2. Social Integration and Inclusion of Ultra-poor households:
An Analytical Study on 30 Char-based Unions of Sirajganj District
Study Published in:
June 2015
Researcher:
1. Shankor Paul, Lead Researcher
2. Abu Sharif Md. Mahbub-E-Kibria, Research Associate
3. Muzammel Haque, Research Associate
Funded by:
EIDHR Programme of the European Union
Produced by:
Concern Universal, Bangladesh (CUB)
Manab Mukti Sangstha (MMS)
ISBN: 978-984-33-9509-2
This study was undertaken by Concern Universal-Bangladesh in collaboration with
Manab Mukti Sangstha (MMS) as integral component of the “Promoting Rights and
Accessibility of the ultra-poor in char-land areas through Democratic Local
Governance (PRADG)” project, in an attempt to explore information on the social
integration and inclusion of the ultra-poor households in Char-land areas and its
success to make them self-reliant.
The research team is grateful to all selected ultra-poor HHs and project team members
who provided their time and valuable information for successful completion of this
study.
For Further information, please contact:
Shankor Paul
Head, Human Rights Unit
Concern Universal, Bangladesh
House-8 (4-5th floor), Road-28, Block-K, Banani
Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh, Tel: +880-2-9855296 (108)
E-mail: shankor.paul@concern-universal.org
Website: www.concern-universal.org
Disclaimer: The Book has been developed with the financial assistance of the
European Union. And, the views or opinion herein does not endorsed by
the European Union.
3. Table of Contents
SL. Title Page No.
Chapter 1. Introduction 02
1.1. Background of the study 02
1.2. Objectives 03
1.3. Scope of the study 04
1.4. Methods 04
1.5. The study area 05
Chapter 2. Social Integration 07
2.1. Social integration to self-reliance 08
2.2. Initiated process and approach
of social integration 09
2.3. Social integration of ultra-poor households 12
2.4. Building self-reliance of the ultra-poor 16
households
Chapter 3. Impact of Social Integration 20
3.1. Economic transformation 20
3.2. Social transformation 24
3.3. Changing of ultra-poor people’s lives 26
(by linkage support)
Chapter 4. Conclusion and Findings 33
4.1. Field study findings 33
4.2. Conclusion 35
References 37
4. SL. Title Page No.
List of Table
SL. Title Page No.
1 Design of the study 04
2 Self-reliance made up by three social components 08
3 Steps to become self-reliant by social integration 10
4 Importance of social integration for self-reliance 12
5 Linked support services of the UPs 13
6 Linked ultra-poor HHs with relief and rehabilitation 14
supports of different organizations
7 Linked ultra-poor HHs with NGO programes 15
8 Status of community based interactive events 16
9 Transformation of utra-poor households 18
10 Nature of supports gain by the ultra-poor households 20
11 Status of socil integrtion of the ultra-poor households 21
12 Incresing status of people’s complaints to UPs 28
List of Figure
List of Abbreviation
BDT Bangladesh Taka
CSAG Civil Society Action Group
CUB Concern Universal Bangladesh
HHs Households
LGI Local Government Institution
MMS Manab Mukti Sanstha
NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations
GOs Governmental Organizations
UP Union Parishad
UPG Ultra Poor Group
VGD Vulnerable Group Development
VGF Vulnerable Group Feeding
05
26
27
28
Study area
Changes in the level of awareness on rights and
accessible local services
Service seeking from the local government institutions
Service seeking from the thana health complex
1
2
3
4
5. Strengthening inclusion involves supporting ultra-poor groups and targeted
ultra-poor HHs to develop ways and means to give effect to social
integration. It is fact that Char-land areas are very isolated underprivileged
and completely detached from the development flow in context of
Bangladesh. The situation strongly exists in Char-land areas of Sirajganj
district where more than 30% people are defined as “ultra- poor people”.
Majority of them are functionally excluded from their basic rights and
minimum access to local services and justice system. Considering the
situation, the PRADG project introduced a numbers of ultra-poor centered
actions in 30 Char-based Unions of Sirajganj district to link the ultra-poor
HHs with existing local services (Government and NGOs) so that they can
live with rights and respect in the society. The study aims to understand the
ways of social integration and changes materialized in lives and livelihoods
of the 28,000 ultra-poor HHs in selected char-land areas of Sirajganj
district. The information related to process of social reintegration and
building self-reliance of 28,000 ultra-poor households’ that made changes
in their lives and livelihoods was collected through application of both
qualitative and quantitative methods. The findings revealed that out of
28,000 HHs, 16,019 HHs are being linked with existing services to make
them socially and economically self-reliant. The linkages options were
basically: IGA programs of the NGOs, LGI schemes, skills support of
relevant Government departments and cash grants support (under the
humanitarian assistance). With success of these linkage support, 6100
HHs are being economically independent and remaining 9919 HHs are in
the process to be economically independent. Though support options are
very limited, these have made significant contribution to uplifting of
ultra-poor HHs to lead their lives with respect.
ABSTRACT
7.
In Bangladesh, Char land is very isolated; underprivileged and completely
detached from the development flow, where the ultra-poor people living at
risk of human rights violations and inaccessibility to justice and local
services. It is estimated that more than 30% of population in Char lands are
defined as ultra-poor, who are functionally excluded from basic services,
rights opportunities (as citizen) and minimum access to justice system.
Even, they don’t have access to minimum welfare services of the
government (i.e. formal education, health care, legal, social safety net,
electricity) that excluded them from the mainstream of development. This
segment of population is often struggling to survive rather claiming their
rights and entitlement to be part of mainstream development. The
government of Bangladesh has constitutional obligations, and is extended
with ratification of most of the UN conventions to promote people’s rights
and accessibility, which is essential to reach the targets of MDGs by 2015.
As response, the Government has introduced a numbers of institutional
supports and services that mostly visible in mainland areas that often
depriving the people of Char lands areas of Bangladesh. A small section of
ultra-poor population in Char-land areas are being linked with support
schemes of the LGIs and development assistance of local NGOs, which is
functionally insufficient comparing to needs in Char-land areas. In spite of
that ultra-poor people in Char-land areas are trying to utilize their own skills
and minimum external supports to be economically self-reliant.
The ground realities revealed that socio-economic exclusion of Cha-land
population, particularly ultra-poor groups explores a numbers of
development challenges for Bangladesh to reach the MDG targets.
Considering that the PRADG (Promoting Rights and Accessibility of the
Ultra-poor in Char-land areas through Democratic Local Governance)
C h a p t e r
one INTRODUCTION
1
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
2
"Peace Dialogue." UN News Center. UN, n.d Web. 02 Jan. 2015.1
8. project strategically focused on ultra-poor population in 30 Char-based
Unions of Sirajganj district to uphold their rights and accessibility to local
services so that they can be part of mainstream development. The project
targeted 28,000 ultra-poor households (that comprises 154,000 people) to
include them in the existing local supports and services, and guide them to
use their own skills and support services efficiently.
As part of this initiative, Manab Mukti Sangstha (MMS) and Concern
Universal-Bangladesh (CUB) have taken a joint action plan to provide direct
skills and alternative input support to 300 most vulnerable households so that
they can recover from their existing socio-economic vulnerabilities and being
able to lead a normal life with dignity. Besides, there was an initiative taken by
both organizations to link the remaining ultra-poor households (27,700 HHs)
with existing support services of the government agencies, such as: UPs,
Social Welfare Department, Youth Development department, Agriculture
department etc. and local NGOs. As of April 2015, the joint initiatives of MMS
and CUB successfully linked 16,019 ultra-poor HHs with government and
NGO led support services. In addition to that 900 ultra-poor people are being
linked with the platform of UPG (Ultra-Poor Group) and 294 ultra-poor leaders
are being linked with UP-standing committees that enable them to raise their
needs and concerns in different platforms for their own development.
With a view to understand the process and performances of the ultra-poor
households, the PRADG project has taken an initiative to conduct a study on
“social integration and inclusion of ultra-poor households” in 30 selected
Char-based Unions of Sirajganj district. The study is focused on changes in
lives of the ultra-poor households through the process of social integration
and inclusion under the PRADG project.
The overall objective of this study is to explore the social reintegration and
inclusion processes that taken under the PRADG project and its success to
make the ultra-poor household self-reliant in Char-land areas of Sirajganj
district. This will be done by:
• Analyzing the processes and actions taken for integration and inclusion
of ultra-poor households under the PRADG project;
• Analyzing the success and impact of social integration and inclusion in
advancing lives of the ultra-poor households;
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
3
9. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
4
• Analyzing the status of ultra-poor households to be self-reliant in
char-land areas.
The main focus of this study is to analyze the success and impact of social
integration and inclusion of ultra-poor household to different support
services and development actions in 30 char-based Unions of Sirajganj
district. For this, the study has special attention to extract information on
the process and actions that support social integration and inclusion of the
ultra-poor households. This also focuses on their own potentials and future
opportunities that can be a resourceful means for advancing
socio-economic self-reliant of the ultra-poor household. And, finally the
study strategically searches people’s opinions and perception to
understand their satisfaction on the integration and inclusion process that
taken under the PRADG project.
The study is carried out with both qualitative and quantitative nature of
information. The required data/information was collected from both primary
and secondary sources to analyze the integration process and its impact
on people in Char-land areas of Sirajganj district. Diverse qualitative
methods were applied to gather primary information in order to define the
existing programs and practices in the government agencies and NGOs.
The relevant documents were reviewed to collect necessary information on
present condition, livelihood activities and sustainability of earnings under
the linkage mechanisms. The overall methodological design of this study is
as follows:
Figure-1: Design of the study
Social Integration and Inclusion
of Ultra-poor households
Primary information Secondary information
Individual
interview FGD
Case
Study
Review of
Document
Review of the
VCA, 2006
10. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
5
The study covers implementation areas of PRADG project that includes 30
Char-based Unions of Sirajganj district. These are as follows:
Table-1: Study Area
District Upazila Name of Union Parishads
Sirajganj
S. Sadar
Chauhali
Shahjadpur
Belkuchi
Kazipur
Mesra, Kawahhola and Ratankandi
Ghorjan, Sthal, Omorpur, Sadia-Chandpur,
Bagutia, Khaskawlia and Khaspukuria.
Khukni, Jalalpur, Potajia, Gala, Sonatoni,
Habibullahnagar, Betoil and Porzona.
Belkuchi, Baradhul and Rajapur.
Natoarpara, Chargirish, Khasrajbari, Tekani,
Nischintapur, Maizbari, Sovogacha and
Kazipur.
12. 2
C h a p t e r
twoSOCIAL INTEGRATION
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
7
The World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995 strongly
refers the needs of an inclusive society as:
“A society for all’, in which every individual, each with rights and
responsibilities, has an active role to play (United Nations, 1995, para 66)’’.
The inclusive society is equipped with equal opportunities that
accommodate diversity, and facilitate/enable people’s active participation
in their political, economic and social lives. In this sense, social integration
is very important to make sure equitable development for all.
Social Integration can be seen as a dynamic and principled process where
all members participate in dialogue to achieve and maintain peaceful social
relations. Social integration does not mean coerced assimilation or forced
integration. As definition of social integration UN Social Summit, 1995
focused on the need to move toward a safe, stable and just society by
forming and mending conditions of social disintegration - social
fragmentation, exclusion and polarization; and by expanding and
strengthening conditions of social integration - towards peaceful social
relations of coexistence, collaboration and cohesion . Basically social
integration is about making societies more equitable. It requires actions to
renegotiate and redefine existing social contracts which define the rights
and responsibilities of citizens, states and the private sector. Social
integration can be defined as the process of promoting the values, relations
and institutions that enable all people to participate in social, economic and
political life on the basis of equality of rights and opportunity, equity and
dignity. Social integration describes the process of building institutions that
promote a society for all on the principles of social justice.
With such notion, the PRADG project took actions to integrate a section of
ultra-poor people in Char-land areas of Sirajganj district to engage them in
various interactive platforms so that they can feel as integral part of society
."PeaceDialogue." UN News Center.UN, n.d Web. 02 Jan. 2015.2
13. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
8
and can use their own potentials to lead a life with respect. It is fact that
ultra-poor people in Char-land areas are geographically or socially isolated
that makes their life difficult to participate in the interactive social events
and economic activities to gain the benefits of development. The poorest
tend to prioritize their immediate needs over longer-term investments,
which complicate efforts aimed at sustainable development (Zunzunegui et
al., 2015). But there are several reasons to focus on the needs of the
ultra-poor people despite these significant challenges to being self-reliant.
The Interweave model builds on the inter-relationship of three key life
areas- Business, Home and Community. When the strengths of these three
spheres come together, every circle is made stronger through knowledge
and skills, and people achieve the social and economic self-reliance
essential to growth.
The most promising strategies to put ultra-poor households on a path
toward sustainability are multi-disciplinary, combining the strengths of
different poverty-alleviation interventions. The CGAP-Ford Foundation
Graduation Program combines elements of three distinct approaches:
social protection, livelihoods development, and financial inclusion - to
move such households out of extreme poverty and into sustainable
livelihoods. In combination, these interventions have a dynamic and
beneficial interplay such that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
BUSINESS HOME
COMMUNITY
SELF-
RELIANCE
Figure 2: Self-reliance made up by three Social Components
14. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
9
Therefore, there is a strong links between social integration and
self-reliance because economic integration of ultra-poor households with
added skills and supports has a significant role in changing their economic
status to lead an independent life. And an economically independent life of
an ultra-poor household is essential for making equality in enjoying the
benefits of development.
Social integration is very important for ultra-poor poor households in
Char-land areas, who are socially and economically excluded from the
benefits of development. According to Census data 2011, the selected
areas (five upazilas: Sadar, Kazipur, Shahjadpur, Belkuchi and Chowhali)
of PRADG project contains total 433,007 households and off them 201,998
households (47%) lives in Char-land areas. Off them, the project defined
50,495 households as ultra-poor households in consultation with local
community, who were in struggle to manage minimum survival needs to
lead their lives. And finally, the project targeted 28,000 ultra-poor
households to links them with existing skills and support mechanisms so
that they can be part of regular earning to be self-reliant in the society.
It is fact that there is a moral case to be made for serving the most
vulnerable first, simply because by definition their need is the most urgent.
Second, the poorest are also likely to benefit the most from any positive
change: “Going from one meal a day to two is arguably more important to
a household than going from two to three meals”. Third, evidence shows
that when given the opportunity, the poorest tend to increase their
household’s food consumption first, a decision with major positive
implications since child malnutrition in particular has many long-term
negative consequences. The combined effect of these adverse
consequences in India, Pakistan and Vietnam has been estimated to
reduce gross domestic product by 2 to 4 percent per year not to mention
the toll in human suffering. The extreme poor in char-lands areas are also
less likely to obtain adequate schooling for their children, consigning them
to a lifetime of lower earnings and reinforcing the intergenerational cycle of
extreme poverty. Recent behavioral research also suggests that unless
their immediate consumption needs are addressed, poor people make
3
4
5
The Poverty Paradox. New York: Trickle Up, Monthly Development, September, 2012 by Jo. Sanson.3
FAO 2012 report quoted in “For Protection and Promotion” page 14.4
Hoddinott and Quisumbing (2003) in “For Protection and Promotion” page 15.5
15. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
10
suboptimal economic decisions because of distraction due to stress, and a
“tunneling” syndrome which limits their ability to focus on anything beyond
the next imminent crisis. There is realistic hope now for interventions to
combat even the most extreme forms of poverty.
In such a context of extreme poor households, the project initially defined
the potentials and opportunities, which is suitable, easy accessible and add
values in family income. Based on that status, the following steps were
taken to improve live and livelihood of the selected ultra-poor households:
Step-1: Selection of potential individuals from targeted ultra-poor HHs
through consultation and validation, and defining the locally available skills
and support options for income;
Step-2: Linking of potential individuals of the ultra-poor household with
locally accessible skills and support options (provided by GO-NGO);
Microcredit Summit Campaign. 2012. Interview with Eldar Shafir: The Psychology of Scarcity.
The State of the Campaign Report.
Figure 3: Steps to become self-reliant by social integration
Socially and
Economically
Self-reliant
Ultra-Poor
HHs
Promoting
self earning
Social
Integration
with skills
and supports
6
6
16. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
11
Step-3: Regular interactions potential individuals of the ultra-poor
household for best utilization of their gained skills and supports and assess
their performance.
There was a common goal of this process is to make the potential
ultra-poor households socially and economically self-reliant. It is expected
that if any potential individual of the ultra-poor household gain skills and
supports from the local service institutions (Government and NGOs), and
have desires to utilize it for generating family income, this will definitely
contribute to make them economically self-reliant. In addition to that the
engagement of ultra-poor people in the process of regular social
interactions and events has a positive impact on their social life to stay with
dignity and respect in the society. Therefore, the shifting of extreme poor
households into self-reliant households is not only contributory to
improving ultra-poor people live and dignity in char-land areas but also has
a reflection of achievement of the MDG-1 target by 2015 and vision 2021
of the Government of Bangladesh.
As successful one: a potential individual of ultra-poor household named
Mrs. Rina Akter has successfully utilized her gained skills and support (that
she gained under the linkage support) and replaced her as a main earning
member in her family. The ways of her changes in live are shows below:
17. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
12
A numbers of support options have identified through consultation with
multiple actors in char-land areas of Sirajganj district. These support
options were made accessible to a section of potential individuals of the
ultra-poor households for making them socially and economically
self-reliant. The support options were as follows:
1) Support services of the Union Parishad (UP);
2) Support services of different departments of the Government;
3) Support of the relief and rehabilitation initiatives of different
NGOs/INGOs/UN agencies;
4) Support services of the NGO programs
Figure 4: Importance of social integration for self-reliance
- Rina Akter is struggling
survive with her five
children
- Her husband , a fisherman
has no regular earning.
- Earning day's gains
200/300 tk per day
- Not enough to fulfill
minimum survival needs
- She is engaged as UPG
member (ID no. 658) with
PRADG activities
- She listed as potential
member of ultra-poor HHs
for linkage support.
- She gained skills and cash
support (500 TK) as part of
rehabilitation support (by
ACF)
- She bought 2 goats by
3000 TK and fishing net by
2000 TK.
- After year-1, she gained
profit by selling of two
goats and bought a cow
- She is now earning by
selling cow milk.
- Her husband also added
income with fishing nets
- Her children are now going
regrlarly to school
- She is now feeling happy
for her changes live.
18. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
13
The Union Parishads have played an important role to extend their support
services to selected individuals of the ultra-poor households. The project
strongly maintained close coordination and liaison with the representatives
of 30 Union Parishads to validate the list of ultra-poor individuals so that
they can be part of the UP support services. The process started from the
beginning and as success, total 3927 individuals of the 3927 ultra-poor
households gained the benefits of VGD, Old age allowance, widow
allowance and 40 days works.
A numbers of Government institutions, which have direct working
provisions for the people are being involved with the ultra-poor people
centered service deliveries. The project team took that options and
successfully linked 2530 households with support services of the
Government institutions, particularly the Social Welfare department and
Agriculture departments. Under the support schemes of mentioned two
departments, the selected ultra-poor HHs received allowances (i.e. old age
Figure-5: Linked support services of the UPs
VGD
2307 HHs
Old age
allowance
468 HHs
Widow
allowance
562 HHs
40-days
work
574 HHs
LGSP
16 HHs
Linked support services of the UPs
19. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
14
widow and disables) and agricultural support (with agriculture cards)
accordingly. The received support has made significant contribution to fulfill
their survival needs.
A section of ultra-poor households, who were struggling to survive in flood
situation in 2014 linked with the relief and rehabilitation support services of
different NGOs/INGOs/UN agencies. As part of this support, total 2735
ultra-poor households were able to re-start their normal lives after flood
emergency situation (figure-6).
Support of the Government Department Number of recipient
Social Welfare Department 63
Agriculture Department (Agriculture Cards) 2467
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
251 HHs
152 HHs
1331 HHs
204 HHs
139HHs 173 HHs
485 HHs
R
elief support of the
W
FP
R
elief support of the
Save...
R
elief support of the
G
oB
R
elief support of the...
R
elief support of the
O
xfam
R
elief support of the
C
W
W
R
ehabitation
support of
Figure-6: Linked ultra-poor HHs with relief and rehabilitation supports
of different organizations
20.
The local NGOs, particularly MMS and NDP is played important role in
linking ultra-poor households with their skills and support services under
the different development programs. The study defied that total 6827
ultra-poor households are being linked with the skills and support services
of the MMS and NDP (two local NGOs in selected char-land areas). Off
them, total 6602 ultra-poor HHs linked with the MMS program and
remaining 225 HHs linked with NDP programs where the individuals of the
selected HHs gains livelihood skills and initial support to start up their
economic process to be self-reliant (figure-7).
Social integration process of the ultra-poor households also included a set
of community-based interactive events to share information and
individual’s experiences. The PRADG project successfully organized 2468
interactive events by engaging ultra-poor group (UPG) in the char-based
communities to aware and mobilizes the char people on social issues to
uphold ultra-poor people’s confidence and leadership in the society
(figure-8).
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
15
Figure-7: Linked ultra-poor HHs with NGO programs
Skills and
supports
through the
NDP
program; 225
HHs
Skills and
Supports
through the
MMS
program;
6602 HHs
Skills and
supports
through the
PRADG
project;
300 HHs
Skills and Supports through NGO programs
21. The interactive process of building leadership of ultra-poor people in
char-land areas has made significant changes in the status of claiming
services from the local service institutions. The baseline status denoted
that only 14.3% ultra-poor people have information on local accessible
services that transformed into 57% as success of these community-based
interactive events. There is an important example that the leadership
building process successfully added 244 ultra-poor groups and civil society
action groups members in the UP standing committees. There is a
generalize ideas that without attention on confidence and leadership
building of the ultra-poor groups, social integration process will never be
sustainable. From this point of view, the project introduced that processes
in the char-based communities so that they can realize their own problems,
needs and priorities to shape their own futures.
The word “self-reliance” is an aggregate term which may mean for the
ultra-poor people, having confidence and ability to use their own potentials
and skills for ensuring a decent living standard for his/her, for children and
for all members in the household. It is a process of change in the social and
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
16
Figure-8: Status of community-based interactive events
Courtyard
meeting (for
women and
girls); 1671
Tea Stall
session (for
male and
youth); 557
Cultural
events; 30
Coordination
events of
UPGs ; 60 Coordination
events of
CSAGs; 150
Community-based interactive events on Rights
and Accessibility Issues
22. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
17
economic lives of the ultra-poor households. From this point of view, the
discussion ultra-poor people in char-land areas reveals that initially, a
section potential individual of the ultra-poor households were engaged in
the UPG (Ultra-Poor Group) who take the lead in transforming knowledge
and information about their rights and accessible services to ultra-poor
households in the communities. They were actively involved in maintaining
coordination with other UPG and CSAG group members in the community
to share and exchange their learning and experiences. The group
approach in transformation of knowledge, skills and information has been
created a space for ultra-poor people that inspire them to make additional
efforts for changing their lives.
During discussion with UPG members in Kazipur, they noticed that-
We are now united that earlier, we regularly discuss about our problems
and decide possible options for solution of such problem. If we failed to find
any solution, we usually communicate with our CSAG members and then
with local UP members to find out a solution. If the problem is related to
inaccessibility to services, we often share it with our CSAG members and
then jointly visit the service institutions and discuss the matter for assuring
easy access to services.
The basic strategy was taken by the UPG for raising confidence of the
ultra-poor people by informing and inserting effective choice to get access
to accessible local services. In this process, UPG acts as driving force for
the ultra-poor people to guide and engage them with local accessible
services and opportunities. It is fact that as vulnerable member of the
ultra-poor households, women got highest preference to link with local
accessible services and it has been observed that 95% of the linked
individuals of the ultra-poor households are women. This has made
significant contribution to uphold income status of the ultra-poor families.
The overall observation and findings of discussion with ultra-poor
households reveals that women who gains advanced knowledge, skills and
information as recipient of locally accessible services and support options
are being able to shift their lives from survival to subsistence condition. This
section of engaged ultra-poor, particularly women are being more united,
mobile and confident to claim and get access to institutional services for
improving their lives and respect in the community. The process can be
demonstrated as follows (figure-9):
23. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
18
Linkages with
local services
Potential
ultra-poor
Motivation
and selection
Provide knowledge and information
Improved self-confidence
for utilization of skills and
supports
Participate in
local interactions
Enable to
seek justice
Enable to claim rights
and entitled services
Generate better
earning
Better social
respect
Improved
lives
Figure-9: Transformation of ultra-poor households
25. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
20
The impact of social integration has been measured by analyzing
perception of ultra-poor people in char-land areas of Sirajganj district. The
process included a cross-section of ultra-poor individuals, who gains skills
and support services with the efforts of the PRADG project. The finding
demonstrates a set of changes in lives and respect of ultra-poor
households as an impact of social integration.
The selected ultra-poor people in most of the study sites informed that their
engagement with local services and facilities have been increased during
last two years. There is couple of factors that collectively contributed to
bring a significant numbers of ultra-poor people, particularly women into
alternative skills and support options, who were formerly struggle to survive
with minimum standard. The important factors are survival support, skills
enhancement through training, motivation and awareness, and
engagement with local services and support options. The survival support,
skill enhancement and linkage building as a combine efforts played
significant role as spin-off effect on other ultra-poor people in char-land
areas who left out of active participation in receiving local services and
support options, as observed in the field.
C h a p t e r
three IMPACT OF SOCIAL INTEGRATION
Figure-10: Nature of supports gain by the ultra-poor households
Survival
support
6725 HHs
Skills and
support
services
9594 HHs
Nature of supports gains by the ultra-poor
26. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
21
It has been observed that the ultra-poor people, who linked with survival
supports, such as VDG, Old age allowance, widow allowances, 40-days
works and other welfare supports enables to cope with their survival
situation. According to status of the PRADG project, total 6725 ultra-poor
HHs gains survival support and very little numbers of them able to
transform their situation as self-reliant household.
On the other hand, the ultra-poor people, who linked with skills and support
services, such as: training and inputs supports (for utilization of skills)
enables to overcome their initial situation. According to status of the
PRADG project, total 9594 ultra-poor households gain skills and inputs
support through different service institutions/organizations in char-land
areas, and off them a large section are being able to change their initial
situation (figure-11).
6445 HHs
Become economically
self-relient
On the process to be
economically self-relient
Still surviving
Become economically self-relient
On the process to be economically self-relient
Still surviving
2445 HHs
7459 HHs
Status of social integration of the
ultra-poor households
Figure-11: Status of social integration of the ultra-poor HHs
27. It is encouraging to see that a section of potential ultra-poor women who
gains initial skills support are able to utilize their skills potentially in
agriculture, small business and livestock rearing (cow, goats etc.) activities.
A small section of ultra-poor households also gains flexible micro-credit
support to start-up their economic activities. As earlier it was noticed that
about 95% of skills and support recipients are women and it is observed
that a large section of them are recognized` as earning member in their
households. They now perceive themselves as potential member of the
households rather staying as depended member. They realize that they are
benefited from the engagement in the skills and support services to meet
their need. The change process has a reflection in the following areas:
• Service seeking from local service institutions (service related to
health, education, welfare and protection)
• Increase of mobility and income;
• Sharing of information and skills to others;
• Reducing of social problems.
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
22
28. As potential engagement of ultra-poor people contributes to uphold their
confidence, mobility and income, they gains some control to use the
income for betterment of their households. It has been observed that some
women led household’s forces their girls to work in other’s house as day
laborer rather sending them to school. But due to their engagement with
income, they now prefer to send to children, particularly girls to schools.
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
23
“Hafiza’s felicity”
Hafiza was born in Jagannathpur village of Bera thana in Sirajgonj District. Her
father is poor farmer and day laborer. She has six sisters and one brother. She is
the 5th among her siblings. Due to poverty she could not study in school. They
used to live under extreme poverty. She
always dreamt to get job and have happy
family after completing her study like
other village girls but poverty took away
all her dreams too far off.
Hafiza got married with Abul Kalam Azad
of Omarpur village of Chauhali Upazila in
only 14 years of age. She thought she
would be happy in her conjugal life but
did not. After one year of marriage she
gave birth of one child and afterwards
became a mother of three girls and two
boys. Being a day laborer, her husband did not have enough income to bear such
a big family mouth full and thus they were living their lives sometimes with
half-eaten and sometimes without any food.
At the end of 2013, Hafiza’s husband was nominated as president of the
Ultra-Poor Groups (UPG) under the PRADG project and then he regularly
participated in various interactive events. But unfortunately he became sick and
paralyzed that forced Hafiza to work as a labor to fulfill the needs of her children.
She started with cutting work and sent her two young girls to work in others
houses for fulfilling the survival needs.
In the following flood Hafiza’s house washed away completely; she took shelter to
her brother’s house. Realizing her vulnerable situation, the project team linked her
with humanitarian support of the NGOs. Here she got 2500 BDT as a flood victim.
With a portion of that money she repairs her house and remaining portion she
uses for cultivating vegetables in her homestead areas. Now she is able to sell
vegetables regularly and earn around 600/700 BDT per week, and bears all
expenses of medicine for husband and other needs of children. “I am more happy
now than my past miserable days”- Said Hafiza.
29.
A crucial indicator for measuring social transformation of the ultra-poor
people is their level of involvement in social interactions and decisions
making. This space has traditionally been thought as involvement of rich
and powerful people in char-land areas. Active participation of ultra-poor
people (men and women) in the community-based interactive events
explores an opportunity for them to gain necessary knowledge and
information about their rights and entitlements issues that upholds their
confidence to claim and seek services.
During study, it has been observed that a large section of ultra-poor women
and men participating in the community-based meetings and coordination
events under the leading role of UPG where they sharing and exchange
information on social problems and issues to overcome in context of
char-land areas. It is also defined that 900 ultra-poor men and women are
being engaged as ultra-poor group (UPG) leaders in the community and off
them 94 leaders included in the UP standing committees. It refers that
added confidence that gains through different interactive events encourage
or inspire them to be part of decision-making process in public spheres.
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
24
- Mrs. Arzina Khatun got 14 days trainning from YDD
- YDD gave her 20,000 tk after training then she buys a cow
- She thanked PRADG FO to help for the linkage with YDD
- Mr. Helal Mia is an extremely poor day laborer from Bagutia
- During flood he got 6000 tk relief pacage from CUB & MMS
- He expressed his gratitude to PRADG project's social linkage
- Mrs. Kamela Khatun a poor woman lost her husband too early
- WFP gave her 9000 tk to build house and to buy cattle by it
- Kamela heartily thanked PRADG staffs to link her with WFP
- Mr. Zorej Ali is very old landless farmer works to others field
- From ACF project he got 5000 tk and then bought two goat
- He is very happy now and thanked PRADG for social integration
30. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
25
During discussion with a UPG in Shajadpur areas, they strongly noticed
that:
During discussion with ultra-poor people (men and women), they pointed
out that-
As response a women notices that if I participate in a meeting and return in
late to my home, my husband usually take it positively. I often share all
kinds of information with husband that I gain though the meeting. A
reflection of mutual understanding between men and women is observed in
the char communities that generates through their joint participation in the
interactive events.
We are now participating in the local planning and budgetary
process of the UPs but they never invited earlier to be part of this.
We are also visiting local service institutions to monitor the quality
and accessibility of the ultra-poor people to their services. This
kind of action has made a massive change in the mind set and
behavior of the officials of the service institutions to serve the
ultra-poor people in char-land areas.
Due to increase of women’s contribution to family income, men
members are now change their traditional behavior towards
women in the family as well as communities.
31. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
26
3.3. Changing of ultra-poor people’s lives (by linkage support)
I. Increase awareness of ultra-poor people
According to opinion and feedback of ultra-poor leaders in char land areas,
they are now well informed about their rights and entitled services issues.
A section of women noticed that:
When we asked a section of ultra-poor people (N=100 people) to define the
changes in your level of awareness in line with scale: 1-10, their answers
were as follows:
Table-2: Changes in the level of awareness on rights and accessible local
services
Component of social
transformation
Chowhali Belkuchi Kazipur
2 years
back
Now 2 years
back
Now 2 years
back
Now
Awareness on rights
and accessible local
services
2.7 5.4 3.3 6.1 2.9 5.8
Reasons for change • Participating in community-based interactive events
• Increase of mobility
• More support of the UPG and CSAG leaders
• The role of NGO workers and media (TV channel)
Limiting factors • Limited involvement of ultra-poor people in social interactions
• Limited interest to hear and uses of new information
“We know about the locally available service institutions and ways
to seek their services, and we are often visiting our required
service institutions (i.e. Union Parishad, Thana health complex)
but the response is still not like our expectation”.
32. II. Changes in service seeking behavior
There is a change observed in the service seeking behavior of the
ultra-poor people in char land areas. The change is assessed through
analyzing response/opinion of 100 ultra-poor people in chowhali, belkuhi
and kazipur areas (with scale 1-10) that reveals the following findings:
Table-3: Service seeking from the local government institutions
Note: The responded were asked to score on a scale (1-10), and the
average response is shown in the table.
The status strongly notices the changes in the attitude of the ultra-poor
people to seek services from the local service institutions.
The study also defined it in analyzing people’s reported complaints to UP
led village courts for seeking justice. According to UP information, UP
recorded total 47 complaints during first 8 months (May to Dec. 2013) that
increased to 93 complaints during next 6 months (Jan. to June 2014) and
then it is turned into 347 complaints during July’14 to Feb. 2015. The
increase of people’s complaints reporting clearly refers a changing
behavior of char people in seeking services.
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
27
•
•
•
•
•
•
Component of social
transformation
Chowhali Belkuchi Kazipur
2 years
back
Now 2 years
back
Now 2 years
back
Now
Service seeking from
local government
institutions
3.5 6.2 6.5 3.8 6.3
Reasons for change Gaining of information on the services of Union Parishads
Increase of engagement in the UP planning and budgetary process
Increase of mobility
More support of the UPG and CSAG leaders
Increase of support of the NGO field workers
Limiting factors Long distance and limited hope for assuring support services
3.7
33. The information of service recipient from the five Thana health complexes
reveals that 657 people received services during firs 14 months (May 2013
to June 2014) that increased to 1107 people during last 8 months (Jan. to
Aug. 2015), which is about two times higher than initial one.
III. Advancing self-confidence and economic independence
It is fact that the linkage support has made significant contribution in the
lives of a section of ultra-poor people to uphold their self-confidence and
transformed them into a person with economic independence. According
to information, total 16,019 potential individuals from the 16019
households were linked with different support services of the government
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
28
SL Thana Health Complex Recorded service recipient
(first 14 months)
Recorded service recipient
(last 8 months)
Table-4: Service seeking from the Thana Health Complex
1. Shahjadpur 208 344
2. S.Sadar 149 61
3. Belkuchi 107 449
4. Kazipur 100 253
5. Chowhali 93 -
657 1107
Figure-12: Increasing status of people’s complaints to UPs
May to Dec.
2013
47
Jan. to June
2014
93
July 2014 to
Feb. 2015
347
Increasing status of people's complaints to UPs
34. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
31
Mrs. Monoara Begum, wife of Mr. Azhar Ali, from Khashshuriber village of Natuapara
union, Kazipur upazila, Siraajgonj District, got married at 14 years of age. Her
husband is a day-laborer with a little income each day. Days passing by and she
gave birth two beautiful child. It looks like happy family but reality is far way
different than it seems. Little income of her husband is not enough to bear all the
expenses of the family; their food, clothes, educational cost and others. This
situation force her to work in others house as a day-laborer too.
In 2013, she was enlisted as an
Ultra-Poor of 9 No. Natuarpa Union
under PRADG Project, jointly
implemented by Concern
Universal, Bangladesh (CUB) and
Manab Mukti Sanstha (MMS),
which is funded by European
Union (EU) .
From then she was attending every
court-yard meeting and gaining
knowledge of social issues as well
as how to become self-reliant
within limited savings. In 2014, by
the help of PRADG project, she got
7000 tk from Concern Worldwide
as a flood victim among many
Ultra-poor families. For her
devotion to become self
depended, she was chosen by
PRADG project to have a training
for six months in Rajsthan of India on Solar Bulb making which was
assisted from M4C (Making Market Works for Chars) project by NDP (National
Development Programme).
After coming back to Bangladesh, she started making Solar Bulbs everyday utilizing
the money which was about 80,000 tk, as her allowance during training. Now she is
very happy with her family members. She heartily thanked PRADG Project to help
her in the integration process to become self-reliant.
36.
The ground information revealed that ultra-poor people are trying hard to
lift their economic and social position in all spheres of their lives in char
land areas. Over the last 2 years, a section of ultra-poor people, particularly
women were able to gain information, skills and support services to change
their initial situation as part of linkage support of the PRADG project. By
using such skills and supports, a section of them are transformed from their
initial condition and leading a live with respect in the community.
However, the following indicators are intended to provide guidance to other
practitioners as they assess the potential for social integration of ultra-poor
households. Each indicator embodies a certain degree of isolation that
must be addressed in future.
C h a p t e r
four CONCLUSION AND FINDINGS
There is observed that a section of ultra-poor households prefers to
continue with their own traditional practices rather gaining
alternatives skills to uphold their family income with a view to break
the barrier of poverty. There is little to no interaction with other
households or income groups. As a result, these households gain
very little exposure to other livelihoods and opportunities to improve
their quality of life. Regarding this, more mobilization events are
required to change the traditional mind set and practices in
char-land areas.
There are a multiple support services schemes of the Government
and NGOs are defined in Bangladesh but it is rarely exist in context
of char-land areas. That’s why the poorest segment of population
who lives in char-land areas is staying out of those support
schemes. There are some schemes that provide subsidized food
security, healthcare, and stable housing. So, the development
actors should inquire about beneficiaries’ knowledge and prior
involvement with such schemes as well as the feasibility of future
involvement to determine whether these could provide any
•
•
Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
33
37. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
34
long-term benefits or not.
The isolation and geographic spread of certain populations make it
difficult for ultra-poor people in Char areas to get fair price for their
goods and agricultural products. If they want to get fair price, they
should have to come to nearest upazilas where they loss the whole
day and expense additional money. Regarding this, ultra-poor
groups may take leading role in searching fair price and assist the
ultra-poor people with available information to get it.
As previously mentioned, it is important to provide members with a
broad array of livelihood options. In the case that one fails,
members should have other alternatives to limit a major negative
shock to their incomes. Diversity of skills also helps to prevent the
cannibalization of each other’s livelihoods in communities that are
so small and removed.
NGOs need to work closely with the government service institutions
to bring their services to ultra-poor people in char-land areas.
Though the PRADG project tried to engage a numbers of
government institutions through organizing a numbers of meetings,
networking events, consultation workshops and monitoring visits of
the services, it is not enough to fulfill the local needs and
requirement. There is required an effective action plan that should
be prepared jointly by the government institutions and the NGOs in
line with the needs and requirements of the ultra-poor people in
char-land areas. This will ensure better access of the ultra-poor
people to services.
Government and NGOs should invest more time and resources to
make the health, education and protection services available and
easy accessible to ultra-poor people in char-land areas. In this
process, local NGO “MMS” and local UPs can play vital role as they
have strong ground existence in char areas of Sirajganj district.
There should be a joint advocacy initiative for allocation of more
budgets (from the budget allocation of national government) in
development of char-land people. In this case, the criteria of
population coverage and collection of tax issues in receiving more
budgetary allocation should be flexible in context of char-land
•
•
•
•
•
38. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
35
This report examines one of the program implementation strategies of
PRADG project from a social development lens, including ultra-poor
Char-HHs and social integration framework. PRADG’s one important
strategy is well designed to suit the livelihoods needs of the poor, and to
reduce their environmental vulnerabilities. The vulnerability to diseases,
and achievement of wider social objectives, hinges on relationships with
the community, and building community based organizations that will carry
the agenda of social development and sustainable livelihoods through
project completion. The sequence of activities must put the community
building activities ahead of delivery of benefits to the targeted households.
Women’s empowerment is to be enhanced both through the provision of
preference inputs, and also through the processes through which the
program benefits are delivered. The preference strategy and approach has
been aligned closely with the program strategy and the linkages for group
and non group entity have both been standardized for PRADG.
The social integration activities of PRADG are impressive, and have been
achieving results in terms of reducing poverty of the extremely poor
char-land HHs. However, the assistance is limited in space and time, being
only for PRADG project time period. Long term social protection measures
through programs like social integrations are elusive, and lie in the public
domain. Given the failure of the government to reach out to geographically
excluded areas such as the chars-land areas, the only way forward is for
CUB and MMS to pilot a few measures which may eventually be scaled up
by the government. Systematized identification and monitoring, from
baseline studies through impact assessments would yield useful lessons.
The approach can be further refined through technical assistance from
resource organizations.
Overall, the analysis in terms of char-HHs and social integration framework
shows that PRADG’s strength importantly lies in enhancing access to
livelihoods assets and services, with relatively high emphasis on creating
voice, influence and agency, and little attention to influencing policies and
areas. Therefore the criteria for budgetary allocation should be
more flexible in char-land-based UPs than plain-land based UPs for
assuring better development of char-people.
39. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
30
Miss. Laboni Akter, daughter
of Mr. Eakub Ali from Potajia union of
Shahjadpur upazila reads in class 8
aged only 13 years. She has dream to be
educated enough to get job in future. But
some village naughty boys obturate her
every day then finally she stopped going
school. As a social responsibility the
CSAG of PRADG project came to know
about her problem. CSAG along with
other elite persons of that village sat
together and resolved the matter. Now
Miss. Laboni free to go to school and free
to fulfill her dream. She thanked PRADG
staff for their integration with social
problem.
Late Sanaullah’s wife Laily Khatun 52 years of age has three
children lives a very poor life as she works for hand to mouth.
Unfortunately 2014 flood washed away her tiny little house became
homeless and helpless in her life. It’s been very difficult for her to feed the
children including herself. At this point PRADG field officer enlisted her as
a Ultra-poor woman and integrated her with WFP’s programme of helping
the helpless. She got 9000 BDT by which she rebuilt her house from
some of the money and bought a Ewe by the rest of the money.
Afterwards the Ewe gave birth calves that brought smile to her face. “I can
never forget the favor done by PRADG staff to integrate me with WFP; it
changed my life”- said Laily.
“Linkage Activity through PRADG Project changed my life”
40. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
29
and NGOs and 38% of them (6115 households) were able to fully utilize
their skills and supports to be economically independent.
During discussion with a section of economic independence households,
they noticed that they are now able to save some portion of their income for
future and continuing to send their children to local schools. They are now
not borrowing money from rich people/local leaders or family relatives and
its added value in their social existence. Some women were found in the
char communities who are advising others to gain alternative skills to use it
for shaping their futures.
Whenever the study team asked the ultra-poor respondents to define
changing context in their lives, the answered the followings:
• No information
about the accessible
support services
• No platforms for
their own problems
in char areas
• No guiding people to
assist in getting
support services
from local
institutions
• Lacking of
self-confidence in
dealing with others
Initial situation Changes Current situation
• Ultra-poor people
have sufficient
knowledge and
information on
accessible local
services
• They have
interactive platforms
as UPG
• CSAG is guiding
them to get support
services
• Regular interactions
with others builds
their self-confidence
• 57% ultra-poor
people have
information on local
accessible services
• 48% ultra-poor
people participates
in interactives
events to gain
self-confidence
• 38% of linked
ultra-poor HHs
becomes
economically
self-reliant
41. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
36
institutions at local level. This needs to be corrected by pushing and
strengthening community based organizations, and by including a range of
advocacy activities and making partnerships, alongside CUB and MMS, to
demand and pressurize the government to provide more and improved
basic services, and better social protection, in the chars-land region.
42. Social In tegration
and Inclusion of
Ultra-poor Households
37
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Programme, Chronic Poverty Research Centre Working Paper
109.
• GOB, 2008. Moving Ahead: National Strategy for Accelerated
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Division, Planning Commission.
• Hoddinott and Quisumbing (2003) in “For Protection and
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• Microcredit Summit Campaign. 2012. Interview with Eldar Shafir:
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• The Poverty Paradox. New York: Trickle Up, Monthly Development,
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