CDI changes fortune of 822 extremely poor families

BSS, Rangpur :
The community-based development initiative (CDI) programme of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) has changed fortune of 822 extremely poor families living in two backward communities in the district.
Rangpur unit of BDRCS just completed implementation of the two-year programme under assistances of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent at Najirdigar Community-1 in Sadar upazila and Padmapukur-Beramukim Community-2 in Mithapukur upazila.
According to BDRCS sources here, the overall socio-economic condition of all families in these communities has been changed assisting the poor people in leading improved life after implementation of the comprehensive livelihoods development programme.
Under the CDI programme, the communities have become totally illiteracy-free and all families got full sanitation and pure drinking water facilities, houses have been built for the homeless and health camps set up to ensure primary healthcare services.
The community people have got training on agro-activities, poultry, primary aids for cattle-heads, unemployed youths have engaged them with income-generation activities to become self-reliant, pregnant women got nutrition and financial assistance.
Environment-friendly cooking furnace, sapling of fruit and wood trees and vegetables seeds have been provided to all families and each of the 310 ultra poor families have got nonrefundable Taka 15,000 as grant for improving their livelihoods.
An information centre has been set up with library and entertainment facilities, all members of the locally formed Community Programme Committee (CPC), Disaster Preparedness Committee (DPC) and Community Disaster Response Team (CDRT) have been provided trainings in each community.
The 11-member CPC in each community represented the respective community people in implementing the programme successfully involving the local community people with the comprehensive development activities during the past two years.
Besides, the 25-member CDRT, comprising of the local youth volunteers in each community, has also got higher training for reducing risks of natural disasters and calamities to face any such situation if necessary.
Beneficiaries Dulali, Rawshan and Jamal of Najirdigar Community- 1 said they have got new taste of life through improving living and livelihoods by alleviating poverty once for all to become self-reliant with the assistances under the CDI programme.
“Our life standard has been improving and we are sending our children to the schools now,” they said adding that they have also prevented social curses like child marriage, dowry, polygamy and every able couple has adopted family planning for better future.