facilities for ante-natal & post-natal problems in the same time period of whom 99% of referredbeneficiaries were properly managed.


45/69

5.2 Health Services through SebaHealth Services through Seba is a self-sustaining program supported by Microfinance Program. Under this activity,comprehensive health activity is being implemented in 35 upazilas of 28 districts in 5 divisions of Bangladesh by 35qualified Paramedics under the direct supervision of 2 doctors.In the intervention areas of Seba (Health Services), paramedics are providing the following services:

Pregnancy weight gain monitoring and promotion by bathroom scale; and promotion (including counseling onimproved caring and feeding practices).

Identifying malnourished pregnant women with BMI < 17.0; and giving counseling on improved and demonstrativefeeding to prevent malnutrition.

Delivering Ante Natal Care (ANC).

Identifying pregnancy related complications and earlyrisk-delivery through routine close follow-up andchecking B.P., urine sugar and albumin.

Conducting normal deliveries and referring cases ofpregnancy complications and difficult delivery.

Providing Iron-Folate tablets to the pregnant women.

Delivering Post Natal Care (PNC). Giving awarenessto lactating mothers for colostrums and breast-feeding.

Ensuring the vitamin-A for lactating mothers throughcoordination and collaboration with the localUHC/USC/FWC.

Monthly growth monitoring of children less than 5years of age by Salter scale / bathroom scale; and

promotion (including counseling on improvedcaring and complementary feeding practices).

Giving EPI counseling and motivating the parents ofchildren to attend the local EPI centers. Forimmunization of the women of reproductive age andchildren Paramedics doing coordination andcollaboration with the government health facilities ofthe locality.

Providing de-worming tablets through limited curativetreatment for children below 5 years old andadolescent girls to prevent malnutrition.

Giving contraceptive and population control counselingto the beneficiaries, and guiding and helping themthrough FWC.

Giving awareness for personal hygiene, safe water &sanitary latrine.

Delivering essential drug based limited curative cares(free diagnosis, prescription, counseling and medicinesupply).

Cooking demonstration & home gardening for

prevention of malnutrition pregnant women, lactatingmothers, and adolescent girls and U-5 children..

Motivating the beneficiaries to participate in theNational and International Health Days like NID,National Vitamin-A Campaign, World Health Day, etc.

In the satellite clinic following BCC are delivered amongthe unmarried adolescent girls (13-19 years old),pregnant women, lactating mothers and mother-in-laws:

i. Breastfeeding promotion and protection and IYCF(Infant & Young Children Feeding).


46/69


ii. Bad effects of early marriage.iii. Pre-delivery preparations.iv.Risks of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.v. Family planning.vi.Prevention of HIV/AIDS.

In the satellite and static clinics following prescription based following limited curative care are delivered:i. ARI, pneumonia and asthma.ii. Gastric acidity.iii. Diarrhea, typhoid and paratyphoid.iv.Worm infestation.v. Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.vi.Skin, eye and ear diseases.

In the satellite and static clinics following diagnostic procedures are done:i. Pregnancy test.ii. Detection urine sugar.iii. Detection urine protein (albumin).

Thus, with other activities of Seba Package, Seba (Health Services) is being carried out to bring a development inhealth related aspects for the family members of the beneficiaries parallel to MF loan facilities for them. Communitypeople can also avail the services by payment of nominal fee.

5.2.1 Achievement

During the reporting period 2008-09, health services through Seba were delivered among the group members ofmicrofinance from 2,712 villages/wards of 526 unions of 163 upazilas of 28 districts with their family members. A totalof approximately 327,216 people from different communities from a total of 109,072 members (females 94% and males6%) under a total of 6,386 groups that were served by the paramedics.

During the reporting period out of total registered cases 6.5% for ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection), 5.5% for diarrhoea,13.2% for malnutrition, 4.4% for worm infestation, 10.3% for skin diseases and 15.4% were treated as other cases whichincludes fever, headache, anemia, hyperacidity, asthma, general weakness, allergy, low back pain, leucorrhoea etc.Among all the cases 4.2% and 2.1% received ANC (Ante-natal Care) and PNC (Post-natal Care) respectively. 1.5% ofthe cases were immunized by TT (Tetanous Toxoid). For contraceptive methods users 17.6% for pill, 10.5% for condom,5.0% for injectables, 1.8% for IUD (Intrauterine Devices), 1.0% for ligation and 1.0% for vasectomy were recorded.


47/69


48/69


6 .0 SUPPO RT PRO GRA MTo take core programs forward, BEES has been initiating a range of support programs. They are providing necessaryassistance that the field based activities are being implemented effectively without facing much more difficulties.Consequently, it is possible to achieve the programmatic objectives smoothly maintaining the desired quality ofperformance. In response to the demand derived from the field-based interventions, some activities are essential to beinitiated like mobilizing resources, building network & maintaining liaison with respective stakeholders, behavior change

communication, developing human resources, reviewing programs and so on. Coping with this critical necessity andto keep the program performance on the right track, BEES is executing such support programs as Training, Information& Development Communication (IDC) and Research, Evaluation & Monitoring (REM).

6.1 TrainingFor building capacity of the staff and beneficiaries and unlocking the value of neglected human resources, BEES'Training Program is being conducted being integrated with the core activities compulsorily. It is undoubtedly true thattraining is necessary to transfer essential qualities for stimulating capability of the target groups. It has a great role inimproving the management efficiency and creativity of the development practitioners both within and outside of theorganization. Internalizing this importance, BEES has been organizing training oriented activities as an important partof all its programs to develop and widen the know-how & skill and provide technology to the respective stakeholders.

Training provided by BEES is generally categorized into two types like Human Resource Development (HRD) training

and Occupational Sk

BEES Annual Report 2008-09 edited by Anirudha Alam

Documents

From Varroa to Bumble Bees - University of Tasmania · From Varroa to Bumble Bees ... •Japanese/Thailand ... •Carpenter bees •Megachile rotundata* • Stingless social bees

Nifty BeES Junior BeES Liquid BeES - Reliance Mutual · PDF fileNifty Benchmark Exchange Traded Scheme (NIFTY BeES) Annual Report 2003-2004 MUTUAL FUND Nifty BeES Junior BeES Liquid

Fat Bees Skinny Bees

OUR NATURE: NATIVE BEES...BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature - Native Bees 11 We need bees; bees need backyards Bees are the world’s most important group of pollinators. Not only

Shahnaab alam

DIURETIC DRUGS (DR.Farooq Alam) DIURETIC DRUGS (DR.Farooq Alam)

এইসব রাতদিন EISAB RATDIN (a Book of Juvenile Poems) Written by Anirudha Alam

Never Stop Exploring - Pushing the Limits of Solr: Presented by Anirudha Jadhav, Bloomberg L.P

Alam Sekitar

Bumble Bees in Montana - Montana State UniversityBumble bees are in the family Apidae (includes honey bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees, cuckoo bees, sunflower bees, and digger bees)

1 Text Input in Indic Scripts Anirudha Joshi Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay

abuzzforhoneybees.weebly.com€¦ · Web viewHoney bees are like an extended family made up of drone bees, worker bees, and queen bees. Honey bees live with their family inside of

Honey Bees, Bumble Bees, and Other Bees, …ir4.rutgers.edu › Ornamental › PollinatorWorkshop_FIlesFor...Bumble bees are declining in species diversity in the Northeast, across

Bushra Alam

Timing Alam

A Collection of Success Stories of the Disadvantaged People of Bangladesh Edited by Anirudha Alam

Bencana Alam

Cuban Bees selection strategy for Varroa resistance … Bees... · Cuban Bees selection strategy for Varroa resistance and honey quality ... to poison bacteria, ... Bees selection

List: Unclaimed & Unpaid Dividend as on …...List: Unclaimed & Unpaid Dividend as on 07.09.2017 for the ye ar 2009-2010 APURVA ANIRUDHA MORE ANIRUDHA AT PO BORDI TEL DAHANU DIST DAHANU

Human-Computer Interaction Series · Idyawati Hussein School of Informatics, Universiti Malaysia, Sabah, Malaysia Anirudha Joshi IDC, IIT Bombay, Mumbai, India anirudha@iitb.ac.in