Good Neighbours Bangladesh pledges for empowerment, innovation and sustainability
Good Neighbours Bangladesh (GNB), an international development organisation working to advance the rights, development and empowerment of children, women, young people and marginalised communities, has marked its 30th anniversary with a renewed commitment to empowerment, innovation and sustainability.
The organisation celebrated the milestone on Tuesday at its headquarters in Dhaka under the theme ‘Empowerment, Innovation and Sustainability’.
GNB Country Director Bartin Gomes chaired the anniversary programme, which was attended by Director General of the NGO Affairs Bureau Dr Mohammad Zakaria, Registrar and Director General of the Department of Cooperatives Md Selim Fakir, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis, Director of Good Neighbours’ West Asia Regional Office (WARO) Youngsik Ahn and other government, development and civil society representatives.
The programme featured the national anthem, an opening session, a documentary highlighting GNB’s 30-year journey and achievements, stories of change presented by children, young people and women, and congratulatory video messages from partner countries.
The event also included a cake-cutting ceremony, unveiling of an anniversary publication, awards and a cultural programme.
Dr Mohammad Zakaria said GNB had played an important role over the past three decades through partnerships, innovation, community trust and people’s empowerment.
He said the organisation was working with various partners to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and praised GNB for continuing its activities despite various challenges.
He expressed hope that GNB would play an even greater role in Bangladesh’s development and progress in the years ahead.
Describing young people as a major force for the country’s future leadership, Md Selim Fakir said it was important to develop their reasoning, leadership skills, confidence and sense of social responsibility.
GNB was contributing to that effort, he said, adding that such initiatives could help keep young people away from drugs, violence and social conflicts while enabling them to contribute to a positive future.
In his remarks, Bartin Gomes said GNB had been taking an integrated approach to education and child protection, healthcare, water and sanitation, livelihood development, women’s empowerment, youth development, humanitarian assistance and climate resilience.
He said the organisation had undertaken various initiatives to ensure safe education and protection for children, improve maternal and child healthcare and strengthen women’s economic empowerment.
GNB is also working to develop youth leadership and digital skills, while its programmes in disaster-prone areas focus not only on emergency assistance but also on early warning, preparedness and adaptation to strengthen community resilience, he said.
Gomes noted that GNB received the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize in 2024 in recognition of its work. He also said 26 women associated with the organisation’s cooperatives had received the Joyeeta Award.
Good Neighbours Bangladesh began its operations in the country in 1996. It currently employs around 350 people and operates with an annual budget of approximately US$6 million.
The organisation is currently implementing 17 community development projects and two special projects across 14 districts. Its programmes directly involve around 21,000 children, 43,000 women and 2,000 young people.
