The Tarash community programme
The Tarash community development programme is in the Sirajgonj
district, 200km northwest of the Bangladeshi capital city, Dhaka.
World Vision reaches 168 villages with a total population of
126,213. World Vision's partnership with the community started in
1996 and is envisaged to come to completion at the end of September
2012, as the community is now almost fully equipped with the
resources and skills to take ownership of its own development.
Throughout the programme, many significant improvements have been
made in the areas of health, water, sanitation, education and
nutrition and economic development.
Issues covered: Health, water,
sanitation, education and nutrition
Updates on World Vision's work
Health, water and sanitation
- 100 per cent households now have easy access to safe drinking
water, and up to 82 per cent have latrines, thanks to the
construction and renovation of wells and ponds. Fifty-two water and
sanitation committees are also functioning in the community.
- According to a recent Tarash health centre report, the
immunisation rate of children aged 12 to 23 months, has increased
from 49 per cent in 2006 to 97 per cent in 2011.
Education and nutrition
- Following awareness-raising sessions on the importance of
education, primary school enrolment has increased from 85 per cent
to 95 per cent, and secondary enrolment from 74 per cent to 80 per
cent.
- 15 preschools are currently operating in the community,
attended by 375 children. Serving as a sound foundation for formal
education, an average of 98 per cent of children who attended
preschool in 2010, enrolled in primary school in 2011.
The Tarash community is in the seventeenth year of its development
journey with World Vision.
Life on
the ground in Tarash
From fledgling nursery to flourishing
business
Hafiza and Nur's mustard crop is being
admired by two of their children and their friends.
A fledgling nursery that started over a decade ago with the
support of World Vision, has turned into a business that's not only
helped feed and educate one family, but also an entire community.
Back in 2000, housewife Hafiza, her husband Nur, a small farmer,
could not afford their three children's school fees and they found
it hard to put food on the table. Then Hafiza became a member of a
developmentforum established by World Vision. She received training
in nursery and small business management. By accessing
fair-interest loans from the development forum, Hafiza and Nur
started their own nursery. Despite setbacks, the couple never gave
up on their dream of running a commercial nursery. Now, they have
saplings like mango, olive and lychee, as well as medicinal plants,
which they can sell. Hafiza and Nur are also involved in other
income-generating activities, such as fish farming, and they share
their knowledge with fellow community members. "We are most proud
that our children attend school and that our family has become
self-sufficient," say Hafiza and Nur.
Bangladesh at a glance
Bangladesh has the highest population density in the world. The
country's land area is slightly smaller than the South Island of
New Zealand, yet, is home to about 162 million people. A
combination of frequent natural disasters, internal political
strife and corruption affects the people's struggle to rise above
the poverty line.
