Bhikaji Kamble is a studious, outspoken, straightforward, and courageous personality. Until now, I had only seen him daily in Nandwal. On the surface, he seemed very strict and self-centered to me. I had also heard some incorrect things about him from others, but today I got the opportunity to meet him in person.

Initially, I thought that our discussion wouldn't last long because people had told me different things about him, and I had unknowingly formed a prejudice based on those…

This salt session also included two generations. They, too, expressed concern regarding the youth. In Nandwal village, most youngsters are becoming overly focused on earning money quickly, which is leading them to drop out of their education prematurely.

All three shared the opinion that painting work can typically only be done up until around the age of 40, after which life becomes much more challenging. Therefore, they believe it’s essential for young people to develop diverse…

A generational dialogue was held between these two father and son. Though their opinions differed, it led to a meaningful and insightful discussion. Both expressed deep concerns about the career paths of today’s youth. They observed that many youngsters are currently engaged only in painting work, but should be exploring other career opportunities as well.

During the conversation, the topic of the stock market came up. Pratap expressed that today's youth struggle to find jobs because…

During the entire discussion, Sameer drew attention to the issue of young men's marriages. According to him, the main reason behind delayed or failed marriages of young men today is the unrealistic expectations of girls' parents. They want a big house, farmland, wealth, and a government job — and because of such high demands, marriages are not happening. As a result, love affairs, elopements, and even extra-marital relationships are increasing. He emphasized that even parents need to be more…

গত বুধবার আমাদের সাথে দেখা হয় সুচনা টিমের সাথে। সুচনা টিম পশ্চিমবংগের একটি অরগানাইজেশান যারা ২০০৪ সাল থেকেই আদিবাসি মানুষদের নিয়ে কাজ করছে। তাদের মূল ফোকাস মুলত শিক্ষা। তারা Global Fund For Children (GFC) এর অন্য একটি প্রজেক্টের আন্ডারে ট্রেনিং এর জন্য এসেছিল বাংলাদেশে। আর…

Enlightened Dreams: Tomorrow's Society Through the Eyes of Pechakola's Children"

During a recent SALT activity in the Pechakola community, I was walking past Nakalia JM Government Primary School just as school was being dismissed. Children were pouring out of the gate, laughing, chatting, and playfully heading home. It was a joyful moment. I took the opportunity to engage with some of the children.

As I began a conversation with them, I asked for their names. One by one, they…

A quick conversation with Alamin Hossain of the Pechakola community about healthy masculinity brought up many important points. Alamin is a young father with a young son, and his wife is a school teacher.

During the conversation, he said that when he found out that his first child would be a boy, he was so happy that he decided to distribute…

Since November 2023, Grow Your Reader Foundation has been collaborating with the Global Fund for Children under the ARC (Addressing Root Causes) initiative. This partnership centers around one fundamental belief: communities are not problems to be fixed, but powerhouses of wisdom and solutions. True development begins when the community identifies its own…

Pechakola’s Journey from Darkness into Light

Last Saturday—June 28, 2025—the courtyard of Manjur Kader College in Nakalia, Pabna, was filled with joy and pride as Bangladesh Rural Economic Development (BRED)…

৬/৭/২৫

প্রকাশ ভাই এবং আমার দুজনের সমন্বয়ে লেখা ব্লগ:-

সল্টে শুরুর দিকে হিজলি পাড়ার মা দাদা দাদি এবং বাচ্চারা মিলে তিনটি অ্যাকশন শুরু করে। আফসানা ভাবীর বাচ্চাদের পড়ানো,অভিভাবকরা বাচ্চাদের নিয়ে খেলাধুলা করানো,দাদা দাদির গল্পের আসর। হঠাৎ তারা বুঝতে পারে তাদের মধ্যে একতার ফাটল ধরেছে। তারই সূত্র ধরে, তারা নিজেরা অনুধাবন করতে পারে ছেলেমেয়েদের সাথে তাদের সময় দেয়া কম হয়ে যাচ্ছে। গল্প বলার সময় দাদা-দাদীদের সংখ্যা কমে যাচ্ছে। এছাড়াও প্রতিবেশী সবার অংশগ্রহণ একটু একটু কমে গেছে। তাই…

উদ্যোক্তা মানসিকতা নিয়েই  বেড়ে উঠেছেন ভূ-পাল দাস গুপ্ত। তার বিচক্ষণতা হিসেবি এবং নেতৃত্ব দিয়ে ধারাকে বহুমুখী প্রতিষ্ঠানে রুপান্তর করছেন।  উনার অবদানে প্রথম ডিজিটাল শহর যশোরে তৈরী হয়েছে পরিবেশ বান্ধব ব্লক ইটের ভাটা। ৬০% খরচ দিয়ে অসংখ্য মানুষের ঘর তৈরী করে দিয়ে উনি হয়েছেন মানুষের আশ্রয়। অর্ধশতাধিক প্রতিবন্ধী পরিবারে রিক্সা উপহার দিয়ে উনি ধারাকে বানিয়েছেন আহার দাতা। শতশত মানুষের ফ্রী চক্ষু  চিকিৎসার ব্যাবস্হা করেন। তিনি অন্ধের হাতে তুলে দেন সাদা ছড়ি। প্রতিবন্ধীদের সেলাই প্রশিক্ষণ…

Baidyanath Tudu, a young man from the indigenous Santali tribe, said, "One day, a woman in our village went to cut grass and was bitten by a snake. After the woman somehow returned home, her family called me to take her to the hospital. Without delay, I took her to the hospital on my bike. The doctor there said that if he had delayed a little, she could not have been saved. I feel that I have been able to save a person's life."

 This conversation took place during…

I was talking to a nice lady in Govindapala village. While talking to her, she shared a story. When her baby was five months old, her uncle was poisoned. No one in the village would take her to the hospital. She left her five-month-old baby in the house next door. The husband and wife took her uncle to the hospital. They took care of him all day long.

This conversation took place during SALT.

Conclusion: This lady reminds us that in every community there are people like this…

I spoke to Momina Mam. She said that one day someone threw a two-three hour old baby in the drain next to her house, then she kept the baby in her house for three days and took the baby to a doctor and got him cured. Now the baby is healthy, if she had not taken the baby at that time, the street dogs would have torn him to pieces. She feels that she has saved a child's life, even if it is not her own, but she has done what a mother should do.

This conversation took place during…

There was a time when my life revolved around a computer screen, daily reports, and the quiet click of keyboards in a corporate office. Everything ran like clockwork — strict schedules, long meetings, tight deadlines. It was professional, disciplined, and efficient. But deep within me, something was missing.

I often questioned myself — is this the kind of work I truly want to do for the rest of my life? I wanted connection, not just communication. I wanted to feel my work, not just…

It’s not a long time—just a month. But this one-month experience has opened up a new dimension in my life. I started working as a SALT facilitator at Ashirbad Sanstha a month ago. It was the first time in my life that I had the opportunity to be involved with an organization. From that moment on, I understood—this is not just a job, but a journey of…

On 28 June, 2025, place: Nakalia Monjur Kader Degree College Hall Room, Bera, Pabna, Bangladesh

30 years – to hear just a number. But to us it is a reflection of a moving journey. There are countless stories of faith, love, learning and changing in this journey. Our relationship with BRED is not just a project-based work – it's like a life-long…

• ধারা অফিসের সবার সাথে সল্ট পর্ব শেষ করলাম। কোহর্ট লেবেলে সর্বচ্চো SALT করলাম। কমিউনিটির অর্ধেক লোকের সাথে SALT করলাম। কিন্তু ধারার প্রতিষ্ঠা, মানবতার জননী Lipika Dasgupt's সাথে SALT করা হলো না।তাই উনার সুযোগ খুঁজে SALT সেশন শেষ করলাম। আমি ভাবছিলাম তিনি হয়তো গর্বের বিষয় হিসাবে বলবেন, উনি দুজন Doctor ছেলের মা। অথবা বলবেন, বহুমূখী এবং কয়েকটি প্রজেক্ট চালিত সফল এবং স্বার্থক প্রতিষ্ঠান ধারার প্রতিষ্ঠা হিসাবে। কিন্তু না,  উনার নিকট এটা গর্বের বিষয় ছিলোনা। তিনি গর্বের জায়গা…

I have been working as a facilitator with Jeevika for about 11 years now. I come from a small village in South 24-Parganas, where I have seen both light and darkness—literally and metaphorically.

There is a club in our village, “SAMALI KALITALA SPORTING CLUB,” and about five years ago, it became a place where some boys from our neighbourhood—and many…

The SALT CLCP method (Community Life Skills Process), which is based on support, appreciation, listening-learning and transfer, can be closely related to the core concepts of power, influence and trust discussed in the course. This process is designed to enable communities to take ownership of their challenges and solutions, which is consistent with the principles of trust-building, relational power and leadership adaptability.

I want to share with you what I am…