Widow Rehabilitation Brief Demographic and Socio-economic Background Bangladesh is overburdened with a population over 150 millions within its only 147,000 sq km of its territory. Muslims (88%), Hindus (11%), Bouddhas (0.7%), Christians (0.3%) are major regious groups. Per capita income is US $600, literacy rate is 55% and poverty rate is 60% with 35% of the population living under extreme poverty line. Malnutrition, ill-health, poor health infrastructure, natural disaster, social evils like corruption, terrorism, rights violation etc almost characterize the country. Dhaka is a middle region, Khulna is at the south-west, Rangpur at the north-west, Chittagong at the south-east and Sylhet is at the north-east of Bangladesh. Barisal, Khulna and Chittagong regions are frequently affected by natural disasters while Rangpur and Rajshahi regions are constantly affected by acute food and employment crises. Details of the project Under the project, 50 widowed poor and needy women and their families got necessary support for their socio-economic empowerment and poverty alleviation. These supports include: Repaired/newly made tin shed with brick floor, cow for rearing and milking, sewing machine for income generation, tube well for safe drinking water and sanitary latrine for hygienic sanitation system etc. This project implemented by a project team in assistance with local volunteers committees. Purchase of materials done from local markets at competitive prices. Beneficiaries selected through a baseline survey with the local community.

Need/Rationale of the project As a disaster prone poverty stricken country Bangladesh has been experiencing various natural and artificial calamities for last four decades (1971-2011) including war (liberation war-1971), famine (1973-75), cyclone and tidal surge (1970, 1991, Sidr-2007, AILA-2008), devastating flood (1988, 1998, 2004), frequent drought, river erosion, tornado and so on. Various social evils like terrorism, dower, rape, acid throwing, drug addiction and so on have just added fuel to the fire. Women in general and widows in particular are found to be the most vulnerable backward sections of the society and victim of widespread poverty, hunger and all types of natural disasters. The plights of poor widows (and divorcees) know no bounds. Widows are helpless every way: no responsible guardian, no education, no assurance of food, clothing and shelter, and as such, no future. In spite of that they are burdened with and obliged to maintain their respective families comprising orphan boys and girls. This project seeks to reduce this unwanted situation of the widows by giving some supports like means of income generation (fund/cow/sewing machine etc), repair of house, tube-well and sanitary latrine for safe water and sanitation and so on to the poor widows and help them get out of their plights. Purpose of the Project The purpose of the project is to reduce sufferings of the targettted poor widow headed families of Bangladesh by means of providing them with supports like repair/construction of tin shed house, means of income generation like sewing machine and/or milking cow, tube-well and sanitary latrine etc. The project seeks to rehabilitate the widow families socially and economically and pave the way for education and development of their children. Benefits The targeted widows able to earn an income for their family by means of proper use of sewing machine and/or milking cow. The targeted widows and their children live in safe/protected house (tin sheds) repaired/reconstructed under the project. The targeted widows and their children use safe drinking water for drinking and cooking purposes. The targeted widows and their children use hygienic sanitary latrine and be safe from arsenicosis and other water borne diseases. A renewed awareness will develop at community level regarding helping the poor and needy especially the poor and guardianless widows and divorcees. Beneficiaries In total 50 widows and their families brought under service coverage of this project. Total number of community members will be more or less 300.