Having the privilege to visit the Sweeper (Horijon) and River Gypsies (Bede) communities in Tanbazar, Narayanganj, and Sirajdikhan, Munshiganj, I noticed one common factor among both communities. Even though both communities have different lifestyles, they all share a similar cry for action, for they want to improve their living standards. My initial…

As I delved into documenting the lives of the people in Byaspur, a village in Gopalganj, Bangladesh, I found myself struck by a common thread running through their narratives. Each person talked about similar challenges they observed within their community. Yet, what struck me the most was the overwhelming sense of isolation they experienced, as if they were shouldering these burdens alone. It got me thinking: did they realize they weren't in this alone?

Unity emerged as a recurring…

 Today I did salt conversion with my mother. First of all I asked my mother, mother, have you done anything in your life that makes you feel proud. My mother gave birth to you in a very simple way. Isn't that a good thing? He said good work without talking about pride.

From a mother's point of view, nurturing and raising six children is as much a pain as it is a pride.  But what I find proud of in my mother is her cooperative attitude towards others, despite being a simple housewife.…

I am Md. Shahidul Islam, the Executive Director of BRED, leading the organization in humanitarian and development efforts in Bangladesh with the support of multifaceted donors. However, its foundation faced significant struggles, and its journey has been far from easy. Allow me to share with you the narrative of my evolving role in fostering a humanitarian and developmental mindset.

In the year 1998, a devastating flood struck Bangladesh, affecting various districts including Pabna,…

Introduction. Pinoy-C was an informal group of Filipino colleagues and friends started in 2007. During the pandemic, we reconnected through The Constellation, a multi-country organization focused on linking and learning between Asia and Africa.

I had worked with multicultural groups before, but The Constellation felt special - a tight-knit community despite the geographical separation. Our Pinoy-C ties were strengthened through collaborative projects with The…

SALT Project under GFC community leadership ARC initiative when going out to practice Salt conversation, met with a village police.

After sitting for some time, I started having a Salt conversation with him. At the beginning I asked to know about him. He shares with us his duties at the beginning of the talk. He continues to say with…

I had a SALT conversation with my aunt, who is very close to me. I started by       asking how she and her daughter were doing. Then, I inquired if there was any story in her life that she felt particularly proud of. She seemed delighted, as no one had asked her anything like that before. I assured her that she could share her story with me, and I wouldn't tell anyone without her permission.

My aunt married against her family's wishes and has a daughter named Shorna, who is now 23…

Greetings! My name is Razin Mahmud Khan, and I currently hold the position of Junior Coordinator at the After School Program called "School Er Baire Shekha," which operates under the Grow Your Reader Foundation in Jashore, Bangladesh.

I have undergone three SALT training sessions facilitated by Ritu,…

Life often keeps us so busy that we forget to tap into the beautiful minds and hearts of children. But trust me, if we pause for just a moment and really listen, we'll be amazed at what they have to say.

Our two amazing facilitators, Manira Apa and Prokash Bhai conducted a Focus Group Discussion on 10^th March 2024. Picture this: 11 kids,…

At ECDO, our mission revolves around uplifting the most marginalized within ethnic communities, including groups like the Patro community and tea garden laborers. However, we recognize that the concept of community-led initiatives is still relatively new, and many individuals within these communities may not fully grasp their own strengths. It will take time for them to rediscover and harness these strengths effectively.

As an organization, embracing the…

From March 16 to March 20, I had the opportunity to conduct an interview survey of some people from the Dalit community. To listen openly to their own thoughts. When we told them about the interview, they were hesitant at first. They was afraid to say something. But when I and Aashirbad's facilitator, Shantidi were able to convince them that the information…

Char went to conduct an FGD with 10-12 year old children under GFC community leadership ARC initiative affiliated with Salt Project at Char Nakalia. There are many conversations with children while conducting FGDs. They are children but they also want to say something. I asked the children that what kind of problems are there in your area, can you tell me, they answered beautifully, brother, in our area, our sisters get married at a young age. I said why is she giving because it is the…

Putul Rani das.  Vice President of Arshirbad mohila unoyon Samity  I have a very good relationship with him.  she tells me everything about his life.  she says to me he feels peace of mind by saying those words.  I also listen to everything carefully.  But this time I didn't just sit to listen to him.  I was trying to see his inner strength.  For which he has come this far.  Despite being a housewife, she has become different.  She has a twenty-year-old daughter with…

Few months ago, I embarked on a journey to my Dadubari, my grandparent's home, a place filled with cherished memories of winter pitha and summer fruits. This time, however, my visit took on a different purpose. I set out to explore the economic and social landscape of the six communities surrounding my grandparent's abode. Little did I know, my perception of these communities would undergo a significant transformation.…

It was as part of the baseline of the GFC community-led ARC initiative using SALT and CLCP that we sat down with some 9- to 13-year-olds to find out their thinking. The beautiful moments with them inspired me too. I realized some of my wrong decisions and weaknesses at that moment. Which I will never do for the rest of my life. As I often…

I am Shanti Ram Bari President Arshirbad Mohila unnoyon Sommity.  I was accompanied by Sneha Farzana reporting staff.  We had a discussion with some children of Charbeen para  a few days ago.  Who were aged between 13 and 19 years. 

We have not only learned a lot from them, but also observed the strength within them, the indomitable conviction…

Discussions have been going on in villages using SALT for the past couple of years. In this there are discussions with Gram Panchayat, Anganwadi workers, children, women, elderly people. After taking SALT in some families…

Today was one of those rare occasions when a scheduled 45-minute meeting turned into an enriching 100-minute dialogue. It wasn't because of delays or distractions, but rather because Mithun and I found ourselves immersed in a truly profound exchange.

Our SALT conversation began as a routine catch-up, but as we delved deeper, something magical…

আজ আন্তজার্তিক বিশ্ব নারী দিবস২০২৪. সমাজের শিক্ষিত এবং সচেতন নারীরা এ দিবসটি পালন করছে বিভিন্ন ভাবে। আজকে আমিও আর্শিবাদ সংস্থায় পক্ষ থেকে এই দিবসটি পালন করেছি। আমার সাথে যেসব নারীরা ছিল তারা তারা প্রত‍্যকে‍ এক একজন জয়ীতা নারী আমার দৃষ্টিতে। তারা কেউ ফুল বিক্রি করে কেউ সবজি বিক্রি করে কেউ রাস্তা পরিষ্কারের কাজ করে। সমাজে তাদের মূল‍্যায়ন নেই। তবে আমার কথাটা হচ্ছে অন‍্যখানে। আমরা সাধারণত বলি নারীদের এগিয়ে যেতে হবে, তার জন‍্য সুযোগ দিতে হবে। পুরুষের…