I'm still learning a lot about the partner organizations that we work with here in Bangladesh. Part of our job (15-20% or so) is with CRWRC, helping with the theological aspects of training for the work they do. The following blog is a segment written by Kohima Daring, the CRWRC director in Bangladesh, about one aspect of CRWRC's development work in Bangladesh. We are blessed to be a small part of this work:

Sathi is one of the eight partner organizations that CRWRC works with and is unique as it is an urban based program, working in the slums of Dhaka. Sathi now works with over 5000 men, women, adolescents and children in five slum areas. They help to form self help groups where they involve community members in income generation, literacy, health, and leadership and justice activities. Dhaka is a crowded and fast growing city of over 15 million people. Many come to Dhaka from the village in hopes of finding jobs and more security. However, most end up living in bad conditions in over-crowded slums and have little hope for their futures. Sathi tries to respond by carrying out transformational community development.

On a recent visit I was able to meet with many community members involved with Sathi. I listened to many participants share about changes that they are seeing. The Maniknagor slum is in the center of the city and where many live who are the sweepers and drain cleaners of the city. They live in one-room tin shacks and have little access to water and steady electricity. I sat with members of the Shurjamukhi women's group. Nurjahan and Rabea, two members of the group shared "We are so thankful that we have learned to read and write. Before, it was like being blind. Now, we can read to our children and help with their education. We have a community box library so we can get books to read. Our group can keep records of our savings and loans and we are not being cheated because we can read the records now. Also, our children are getting healthier. We weigh them every month and are seeing them grow. This is something we are very proud of in our community." Muslima, a young mother added "My child is doing so well. I attend the health classes and the monthly growth monitoring. She is now 4 months old and her weight line keeps going up--no decrease at all."

The Shurjamukhi women's group is one of 40 groups in the overcrowded slum of Maniknagor. These groups have developed a People's Institution (PI) to oversee their work. These People's Institutions consist of representatives from the self help groups.

Nurul, the leader of the PI told how they are taking responsibilities for their community: forming adolescent groups, tutoring for children, having emergency funds for medical needs, collecting savings to send children to school, educations parents and adolescents on dangers of early marriage and dowry, meeting with Government for providing water and sanitation to the communities.

These are just some of the many, many stories of change. As I went around to the many different self help groups that Sathi works with in Dhaka I heard many similar stories of change.

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