ActionAid UK
Mukta and her mother plant rice
Mukta and her mother plant rice.
Rice Project – Child Sponsorship.
ActionAid is working with communities and partner organisation ‘VARD‘ (Voluntary Association for Rural Development), on a seed-loan project, a project which highlights the impact of child sponsorship on the whole community. A farming cooperative has been established to train women on seed preservation and sowing techniques which have helped families who previously suffered from hunger. As well as affecting health; hunger prevented children from going to school, affecting their concentration and motivation. Now with child sponsorship funds, people are more self sufficient and children are enrolled in school /supplied with educational materials. Women have formed self help groups and ActionAid has helped them set up income generating projects such as cattle rearing and gardening schemes.
For the last 10 years ActionAid has been working in Bangladesh and has recently implemented work addressing the hardship caused by flash floods. This type of flooding used to take place every four to six years, however due to the large-scale deforestation of the Himalayan boarder hills and climate change, over the last 10 years, it has flooded eight times.
The vast flat plain area of Telia Notunpara where Mukta and her family live is severely affected by flash flooding. As only rice has been traditionally cultivated here, the arrival of flash flooding before harvesting would wipe out the community’s food supply, resulting in widespread hunger and Mukta would not be able to attend school.
“I feel afraid. When the floods come, our houses fall – everything collapses. Strong floods suddenly rush down the mountains and that’s why when the water enters our homes, we run to the college building to take shelter.”
“The paddy fields become submerged and the vegetable gardens too. Almost everything goes under water. We don’t have enough food to eat. Going to school becomes very hard because we are hungry. We suffer in many ways and it’s all because of the floodwater.”
With the support of ActionAid Child Sponsorship, the community formed Reflect circles and decided to build and maintain embankments to defend against the floodwaters. ActionAid also supported the community with rice seeds to create a seed bank where farmers can “loan” seeds to cultivate and then repay double the amount of seeds after harvesting so that can be used for other farmers. This now means that they no longer have to buy rice seeds and have enough seeds to keep growing enough rice to sell and feed their families.
Mukta’s mother Shofikun is one of the 25 women who have been part of the ActionAid trainings on how to improve rice yields, rear animals and cultivate their own kitchen gardens. Mukta and the other children in her village can now go to school without feeling hungry:
“Father sowed the fields and Mother and I helped with the weeding. After the paddy grew, we dried the crops under the sun and then sold some, but kept half for ourselves. Before, we went hungry and earning money was difficult, but now I like the harvesting season.”
“You get pains in your stomach if you can’t eat. Now we can eat – so, I don’t feel that pain. But I remember the pain. I feel good now. I can continue to go to school too. I think education is good for everyone.”
“Education can help me be anything I want to be and I want the future to be better. I like learning the best and I am happy when I have eaten. After eating I can go to school, so I like it.”
“At school, we draw pictures and we share our messages and when someone draws very nicely, she gets awarded a glass and a plate. I want to be a doctor when I grow up and then help everyone as people need to be looked after.”
Shofikun, 45 years old and lives in Telia Notunpara, Sunamganj district Bangladesh.
The vast flat plain area of Telia Notunpara lies at the bottom of the hills and is where Shofikun and her family live. As only rice had been traditionally cultivated here, the arrival of flash flooding before harvesting would wipe out the community’s food supply, resulting in widespread hunger and malnutrition.
With the support of ActionAid Child Sponsorship, the community formed Reflect circles and decided to build and maintain embankments to defend against the floodwaters. ActionAid also supported the community with rice seeds to create a seed bank where farmers can “loan” seeds to cultivate and then repay double the amount of seeds after harvesting so that can be used for other farmers. This now means that they no longer have to buy rice seeds and have enough seeds to keep growing enough rice to sell and feed their families.
Twenty-five women lead the community to learn skills in rearing animals, growing rice and kitchen garden cultivation. This project empowered the women to not only increase their food production, but also helped them to earn an income. As they learnt to manage their crops they can now ensure there is enough food for their families all year round.
Shofikun can now provide food for her family and keep her daughter Mukta, happy and in school. It is hard to grow enough with access to only two units of rented land, but with her new skills, she can produce twelve mounds of rice:
“The paddy I grow produces enough food for three months but I make sure we make it last for six months. I have saved up seeds to cultivate next year, I make sure to save a little before we eat it all.”
“I have been trained in cattle and duck rearing. I also learned how to prepare cartons. We trained in vegetable gardening and I am using these skills now. We had so little knowledge before and our knowledge has grown. We feel we have reached a big achievement.”
“The women’s group I belong to is busy, we are all working – all 25 of us. We are investing in loans for two cows and I also know where to get help in case they become sick. We have received lots of support and I now have a positive feeling about this because we can now eat three times a day.”
“I feel so happy that my daughter goes to school. She eats snacks, plays a little and returns home safe to go again the next day. I like it very much, I dream that she will complete her education and that one day she will get a job. I want this to happen with all my heart, as I know Mukta must stand on her own feet. I hope we continue to receive support, for Mukta – for her education.”
“Without ActionAid, we would not have achieved all that we have. They are trying their best to help us and I think nothing in the world is bigger than what they do. They want to improve the lives of the people of Bangladesh.”
“We are surviving and working together and that’s a good feeling.”
Photo: Nicolas Axelrod/ActionAid
Mukta and her mother plant rice
Mukta and her mother plant rice.
Rice Project – Child Sponsorship.
ActionAid is working with communities and partner organisation ‘VARD‘ (Voluntary Association for Rural Development), on a seed-loan project, a project which highlights the impact of child sponsorship on the whole community. A farming cooperative has been established to train women on seed preservation and sowing techniques which have helped families who previously suffered from hunger. As well as affecting health; hunger prevented children from going to school, affecting their concentration and motivation. Now with child sponsorship funds, people are more self sufficient and children are enrolled in school /supplied with educational materials. Women have formed self help groups and ActionAid has helped them set up income generating projects such as cattle rearing and gardening schemes.
For the last 10 years ActionAid has been working in Bangladesh and has recently implemented work addressing the hardship caused by flash floods. This type of flooding used to take place every four to six years, however due to the large-scale deforestation of the Himalayan boarder hills and climate change, over the last 10 years, it has flooded eight times.
The vast flat plain area of Telia Notunpara where Mukta and her family live is severely affected by flash flooding. As only rice has been traditionally cultivated here, the arrival of flash flooding before harvesting would wipe out the community’s food supply, resulting in widespread hunger and Mukta would not be able to attend school.
“I feel afraid. When the floods come, our houses fall – everything collapses. Strong floods suddenly rush down the mountains and that’s why when the water enters our homes, we run to the college building to take shelter.”
“The paddy fields become submerged and the vegetable gardens too. Almost everything goes under water. We don’t have enough food to eat. Going to school becomes very hard because we are hungry. We suffer in many ways and it’s all because of the floodwater.”
With the support of ActionAid Child Sponsorship, the community formed Reflect circles and decided to build and maintain embankments to defend against the floodwaters. ActionAid also supported the community with rice seeds to create a seed bank where farmers can “loan” seeds to cultivate and then repay double the amount of seeds after harvesting so that can be used for other farmers. This now means that they no longer have to buy rice seeds and have enough seeds to keep growing enough rice to sell and feed their families.
Mukta’s mother Shofikun is one of the 25 women who have been part of the ActionAid trainings on how to improve rice yields, rear animals and cultivate their own kitchen gardens. Mukta and the other children in her village can now go to school without feeling hungry:
“Father sowed the fields and Mother and I helped with the weeding. After the paddy grew, we dried the crops under the sun and then sold some, but kept half for ourselves. Before, we went hungry and earning money was difficult, but now I like the harvesting season.”
“You get pains in your stomach if you can’t eat. Now we can eat – so, I don’t feel that pain. But I remember the pain. I feel good now. I can continue to go to school too. I think education is good for everyone.”
“Education can help me be anything I want to be and I want the future to be better. I like learning the best and I am happy when I have eaten. After eating I can go to school, so I like it.”
“At school, we draw pictures and we share our messages and when someone draws very nicely, she gets awarded a glass and a plate. I want to be a doctor when I grow up and then help everyone as people need to be looked after.”
Shofikun, 45 years old and lives in Telia Notunpara, Sunamganj district Bangladesh.
The vast flat plain area of Telia Notunpara lies at the bottom of the hills and is where Shofikun and her family live. As only rice had been traditionally cultivated here, the arrival of flash flooding before harvesting would wipe out the community’s food supply, resulting in widespread hunger and malnutrition.
With the support of ActionAid Child Sponsorship, the community formed Reflect circles and decided to build and maintain embankments to defend against the floodwaters. ActionAid also supported the community with rice seeds to create a seed bank where farmers can “loan” seeds to cultivate and then repay double the amount of seeds after harvesting so that can be used for other farmers. This now means that they no longer have to buy rice seeds and have enough seeds to keep growing enough rice to sell and feed their families.
Twenty-five women lead the community to learn skills in rearing animals, growing rice and kitchen garden cultivation. This project empowered the women to not only increase their food production, but also helped them to earn an income. As they learnt to manage their crops they can now ensure there is enough food for their families all year round.
Shofikun can now provide food for her family and keep her daughter Mukta, happy and in school. It is hard to grow enough with access to only two units of rented land, but with her new skills, she can produce twelve mounds of rice:
“The paddy I grow produces enough food for three months but I make sure we make it last for six months. I have saved up seeds to cultivate next year, I make sure to save a little before we eat it all.”
“I have been trained in cattle and duck rearing. I also learned how to prepare cartons. We trained in vegetable gardening and I am using these skills now. We had so little knowledge before and our knowledge has grown. We feel we have reached a big achievement.”
“The women’s group I belong to is busy, we are all working – all 25 of us. We are investing in loans for two cows and I also know where to get help in case they become sick. We have received lots of support and I now have a positive feeling about this because we can now eat three times a day.”
“I feel so happy that my daughter goes to school. She eats snacks, plays a little and returns home safe to go again the next day. I like it very much, I dream that she will complete her education and that one day she will get a job. I want this to happen with all my heart, as I know Mukta must stand on her own feet. I hope we continue to receive support, for Mukta – for her education.”
“Without ActionAid, we would not have achieved all that we have. They are trying their best to help us and I think nothing in the world is bigger than what they do. They want to improve the lives of the people of Bangladesh.”
“We are surviving and working together and that’s a good feeling.”
Photo: Nicolas Axelrod/ActionAid