1) The document discusses a program implemented by Concern Worldwide to help extreme poor households living on remote river islands (chars) in Bangladesh. 2) The program aims to improve food security, education, health services, and overall living standards for 75,000 people living on chars. 3) Chars face many vulnerabilities like flooding, erosion, lack of services, and poverty. The program forms community groups to advocate for rights and services.

1. Moving towards the Betterment
Leveraging the resources funds through CBOs and local char alliance alliances for ensuring the food
security of the Char dwellers
Char Integrated Programme

2. November, 2013
Prepared by
Ch. Md. Khalid Hussain Ershad
Technical Officer Advocacy, NoJ-ll
Supervised by
Jahirul Huq, Md. Siddique Ali and Mizanur Rahman
Project Coordinator, NoJ-ll, CHE & WaSH
Concern Worldwide
Special thanks to
Md. Jalil, Md. Rezaul Karim, Farid Ahmed Sagar and Younus Ali
Technical Officers of NoJ-ll, CHE & WaSH
Photo
US, SNKS, ASOD and BOSS
Design
NoJ-ll Team
Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Contact
Concern Worldwide
house 15 SW(D), road 7, gulshan 1, dhaka
tel +88 02 881 6923, 881 8009, 881 1469
fax +88 02 8817517
Website: http://www.concern.net

3. Background:
Chars are the highly unstable areas of deposition/accretion within the meanders of the large rivers – they are
essentially new sand or silt islands within the river channels. These islands attract the very poor who do not have
access to other land and have no other opportunity other than risk living somewhere constantly vulnerable to
flooding and erosion. An estimated 6 million people, around 5% of the Bangladeshi population live on the Chars
and. Of the total land area of the country, 5% is Char, which comes to about a total area of approximately 7,200
square kilometers.
Concern Worldwide with support of Irish Aid and Charity Water is currently implementing Char integrated
programme that targets extreme poverty and considers poverty as a complex situation which is root of all kinds of
problems and therefore it has been completely rights based programme. The programme supports the 15,000
extreme poor households on remote island Chars in 24 unions of 10 Upazilas under Chapai Nawabganj, Rajshahi,
Pabna and Lalmonirhat Districts, with a total population of 75,000 including women, children, men and disabled
people. The principle objective of the programme is to enable extreme poor households to move out of extreme
poverty in selected remote island Chars of Bangladesh
The ultimate aim of this programme to tackle are the poor access to resources and food security, quality education
and health services experienced by the Char population when compared to mainland and nationwide indicators.
Vulnerability of the char context:
Char dwellers are with inadequate earning and employment opportunities, being adversely affected by increasing
frequency and intensity of natural disasters, having lower access to government and private services due to
geographical isolation and poor governance. char dwellers do not attend school either due to limited household
resources to fund their education or a lack of school in their locality. Women living in char areas are frequently
denied an equal say in family decision-making and resource allocation, rarely accepted in community decision-
making structures, face illegal practices such as dowry, child marriage, gender based violence and are prevented
from many forms of work and restricted in their movement. Inequality in char areas is higher than mainland areasi
due to the ability of wealthy interest groups to control access to assets, particularly land. Social safety nets,
targeted at the extremes poor, are frequently captured by the non-poor.Char-dwellers also have to deal with
abrupt falls in market prices for agricultural products, physical isolation, and illness. Additionally, boundaries are in
constant flux, and the remoteness and lack of accessibility mean a total lack of health care, sanitation, water and
electricity supplies.
Shifting the power of ownership
SMC, PTA, and CCMG, union standing committees, upazila and district level authority are mandated to be given to
the community and the engagement of all relevant stakeholders especially the local level institutions in the
implementation of the programme activities. These tyres are playing fundamental role in planning,
implementation, supervision and monitoring of the programme interventions and helping to increase community
involvement and ownership. The Community Action Plan (CAP) process endorsed at the ADP Plan that contributes
to the long run sustainability of the program activities. A vital role will be played by the establishment of
community institutions such as Self Help Groups and its Apex Body of CBOs that will represent the interest of the
extreme poor Char dwellers (migrants, day labourers and welfare recipients) and act as vehicles for exercising their
rights to entitlements from government actors such as in agricultural, health, education and livestock services.
Key milestones achieved in NoJ-II, WaSH and CHE
NoJ-ll :
- Started to cultivation at the large land areas by leasing out, rent, share-cropping, contract growing and
accessing common property resources.

4. - Demonstration Plot are established with the support of BINA, DAE for promotion of high value crop
cultivation (groundnuts, carrot, onion, pumpkin, garlic, maize, potato, okra, long beans etc)
- Farmers are enrolled with DAE Trainings and Agricultural service centre and farmer’s field school are
established.
- Initiate groups savings and bank linkage with the commercial banks and financial institutions has built
- Community-level group and private poultry farms, beef fattening, dairy farm, sheep/goat farm etc has
established.
- Allocation of safety net services are increased for the poor char dwellers with support from the local
elected bodies.
- Women’s are being enrolled at the committees of the different institutions like SMC, PTA, UDMC etc and
participate at the decision making process.
- At the CBO level community people developed contingency plan and developed voluntary group and
RRAP to build a safe and resilient society.
Char Health & Education :
- Re-activate and functioning of SMC at the 20 schools at the target project area.
- Active3 Union education standing committee out of 6
- Ensure of school visits by Union standing committee at 1 union level.
- Active 3 Upazila Education Standing Committee to increase allocation of resources and investment from
government.
- Establishment of 1 school with support from DEO at the char area.
- Teacher attendance is ensured at 9 schools out of 20 with technical support from SMC.
- SMC and DPHE has ensured water and sanitation facilities at the 8 schools within the school compound.
- SMC has developed the child friendly atmosphere to resist the corporal punishment at the 20 targeted
schools at the char area.
- For the slow learner and backward students 14 volunteer center is established at the target area where
community people serve as a teachers.
Receiving Safety
net services VGD,
VGF, Old age
allowance, Lactal
mother etc.
12%
Service from
Department of
youth
1%
Agriculture services
21%
Livestock Services
36%
Women right and
empowerment
2%
Employment
opportunities
2%
DRR and climate
change
26%
Advocacy achievements

5. - 6 Community clinic Management group with community Support group are now aware about their roles
and responsibilities and activated MG, CSG at the CC level
- 185 project participants are being included at SMC, PTA, CCMG, CSG.
WaSH :
- Inclusion of the 1080 project participants at the formation of the WaSH committee and they are able to
46%
7%7%
21%
19%
Education Sector
Re-activate and functioning of SMC
Activation of Union education standing committee
Activation Upazila Education Standing Committee
Ensure attendence of irregular teachers
Ensure of water and sanitation facilities at the school compound
3% 1%
2%1%
3%
3%
87%
Health Sector
Activation of CCMG, CSG at
the CC level
Increased no. of community
clinics in chars
Opening bank account by
the CCMG
Activated Upazila health
standing
Increasing of medicine for
the treatment of the Char
dwellers
Ensure the basic training on
role and responsibilities of
CSG and CCMG

6. understand the roles and responsibilities.
- Community contribution is ensuring at the Installation of the120 water point at the project target area.
- Communities are aware on safe water and hygiene and they participated day observance for safe water
and sanitation at the union level.
- A strong linkage has established with Union Parisad WATSAN Standing committee for providing support
like repair, maintenance, follow up and TW installation on demand basis with technical support from
WaSH committee.
- For accountability and transparency at target area regarding the project activities 35 complain box has
established by complain management committee that is regularly exercised.
- Linkage with DPHE, DEO and SMC has established for the safe water and sanitation at the school level.
- Provided contribution at installation of the Latrine and water point at 15 schools at the targeted project
area.
- Student council is being used for the massage of safe water and sanitation at the school level.
- Engagement of the school teachers for taking health and hygiene sessions at the class.
- A mutual understanding has developed with DPHE and CBOs for providing support for arsenic test at the
char area.
- Ensured enrollment of WaSH Committee at care taker trainings provided by DPHE.
Lesson Learnt :
- Initiating the Complaint response mechanism at the community and school level make any one to drop
their comments/suggestions/complaint against the project activities where any can call to the respective
person and place their complaint. Every comments/suggestions/complaint are documented and
responded accordingly by the CMC.
- Rapport building with local government institutions and Upazila administration through periodic sharing
and planning session, increase relationship and supportive attitude among UP and GoB officials which
finally turns into better service delivery and resources allocation to Char.
- Programme participants increased awareness on their rights and entitlement through different sessions;
raised their voices to duty bearers and have started claiming their entitlements such as safety net,
agriculture and livestock services and inputs,
- Sensitizing and joint planning with Union Parishad in order to include CBO members in their different
committees (such as education and health standing committees) for ensuring their participation and
access to available resources and services.
- Facilitated char field visits for local and national journalists; relevant government officials and political
leaders (MPs and Ministers) and members of char alliance aiming to sensitize and engage them in
improving the socio-economic condition of extreme char dwellers.
.
Challenges :
- Frequent changes in government positions (UNO, DC and other officials) at char based Upazila and district
level hinders positive impacts of investment in terms of time and resources for rapport building and
service delivery.
- In current government policy and strategy, there is no provision for separate allocations/budget for chars;
no provision for incentive/hardship allowance and inadequate transport allowance to visit remote char by
government officials. In addition, remote char areas are usually not included by district and upazila
administration in their development plans and committees. To address these gaps, we have been taking
initiatives to sensitize the MPs and relevant ministries/departments to have separate budget allocations
provision for char, allocate budget for government official as incentive and adequate transport allowance
for char visit; inclusion of chars as priority in district and upazila level development plans and committees.
- Unstable char lands that sometimes compelled the households to more permanently and wash away the
livelihoods options. There is a lack of law and order at the char level due to remoteness and absence of
law enforcement agencies. Lack of income option and employment opportunities round the year due to
remoteness and isolation.

7. Glow of Inspiration:
NoJ-ll
“Poverty could be eradicated by using the local resources”- Jaba Mohila Dal
Jaba Mohila dal is a Self Help Group (SHG) of Nodi O Jibon-II project, which is located at Uttar Dauabari char of
Hatibanda Upazilla under Lalmonirhat District. The group is consisted of 21 members from extreme poor family,
among them 6 from the welfare group, 4 members of day laborers and remaining 11 from the long term migrant
category. The group initiated its journey on 21st
November 2011. The office bearers of the group i.e. president,
secretary and cashier elected by direct voting process by the group members. The main objective of the group is to
initiate income generating activities by using the local resources for building resilience to achieve food security and
assets. Group members usually sit together twice in a month and have discussion on the different social issues
including savings at the group level. Usually, the group developed community action plan at year end by organizing
workshop, where representatives from Community Based Organization (CBO), local elite, Local Government
Institution participated there. At the workshop, they have identified the local problems based on their areas and
developed an annual plan on a priority basis. They reviewed the plan by every 3 months to analysis the progress.
They have adopted multiple income generating activities based on the local demand, low cost aspect and
evaluating the local market through SOWT analysis. Major achievements of the group activities are articulated
here.
Group Savings and make its effective uses:
Being able to understand the importance of group savings and its enormous uses, a guideline developed by the
Joba Mohila Dal with the technical support of Nodi O Jibon-II project partner ASOD. Following the guideline, all the
members in the group initiated savings @ of BDT 20 on a monthly basis. Receiving loan from the group savings,
they started multiple income generating activities i.e. seasonal crops production (Maize, onion & rice), rearing
duck-hen and livestock. At present they have savings balance BDT 38,856 and total 61 group members taken loan a
total of BDT 70,850. The group also allowed for taking loan to the others extreme poor peoples who are not
members of the project. All the members are using the amount at the different income generating activities. The
return rate of the loan is 100% and there is no overdue loan they have currently. Moreover, their dependency on
the local money lender is being decreased as they build a
handsome savings amount of their own and they are able to use
the loans for implementing appropriate IGA projects.
Income and Assets increased through Agricultural crops
production:
None of the group members have any single decimal cultivable
land of their own. They usually cultivated shared crops into
others land and mostly rice and paddy. The group members
created an idea in a meeting that they could manage fellow landFigure 1: Rabyea, age 27 is weeding in his own paddy field

8. through lobbing with the union Parishad chariman, members and local elite. As per the idea, they collectively
visited union Parishad and placed the appeal to the chairman that they would cultivate onion in the fellow land of
Char areas. After hearing their argument, the UP chairman permitted them to do that in some specific fallow land.
According to their annual action plan of agricultural crops production, they harvested onion, ground nut, maize
and paddy on the allocated fallow land. After getting a huge return from the agricultural crops, they became
inspired for doing this agriculture base IGA, Therefore, land being leased from others in 2nd
year. At the same time,
they are being empowered about their rights through training, meeting which was organized by the project. As a
result, they have improved access in the Char fallow land directly. Moreover, by the project support, they are
being trained and linkages established with the Upazilla Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), BINA Sub
Centre, Rangpur and some private seeds company. As a result, agriculture inputs support (i.e. Seeds, fertilizer)
received from those organizations with regular follow up and technical advice for the crop production. Therefore,
10 project participants are being enrolled at the trainings programme organized & conducted by the Department
of Agricultural Extension (DAE). Moreover, DAE has developed 2 demonstration plot of ground nut at the char
area. In addition to that, the group members formed a Producer Group for getting the equal and just price of their
harvested crops. The Producer group assessed ongoing market price, negotiating with the local byers and
accumulated the group’s production for getting fair price of their products. A comparative analysis of their two
years production and profit given below:
Name of
the crops
Year Total
membe
r
Total
land
Total
Cost
Total
Production
Selling
Producti
on (KG)
Selling
Price
Value
Total
Income
Onion 2012 17 378 40600 6426 6426 102816 62216
2013 19 461 7871 7837 7837 133229 125358
Ground
nut
2012 13 193 12425 907 907 54420 41995
2013 10 201 1300 1005 1005 55227 53970
Maize
Productio
n
2012 16 857 131000 25710 25710 334230 203230
2013 16 1617 247340 48510 48510 727650 480310
Paddy 2012 - - - - - - -
2013 17 864 46600 8640 8640 112320 66720
Total 4571 487136 99035 99035 15,1994o 10,33804
After getting the profit from the sell amount of the produced crops, they paid up their loans to the Joba mohila
group which they had taken for leasing lands. By getting the profit from the agricultural productions, many group
members have bought homestead furniture, even some of them have made new tin roof house.
Rearing Duck-Chicken and livestock:

9. Individual group members are doing multiple
livestock base IGA activities getting profit from the
agriculture crops. Among them, 4 members bought
cattle for fattening scheme, 12 members to mulching
cows, 9 members to goats rearing and 17 members
are chicken rearing. For enhancing their income
generating projects at community level, project
partners establish linkages them with the Upazila
livestock department. As a result, they received
trainings from the Upazilla Livestock Department on
Livestock management as well as are getting vaccine
supported from the government offices. Their
monthly income from these livestock base IGA is
about BDT 1200-3000 at each month.
Improved access in the GOB services by the SHG:
The Self Help Group (SHG) members have improved access in the government run social safety nets support and
others services as a result of advocacy work. By the advocacy of Local Char Alliance (LCA, project partners and Char
Base Organizations advocated in favour of them for getting those government services. As a result, 2 members
received aged allowance card, 1 widow allowance, 2- VGD stipend for the 2 students from the Union Parisad.
A socio economic development change has grounded by the Self-help group members through their collective
vision, commitment and hardship with minimum support from the project. Now the group members are secured
for food, assets base developed in most of houses and they became empowered. Their children are now going to
school. They are receiving treatment, visiting government office, health center as and when required. The project
participants have their own decision at the household level; their mobility has been increased. Finally, they dream
that their group will became a people’s institution at island char area and poverty will be eradicated fully from
here.
CHE:
Now Eti is a regular student.
Eti Khatun is 12 years girl, his father Md. Abdul Karim and mother Most.
Asia Khatun, Village-Dudpur, Union-Gargori, Post-Gorgori, Uapazial-
Bagah Under Rajshahi district. There are three broughter and one sister
of ETi. She is reading class V in Palashai Fatepur Govt. Primary School
that stand 1.00km far from her house. She is an irregular student and she
did not sit for last two model test examination of Class V. This
information provided head teacher Asad Rahman to Field Facilitator
Uttam Chakrovarti in a sharing.
Figure 2: Kalpana, age 25, is feeding her poultry

10. Fig: Amena is collecting drinking water in flood,
2013.
Photo: Farid Ahmed Sagar, Concern Worldwide,
2013
After the sharing Field facilitator Uttam chkrovarti went to Eti’s house taking with volunteer teacher Most. Shirina
Begam and talk with Eti’s parents about eti. They said, Eti is very weak student, she did not perform well in her
class till now(Class I to Class IV) and already she goes back warded in her class and She is very afraid to sit for
examination. There is no person to support her for doing better in education at her family. At that time they talk
with her parents and some neighbor of Eti, try to make understand about importance of girl education as well as
its impact in future.
Eti and her parents agree with Uttam Chakravarti to continue again her study, as well as they agree to send her in a
volunteer center which in their community. By taking extra support from volunteer center Eti doing better in her
chass and attending school regularly. She more attentive on her study and being confident about her future study.
Now she take preparation for her next 3rd
model test which will on next month.
She said volunteer teacher’s support is very helpful to her and she is very grateful to her. She will continue her
education and she wants to be a Police Officer.
Case study prepared by Uttam Chakravarti on 11.09.13, Field facilitator, SNKS.
WaSH:
Tube well of raised platform ensure safe water
Bagha Upazilla of Rajshahi district, Gorgori, was being worst
affected by the flood and river erosion 2013. Being the inhabitants
of island (Char) in Padma River they are facing multi hazards
mostly but not get compensate from Govt part adequately. In such
char dwellers are politically regretted thereafter the natural
hazards are causing to increase their vulnerability. Even the Water
and Sanitation condition is very poor in this Island. Though some
family sinking tube-well either UP assistance or own but those all
are 40 to 50 feet depth. As because, people do not get water
round the year; especially most of the tube-wells are goes under
water in monsoon. At least 878 tube-wells have been inundated
out of 1174 number in recent monsoon of 2013. However, people
are facing crisis of pure drinking and washing water at least in dry
and monsoon. Even man, women and children have suffering skin
and water born disease whenever reside the water at late
monsoon. Due to this, people lose income and it is eventually
affect to their poverty.
Concern Worldwide has started works for extreme poor of char dwellers by implementing Nodi-o-Jibon (NoJ-II)
project. The main objective of NoJ-II project is to move out from extreme poverty of 1482 households in three
unions under Bagha Upazilla. As the water and Sanitation facilities are to contribute to move out from extreme
poverty so the Concern Worldwide has introduced WaSH project in same location and with same beneficiaries.
Charity Water funded WaSH project has initiated to install 35 tube-wells at community level and 8 tube-wells and

11. Fig: Amena, holding her pitches full of water, 2013.
Photo:Moksadul Alam Mamun, SNKS, 2013
Latrine in schools through a local partner namely Samata Nari Kallyan Sangstha (SNKS). Though it is one year long
project but hardware and software both support will be provided for graduating of the NoJ-II targeted
beneficiaries. In addition, 272 households (indirect beneficiaries) will get same benefit from installed tube-well at
community level. In 12th
June, 2013, SNKS has installed a 183 ft depth tube-well along with 3 ft height platform in
Fojol Matabbarpara considering the dry season and flood level as well. Due to complete total installation and
construction works just a while ago people have get help for managing drinking water in flood.
Late August to early September was very crucial time for Island people of Gorgori Union. As commented of local
people it was highest flood within the last 10 years. Livelihood options, shelter and even water points had
immerged by flood water. Fojol Matabbarpara of Gorgori Union
was affected same, there are 15 tube-well but all are immerged.
Forty-year-old Amena lives in Fojol Matabbarpara with her five
children and husband Baker kha. Usually Amena or her kids took
10 minutes away from house to collect drinking water but during
flood it has to difficult for collecting water themselves from
neighbour house, So that Baker kha has used to collect water from
closest or distance village using by Vela (floating maded by banana
tree). But in the current year no single tube-well had remain
within the village which has been raised. Therefore, the total
community of Fojol Matabbarpara was depends on WaSH project
provided Tube-well. Though, Initially WaSH project had targeted
50 households for providing water support from a single tube-well but in flood at least 70 more families collected
water from this tube-well. Because of around 20 families took
shelter in Fojol Matabbarpara due to losing their property by river
erosion.
Amena stated, most often we heard that people or kids mainly suffer from diarrhoea or decentre or other disease
immediate after the flood, but fortunately we don’t have such news in this year. Another cause of this that we
have awareness message from SNKS staff, so that the people of Fojol Matabbarpara very consciously handle the
flood situation and practicing hygiene in regular life, added Amena. Finally, she expresses happiness with the
WaSH project initiatives.
Case study collected by Md .Abdul Wahed (FF-WaSH, SNKS) and re-written by Farid Ahmed Sagar
Conclusion:
The Community action plan that is developed among the 24 unions of 10 upazilla of Char programme working area
re quite huge in terms of their budgets and scope of works i.e. raised construction, Tw installation, Enrollment of
farmers at the DAE training as wells getting farmers card and agricultural subsidy, livestock support from DLS,
Installation of IPM club, grain bank, plinth raise etc. This huge amount of resources cannot always be raised by the
community alone. Being a poverty torn and disaster-prone area, there is an enormous demand of the people that
cannot be easily addressed or substantially met by the char programme itself.
But the community led initiatives that have been taken by CBOs, LCA and the local governments are really
praiseworthy and these indicate that they are fast buying-in and are not beyond the idea of culture of safety.
These people are making examples that can be replicated and up-scaled. The provision of including the CAP in the
annual development plans of the Union Parishads signifies the sustainability of this initiatives by the local
government, DAE, DLS as well as research organizations like BINA . The local authorities and the community want
to revise the CAP every year and from those identified action plans, the local governments will implement the

12. activities that the community believes and the major local significance in initiating the savings for the better future
at the community level.
The participatory processes so far are also throwing up issues for advocacy. People are now trying to priorities
some of these advocacy issues that will help them accomplish wider agenda that have been identified in the CAPs.
Some project participants from the community who have been trained on how to facilitate advocacy issues to the
concerned authorities taking the lead in facilitating the entire process through which they are making their voices
heard by the authorities concerned and getting their demands fulfilled. They will tell their story.