2 August 2008
Reaching out
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The new library, established by a community business organisation, is proving popular with children in Chitalmari
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In November 2007, Bangladesh was devastated by Cyclone Sidr – one of the worst cyclones ever to hit the country. Chitalmari was one of the Area Development Programmes (ADPs) affected. Many houses, crops, livestock, vegetables, fish and trees were badly damaged or wiped out altogether.
The cyclone was a huge setback to the ADP’s development. Yet one of Chitalmari’s community business organisations, called Agroni Bahumukhi Somoby, has continued to go from strength to strength.
The group heard of the plight of one of their neighbouring communities, in Sharankhola district, who were even worse off after the cyclone. As a group, the members of Agroni Bahumukhi Somoby collected all the clothing, rice, molasses, oral rehydration solution and biscuits they could gather and distributed them to their neighbours in Sharankhola.
The organisation also played a vital role in helping World Vision Bangladesh distribute relief supplies, by volunteering their time and their office as a distribution centre.
With the ADP’s help, Agroni Bahumukhi Somoby has also recently established a library in the community centre. It’s a safe, quiet place where children can relax and read or study, which has proved very popular.
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