The Laudob community programme
The Laudob community development programme is in the Dacope
province, 430km southeast of the Bangladeshi capital city, Dhaka.
World Vision reaches 124 villages with a total population of
146,470. Â World Vision's partnership with the community started in
1993 and is envisaged to continue until 2014, when the community
will be fully equipped with the resources and skills to take
ownership of its own development. In the past year, significant
improvements were made in the areas of health, nutrition, and
education.
Issues covered: Education, health and
nutrition
Updates on World Vision's work
Health and nutrition
- Water-borne diseases, such as diarrhoea, decreased from 3.3 per
cent to 2.9 per cent in the past year, thanks to the provision of
297 plastic rainwater-harvesting tanks to four communities for
clean drinking water.
- 350 malnourished children received nutritional assistance, and
mothers were trained in the preparation of nutritional meals.
Education
- 465 children aged 4 and 5 were enrolled in preschool at 31
childhood education centres. In addition, 360 children aged 12 to
18 attended life skills-based education sessions in aspects such as
leadership and decision-making.
- 4178 primary and high school students received education
support, including stationery and text books, to enable them to
attend school and study successfully.
The Laudob community is in the twentieth year of its development
journey with World Vision.
Life on
the ground in Laudob
Crop diversification improves nutrition and
income
World Vision introduced crop
diversification to Laudob farmers, like Doyal Biswas, to help
improve food security and household income.
About 80 per cent of Laudob's population depends on agriculture,
with rice being the main crop being cultivated. Because of the
small size of plots for cultivation, the high saline content of
water and inadequate irrigation, crop yields were always low and
many people used to struggle to earn enough and improve their
nutrition. The prevalence of malnutrition was also high. With the
support of World Vision, crop diversification was introduced. One
of the early adopters was Doyal Biswas. World Vision supported him
and 124 other small farmers with watermelon seeds and technical
assistance. "Last year, I made a profit and found new hope for my
family," said Doyal. Now, his family has sufficient food, and he is
able to afford school fees and healthcare for his children. Being a
farmer, Doyal has a dream to ensure year-round food security for
his family and community. He has become a member of a co-operative,
and is promoting crop diversification among other community
members.
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.
Last year, I made a profit and found new hope for my
family.
- Doyal, Laudob farmer