Professional Strengths in Development Sector

ECO SOCIETY has been active in establishing functional linkage and rapport with potential resource personnel and organizations over the years. The organization has by now obtained a quite notable level of affiliations with various individuals of expertise and organizations, which includes bilateral donors, NGOs (International, National & Regional), and Government Officials & Agencies. It is fully capable of handling small, medium-scale or big contract or project.

Our works always reflect the following strengths:

  • The in-depth understanding of ECO SOCIETY about the vital community based development program dynamics and program management factors of the GOB, Private & NGO sectors is one of the key strengths of the center.
  • ECO SOCIETY has a 19 years experience in different development sector like health, education, hygiene, environment, women development, Nutrition, human rights, IGA, legal rights, poverty alleviation, disaster management etc. And a group of professional staffs work in its assignments.
  • The strong institutional background, skills and experiences of the organization in the areas like; program based study/research, operation research (OR) type study, evaluation and situation analysis techniques and
  • The long years-practical experiences of the organization and its associates in management, monitoring and supervision of NGOs, donors and government agencies operated development programs.

Please note that some of its associates have many years of experiences working with international donor agencies, national and regional development agencies both in country leading and global agencies and foundations.

Field of Specialization in Development Sectors :

The team members of ECO SOCIETY are specialized in providing technical support to the NGOs, government agencies and private business enterprises. The organization is well equipped to create the provisions of providing technical assistance to all of its beneficiaries. The organization is able to perform Cultural Activity, Survey Activity, Research Activity, Monitoring Activity, Financial Activity, Health Activity specially for mother and child health, Evaluation Activity, Documentation Activity, Feasibility Study, Project Formulation, Program Management, Program Analysis, Project Impact Assessment, Program Designing, Management Development Assessment, Strategic Planning & Sub-contractual implementation of programs and/or projects. It also has some associates who have in-depth knowledge and exposure on Peoples Theatre.

Human development training :

The human development training may be described as the systematic process of concretization. The objective of the organizing the training course are to help the group members widening their knowledge on different issues concerning development, respect others opinions, provide them scientific outlook and analytical skills, enable them to get the essence of problem solving and finally crate a sense of dignity. The human development training begins from the first day of the group formation. The field staffs provide non-formal training to the groups at field location and organize formal training at branch office training venue for selective group members on various issues affecting their lives.

Skill Development Training :

Bangladesh on opening up venues of skill development for rural and urban poor and they are generally deterred from entering into public training establishments where academic qualification required by such training centers and rather more decisively by the opportunity costs implicit in such training. Having acquired awareness through basic human development training, the group members get organized and need to develop their management capacity for implement various employment and income generating (EIG) activities in an ecological sound way. They are then given skill development training for development specialized skills.

  • 4200 male and female learners have been provided with vocational training course through 70 Skill developments Training Centre’s.

Non-Formal Education Pogramme (NFE) :

Education is the most important tool to develop people mind and create awareness, so education is considered a basic necessity. Bangladesh with the potential of human resources, is characterized by wide spread illiteracy, unemployment, uneven distribution of national income, malnutrition and economic under development. Illiteracy is one of these problems affecting the development of human resources of this country. With this context in view, ECO SOCIETY has taken initiative for a comprehensive education programme named Non-Formal Education programme (NFE).

Components of NFE are a). Literacy for illiterate group members, b)  Post literacy centers for the neo-literate to reinforce, regenerate and sustain literacy skills and c) Non-Formal Primary Education (NFPE) for the dropout and unrolled children of  8-14 age group.

  • 70 Multipurpose center (MPC) has been established to provide Non-formal education to 4200 male and female learners funded by Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Government of peoples republic of Bangladesh.
  • 4200 male and female learners have been provided with vocational training course through 70 Skill developments Training Centres.

Primary health care & nutrition program :

Primary health care & nutrition program is being carried out in selected area among ECO SOCIETY working areas for preventive and curative healthy services among the under privileged rural people. Their life expectancy, health status and degraded environment are improved and medical expenditure from their family budget is gradually reducing.  Mothers of the children are taught for preparing nutrition food. After training period mothers are afforded with credit for cost of nutrition food.

Employment and income generating program (Micro credit) :

As a process of empowerment, credit is extended to the group members. From the very inception of formation, the group members start savings with a view to form their own capital which ultimately help them to get rid of dependency on moneylenders, the rich and the employer. ECO SOCIETY has a keen observation upon the groups on the regularity of meeting, attendance of members, savings regularity etc. As these things are satisfactory the groups are provided with loans from the revolving loan fund. As mentioned earlier that the groups start savings from the very inception and there is considerable amount of savings each year saved by each member. ECO SOCIETY always encouraging group savings to have their own capital to invest and at the interest of the Bank rate is provided to the group members.

Water and Sanitation :

Health is one of the basic needs of people and an essential part of the overall socio- economic development of the country. Health is directly related to people physical and mental labor which is essential for increasing productivity of labor and raising family income. Safe drinking water is one of most important natural resources for human health. Polluted water is the causes of many diseases like diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, dysentery etc. Sanitation is also important for health issues. This, in turn, contributes to enhancing the living standard of the poor people in the rural and urban slums having inadequate access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities.  Children are the first victim of poor health and sanitation condition in Bangladesh. Malnutrition continues to seriously hamper the survival and development of children in Bangladesh. The health status of the women of Bangladesh is also a serious concern. The poor are in a vicious cycle of poverty and ill-health. To break the vicious cycle of poverty and ill health, the Health and Sanitation program is addressed for group members through formal and non- formal training and sanitation facilities through the provision of credit and technical assistance can make significant contribution for health and income.

Agricuture  Development Project (with Micro Credit) :

Our Agriculture development project is running at Nababganj, Dohar and Keraniganj thana area in Dhaka district. Among our members 100% are disadvantageous farmers & marginal People. The organization is working for socio-economic & Agriculture development of the poor and the farmers through group or centre formation, savings mobilization, loan disbursement, leadership growing, imparting decision making capacity and education & awareness building, skill training, legal advice, health & human development etc. Our each group consists of 5 (five) members and 5 to 6 groups make a center among the target group members. Center is the primary unit of Eco Society. We are working with groups. Our field officers collect the savings and loan installments on weekly basis from meetings of the members. Organization has made a revolving fund by the members savings and collected money from other sources. That fund is being invested among the members by rotational or cyclic way. We provide loan which needs to be paid within 46 weeks and grace period is 15 days. Our loan ceiling is TK. 10,000 to 2,00,000. Interest rate is 13.5% (flat). We provide loan only Agriculture sector. Our selected fields

of Agriculture sector for loan disbursement are fish enterprises, seasonal fruit selling, nursery, rearing of hen, swan, cow and goat, fish cultivation, poultry, cultivation of vegetables and kitchen vegetables, cultivation of different fruits and flowers, procurement of shallow machine, cattle fattening, business of vegetables and raw materials, business of fertilizer and pesticide etc.

Water & Sanitation and Arsenic mitigation Project :

Eco Society is working water & sanitation program in Dhaka and Khulna district since 2002. We have built the Awareness to private & family pollution, Environment of the village people. Eco Society supply pit latrine and tube well to the beneficiaries at the marginal cost.

Eco Society is working Arsenic program in Dhaka and Khulna district since 2003. We are working for Awareness building to Arsenic by the Uthan Baythak & village development committee meeting etc. therefore our development worker maintenance the Arsenic test from beneficiaries door to door.

Program for the prevention of Drug Abuse :

It has been very critically observed that the youth force of the country is now getting addicted to the ditches of dangerous drug. Though there are lot of causes prevail in the country for the hopelessness, despair, crimes etc. but less initiative has taken as measure for the prevention of drug abuse.

Eco Society has been taken much to prevent this dangerous hit by developing volunteers. In the tejgaon thana area three groups are working for this purpose. Facilitator, community Organizer, health workers are engaged to root out this inhuman habits and by giving jobs through training skills and credit to the unemployed. In a limited sphere medical and in some cases referred services are performed. Though it requires more attention and  though Eco Society is doing it tirelessly yet more other voluntary Organization should come forward for saving the precious part of this society means to save the Youth Force.

 

Awareness on prevention of STD/HIV/AIDS :

Because of the high rate of presence of HIV/AIDS in the neighboring countries of Bangladesh, Eco Society has launched this project in 2001 to prevent spread of STDs/HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh. The project is running in Dhaka Urban area. The main focus of the programme is to create awareness among Students of Schools and Colleges and mass people (including slum dwellers, sex workers and their customers) about the devastating impact of spreading STD and HIV/AIDS. It has produced and distributed awareness building materials like leaflet, sticker containing different messages in the form of slogan.

The Project has taken the following Activities :

  • Mass campaigning about STDs/HIV/AIDS situation globally and in the country
  • Awareness raising about the causes of STDs/HIV/AIDS
  • Means of prevention of STDs/HIV/AIDS
  • Interpersonal and group counseling / discussion with the target group members
  • Developing BCC materials like posters, leaflets, billboards, banner, play card, festoons, sticker, audio-video projection, etc.
  • Observance world AIDS Day
  • Provide Primary Health Care among the infected cases of STDs/HIV/AIDS
  • Develop GO and NGO coordination for preventing STDs/ HIV/ AIDS
  • Make people more conscious about the hazards of the diseases
  • Make them aware so they examine their blood when they feel any problem

 So Prevalence of STDs have gone down, Use of condom has gone up and people show    eagerness to talk or to know about the diseases.

Improve Cook Stove Programme (Bandhu Chula) :

We have been implementing Improved Cook Stove Programme (ICS) since 2009 with help if GIZ and SZ consultant services in Alfadanga and Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur district. But now we are implementing the program by our own finance and technical persons. This kind of stove safeguard woman and children health by reducing indoor air pollution induced by carbon hazard and also save fuel by complete burning and proper uses of fuel. So people have now pollution free environment in their kitchen in one hand and little cost for fuel on other hand.

Anti Tobacco programme :

This program has been implemented in Kustia district since 2010 with support of WBB Trust and Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance (BATA). Tobacco farmer are discouraged by this program to produce tobacco which is harmful for their health and also for their land. Also child labors from tobacco factory have been brought to school by motivating them and their parents. Through different poster, campaign and leaflets mass awareness against tobacco has been raised through this program.

Right to Information (RTI) awareness programme :

This program has been implemented in Batiaghata & Dacop upazila of Khulna district since 2012 with support of Article-19, Bangladesh. Through this program awareness among minority people are being raised for information right and rules about this are being informed to them. These are being done by group formation, separate group for male and female. They are informed about the way of having information from different government and non government offices which will be useful for them.

Long Term and Short Term Election and Political Parties Observation Programme :

This program has been implemented since May’2013 in Dhaka 6 & 7 election seat for pre and post election situation observation with the support of CCHRB/The Asia Foundation. Through this program we have closely monitored all political parties, law and force agencies, civil societies, local people attitude and performances and opinions. We go to these groups in each month with forms to be filled up by them. These forms are then sent to the donor. During national election day’ 2014 we deployed 135 observers for observation of centers situation, monitoring of Voter opinion and performance of law and order agencies and other responsible persons. Besides we have observed 11 upazila during upazila election’2014 in Dhaka, Norshindi, B-Baria & Tangail district. During upazila election day’2014 we deployed 385 observer for observation of centers situation, monitoring of voter opinion and performance of law and order agencies and other responsible persons.

Human rights Program:                     

ECO SOCIETY is conducting workshop, seminar, training & celebrating national & international days on human rights with a view to support distressed. People who are in need ECO SOCIETY works to ensure full enforcement and implementation of laws relating people right for them.

ECO SOCIETY believe that human rights deal with human necessity for expression, creativity and convivially for deciding own density. It looks critically into the socio-economic, political and cultural system, which directly or indirectly influence the life of the suffering humanity.

Disability & Development Program :

Organization workers are launching strong motivation and technical assistance for disability & development program working areas of the organization. Group members are now very conscious for their disability & development program. We are giving them training for their social consciousness, about their social and human rights and for selected professional skill and we are also providing them with instruments for their comfortable and easy movement with necessary training. They are now not social burden but living with dignity and honor.  

Good Governance & Civil Society Program:

Organization workers are launching strong motivational activities for good governance & civil society. We are providing training to the Government and Non Government employees, entrepreneurs and social leaders to serve the nation for a welfare country so that people will live with peace and prosperity in the society. We are arranging seminar, workshop and training programs to address them to serve the nation in the right way to lead the country towards development in all respect so that people can live in the society with peace, dignity, honor and prosperity.

Disaster Preparedness & Management Program:

ECO SOCIETY is launching programs for disaster preparedness & disaster management. We provide training to the selected volunteers to provide services to the distressed after different kind of disasters to minimize their sufferings and for their rehabilitation. We also trained them up about the way of preparedness before arriving any disaster and the way to follow the warning for incoming disasters. We have 100 volunteers in each upazila of Khulna, Kustia and Faridpur districts. They also motivate and teach the people of disaster prone area the way to prepare for disasters like flood, cyclone etc to minimize the harm caused by any disaster so that their losses will be minimum and there will be no life loss at all. Again they also teach the people to follow any kind of disaster warning and show them the way to survive after any kind of disaster and to recover their losses. We have already provided these services to the victims and distressed during the recent floods and cyclones in the above mentioned areas.

Micro Finance Program :

Micro Finance program is running at Dhaka and Chapainababganj district. Among the micro credit members, 100% are disadvantageous & marginal People. The organization is working for socio-economic development of the poor and the disables through group or centre formation, savings mobilization, loan disbursement, leadership growing, imparting decision making capacity and education, awareness building, skill training, legal advice, health & human development etc. Each group consists of 5 (five) members and 5 to 6 groups make a center among the target group members. Center is the primary unit of Eco Society. The Organization is working with groups, field officers collect the savings and loan installments on weekly basis from meetings of the members. Organization has made a revolving fund by the members savings and collected money from other sources. That fund is being invested among the members by rotational or cyclic way. The organization provide loan which needs to be paid within 46 weeks and grace period is 15 days, loan ceiling is TK. 10,000 to 2,00,000/-. Interest rate is 9.5%, 13.5% & 14.0% (flat). The organization provide loan mainly to two categories of groups, i) SME and ii) Agriculture sector. Selected fields of SME for loan disbursement are women entrepreneurs, plastic business, food providing & processing, small hotel business, cosmetics item making, cloth selling, electric/electronics traders, grocery business, waste material collection, shop for providing load to mobile phone, plastic toy making, paper packet making, block print and batik, procurement of rickshaw and van, small stationary and grocer’s shop, tea stall business etc. And selected fields of Agriculture sector for loan disbursement are nursery,

rearing of hen, swan, cow and goat, fish cultivation, poultry, cultivation of vegetables and kitchen vegetables, cultivation of different fruits and flowers, selling of seeds, cultivation of paddy, cultivation of spicy type agro goods, vegetable selling, seasonal fruit selling, procurement of boat, procurement of shallow machine, works of bamboo and cane, cattle fattening, business of vegetables and raw materials, manufacturing/business of jute materials, cottage industry, business of fertilizer and pesticide etc.