Bangladesh
Transcription
Bangladesh
#1 March 2014 connect Bangladesh Published by DRRA Inside This Issue ● Review of Organizational Review of Organizational and Financial Management Capacity of DRRA and Financial Management Capacity of DRRA/ 1 ● Special Update: Strategic Partnership with Stitchting Liliane Fonds / 3 ● Events Update/ 3 ● Stories of Change/ 4 ● Support Services/ 5 ● SLF Activities 2013/ 7 ● News & Notes/ 8 ● CreativeAbility/ 10 In 2013 a review of organisational and financial management capacity of Disabled and Rehabilitation Association (DRRA) was conducted on the initiative of the Stitching Liliane Fonds (SLF) in cooperation with Niketan. The main objective was to use the external assessment to generate information about the drra-bd.org Disabled Rehabilitation & Research Association capacity of DRRA to grow in her role as a strategic partner of Stitching Liliane Fonds (SLF). Mr. Frank Boomers, External consultant, Boomers Financial Management and Mr. Arnold Sondern, Manager Finance and Support services, Stitching Liliane Fonds (SLF), led the review. Strategic partner The Review used a comprehensive methodology with self-assessments, interviews, meetings with different stakeholders internally (ED, MT and Executive Committee), externally (External auditor, a large Editorial Collective Bangladeshi NGO called Caritas Bangladesh and web-based information) as well as by visits to two Farida Yesmin, Debesh Das, Firoz Rahman, Zakir Kibria projects. The review investigated three main areas of DRRA’s capacity: organisational capacity, financial Design further improvement. Khairul Al-Mamun Zakir Kibria drra-bd.org management capacity and organisational support structure and have come up some recommendations for The Review appreciated that DRRA as an organisation has all required legal registrations to be a strategic partner of LF Network. It falls under surveillance of both the NGO Affairs Bureau as well as the Microcredit Registration Authority. Both governmental bodies do impose stringent regulations, which are precisely implemented. Under the Social Welfare Act, DRRA is obliged to follow their actual organisational structure with a General Body, Executive Committee and Executive Director. P2 connect | DRRA No. 2 | March | 2014 The functioning of the organisation’s constitution is followed and has various opportunities to improve its transparency to stakeholders. supervised by the NGO-AB, guaranteeing proper division of Together: good performance, internal control and motivated staff authority and minimising risks. Many other developing countries will strongly contribute to a good reputation, name and trust, and be could benefit from such a legal context. On the other hand it leads to the bases for further growth of the organization. bureaucracy and administrative costs. There seems room for improvement through constitutionally installing a Sub Committee With regard to the organizational support the ICT management is Finance, which legally is possible. Furthermore DRRA has developed to a reasonable standard. Procurement policies are implemented professional HRM and Financial procedures manuals. remarkably well described and implemented. Project contracts with Strategic programming is being done since 2006. local partner organisations in the field are well developed. DRRA selects partners in a transparent way and monitors well their financial The uncertain funding hampers full implementation of it. Multi performance, also including them in the organisation annual audit. annual financial planning is recognised by DRRA as a next All projects are also internally audited once or twice a year. development. The organisational culture may be described as hardworking, motivated, interdisciplinary, improvement oriented, DRRA should be viewed as a strong partner with at times even more strong task divisions and control oriented. Internal operational than adequate administrative procedures for her present scale of planning cycle is well developed. Annual staff appraisal is done. Risk activities, not only well recorded, but also well executed and management is not yet implemented. The Micro Credit program is practised. The review team expresses its sincere compliments for the registered in a separate legal entity. DRRA has no juridical of considerable progress that has been made, especially visible in the economic liabilities in case the Micro Credit Program fails. last two years. The staff have accepted and embraced the importance of internal control procedures and express this with due pride while Financial planning capacities seem well developed and implemented, explaining them. Staffs have an eagerness to continue learning and both on project and organizational level. Strategic financial planning improving. All combined this makes DRRA as an organisation will be implemented in 2013. Organizational reserves are gradually equipped for further growth in size and complexity. built up over the years to create a financially healthy organization. The only financial instruments are fixed deposits carrying low risk. Overall, The Review felt that DRRA is a well functioning Overhead coverage is annually planned for. Internal control organisation with regard to programs and finance. DRRA is a measures (as division of responsibilities, procedures, contracting, strategic partner to be proud of, and in many ways it can be avoiding cash transactions, interfund regulation to cope with delayed considered an exemplary organisation for the wider LF network. The release of funds by government). The accounting system is done both Review concluded with the remark that DRRA has reason to be with manual as automated registration, due to NGO Affairs Bureau justifiable proud of her organisation, its systems and way of working regulations, requiring additional staffing. Financial project reporting for the benefit of the disabled in Bangladesh. with regard to budgeting, payment and justification are in general well applied is our impression. Consolidation is not yet done with the current software and design, which is essential for effective and efficient internal reporting on organisational level. DRRA tries to follow primarily the donor partner requirements. This often affects DRRA’s own reporting. Provisions have been made for peer support from Caritas Bangladesh to solve this issue. Financial field monitoring visits are done in a planned and targeted way. The Internal audit unit reinforces and completes this work with good procedures and work planning. Annual statutory audits are drawn up by an auditor according to Bangladeshi Accounting standards (equal to IAS). The audit and audit report could assist Management and Board far better if a wider audit approach was chosen. Incorporating systems and procedural checks as well as narrative analytical information requires additional audit ToRs from the Board. DRRA Self -help group meeting P3 No. 2 | March | 2014 connect | DRRA Special Update Strategic Partnership with Stitchting Liliane Fonds (SLF) Stitchting Liliane Fonds (SLF) has realized and agreed to establish a Strategic Partnership with Disabled Rehabilitation & Research Association (DRRA) towards a common goal of empowering children and youngsters with disabilities to participate and be included in society. Within Strategic Partnership Agreement, between the partners represents a framework for development, execution and management of the country program. In Bangladesh, Liliane Fonds is working with one strategic partner and 29 implementing partner organizations in 18 districts. Disabled Rehabilitation & Research Association (DRRA) started its Journey in 1996 as a non-government, non-profitable voluntary development organization in Bangladesh. Since its inception several initiatives have been made and contributing towards reducing discrimination, promote and protect rights of the person with disabilities with special attention to children and women with disabilities. Stitchting Liliane Fonds (SLF), a Dutch organization was founded in 1980 provides medical and social rehabilitation to children and youngsters with disabilities (up to and including 25 years of age) in developing countries through a network of local partner organizations through direct, small-scale and person-centered assistance. In Bangladesh, SLF started its work since 1997 with the concept of directly poverty reduction in the countries that are recognized as developing countries by the Development Assistance committee (DAC) of the organization. In the year 2003, the Liliane Foundation developed and gone through formal partnership with the Disabled Rehabilitation and Research Association (DRRA) and established a National Coordination Office under the umbrella of DRRA to facilitate the growing network and activities of the Liliane Fonds in an effective and efficiency way. Events Update Art practice with media personality A national level arts competition was jointly organized by three partner organizations, Access-Bangladesh Foundation, Caring Glory and DRRA, in presence of Bipasa Hayat, widely popular TV celebrity in Bangladesh, on November 24, 2013. The main aim of the competition was to explore hidden artistic talent of children with disabilities. 60 children with disabilities actively performed during the competition where 10 parents participated as audiences. At the end of the event gifts were distributed among disabled performers. The recorded art competition event was broadcasted on a satellite channel to promote mass awareness about the potentiality of children with disabilities. International Disability Day International disability day was separately observed through 3 partner organizations, AID, DIPSHIKHA and IDEAL, with the theme “Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development for all” on December 3, 2013. To observe the day, some programs such as rally, discussion meeting and cultural program etc. were organized in the locality in presence of local government and other important stakeholders from community level. The main aim of the program was to promote mass awareness about disability issue. More than 150 Person with disabilities and 20 parents actively participated in the event. More than 1000 community people also ensured their participation as direct audiences during the event. P4 No. 2 | March | 2014 connect | DRRA Stories of Change Self-confident Shamima wants to be an engineer One of the successes of Shamima’s life is to obtain Grade 4.94 out of 5 in the Junior School Certificate (JSC) examination in 2013. This result will inspire her as well as her family to continue further education. When she started to go to school, neighbors and relatives commented very negatively. But her parents defied the social barriers and continued her study. Gradually neighbors and relatives have changed their negative attitude towards Shamima. Classmates and teachers are also helpful to her. Shamima was born in 1999. At the beginning of her childhood her parents understood that she has Cerebral Palsy. Her father Chan Mia is a farmer and only earning member of family. He could not afford take Shamima to doctor. She lives with her parents in a poor village called Jadobpur at Dhamrai Upazilla, Dhaka. Shamima has two sisters and one brother. Among them she is the youngest. Her only brother is also physically disabled. Shahjahan, member of one of our self-help group told us about Shamima. A community worker of Access Bangladesh visited her family and collected information. We decided to support her through SLF supported program. Now Shamima studies in class 9 at Jadobpur B.M. High School, half a kilometer distance from her house. She goes to school regularly with the support of her mother and father in spite of her difficulties in movement. Access Bangladesh supports a portion of her tutor fees and educational materials. She goes to school in a wheelchair. Her mother push the wheelchair to take her to school every day. In the year 2011 when her wheel chair was broken, Access Bangladesh gave her a new wheelchair. SLF support has brought her happiness and open up avenues of education. Her mother and father love her very much. Her neighbors love her also. She would like to be an engineer in future. P5 No. 2 | March | 2014 connect | DRRA Support Services Need-based regular therapy services Training for parents: knowledge on disability and child management Total 1948 children with disabilities received need based regular therapy service through 20 partner organizations in October- Total 680 parents were received orientation in 34 sessions through December 2013. The therapy services includes Physiotherapy, 17 partner organizations. The major issues discussed in these Occupational therapy, ADL training and speech & language therapy sessions were: introduction on disability causes of disability and it are being provided as per the need of the children. Most of therapy primary prevention, basics of CP children handling, inclusion of receivers in the project are children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). children & youth with disabilities etc. Besides, children with other types of disability have been also getting service through the project. The following chart shows the distribution in this regard: Parents orientation session on CP child handling and management at home Mother is providing therapy at home according to therapist instruction The orientation session were facilitated by a mediator (when topic is on disability issue and inclusion) and by a therapist (when topic Regular therapy service is provided to individual child in average once is in-depth technical such as, CP child handling). Caregivers a week through 30-60 minutes session. The duration of session is (mostly mother) attended the session. Through the orientation, estimated according to the nature of child’s condition. Service caregivers have improved awareness on disability, their child’s delivery card is used by the therapist while providing the service each condition and the appropriate treatment procedures including some time and the card is stored at child’s home with the parents/ basic techniques to handle their child. The orientations aware caregivers. The therapists also prepare visit report immediately after mothers specifically about the benefit of therapy services for their being back from the field and store it in the individual child file. In child. addtion to the service delivery, the therapist also provide parents’/ caregivers’ education so that the parents/ caregivers are able to Inclusive and integrated education for children and youth with continue regular therapy to their children. This is necessary as the disability therapist visits once in a week while the parents/ caregivers can provide the service more frequently which faster the rehabilitation Total 1460 children and youth with disabilities received supports process. All of the POs provides therapy service by their own human for preschooling and inclusive education through 21 partner resources. The academic background of these therapists are not same organizations . Among them, 35 children with disabilities received for all POs which also might be considered as an indicator for the support for pre-schooling through 1 partner organizations, 1036 for quality of service delivery. According to the service analysis 56% inclusion education through 18 partner organizations and 389 for children receive therapy service from qualified therapist, 10% receive special education through 8 partner organizations. Further detail is from diploma therapist, 24% receive from CHDRP and rest 10% provided under the following two sub activities. receive from trained staff: P6 No. 2 | March | 2014 connect | DRRA Support Services Pre-school Special Education Preschool is running through DRRA with 35 children with disabilities. Special education is provided to the children who require special Among them, 20 are ID, 3 are H&SI and 12 are PD. The age range of care and attention for intellectual development. student of these pre-schools is average 4 – 6 years. This service is being provided through 7 non-formal schools, 5 days per week. The main aim of pre-schooling is to accelerate child’s development and learning in terms of basic learning process for further education with behavior modification and improving communication skills as well as facilitating caregiver learning on child management issues at home. Parents were found motivated enough to bring their children to the centre regularly. Children participates in special education and communicate through using sign language Total 389 children with disabilities are receiving special education through 8 partner organizations in their own special school. Special education is facilitated through trained staffs of partner organizations using special educational materials for ensuring Children participates in inclusive education at mainstream school tailor-made education. These children are also involved with extracurricular activities such as: sport, arts and cultural events. Inclusive Education The education support is varied from partner to partner. In general, Through Inclusive education children and youth with disability are educational material cost, tuition fee and transport cost are included enrolled and continue their study in mainstreaming school. 18 Partner in the special education support though the project. organizations managed to enroll 1036 children and youth with disabilities in schools and colleges with SLF fund support through sensitizing the educational institutes and motivating the parents. Partner organizations are conducting regular follow up with families as well as with educational institutes to promote regular attendance of these students with upgrading performance. In this regard, they are Quote: providing necessary support through providing educational material, tuition fee, scholarship and transportation cost as per requirement of these students. Besides, extra coaching fee is also provided weak students. Partner organizations are also advocating for facilitating “I know that working together we can create a world where persons with disabilities face no limit and can freely work, enjoy life and contribute their talents to society.” government facilities like disability allowance, educational materials, scholarship etc for their listed children with disabilities. - UN Messenger of Peace and renowned singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder P7 No. 2 | March | 2014 connect | DRRA SLF Activities 2013 Activities Number of target beneficiaries received the service Component 1: Health & Rehabilitation Need-based regular therapy services (both community and institute Total 1973 CWDs & YWDs through 20 Partner organizations. based) Parents’ participation in training on basic knowledge on disability and Total 2809 parents 20 POs child management 3032 CWDs & YWDs at two Upazilas in Satkhira district (Southwest part) & two Upazilas in Dinajpur district (North part) of Bandistricts of Bangladesh to identify, primary diagnosis and referral of gladesh. children and youth with disabilities. 5 Upazilas covered in each 530 CWDs & YWDs are finally referred for specialist medical district. services. Mobile clinic service through “Hope For Life” conducted at 3 Referral services for children and youth with disabilities Total 247 CWDs & YWDs Component 2: Education Total 1484 CWDs & YWDs though 22 POs. IE & ECD ECD, Integrated & inclusive education at primary and secondary Total 1084 CWDs & YWDs through 19 POs with SLF fund & Total 35 CWDs & YWDs with 2 POs initiative Total 1119 CWDs & school YWDs through 19 POs SE Total 404 CWDs through 8 POs Component 3: Livelihood Development of business skills and income generation for youth with Total 25 YWDs received livelihood support through 3 POs. disabilities Component 4: Empowerment Support to Self Help Groups & Parents Group 05 self help groups are formed Component 5: Social Inclusion Access to government services: children and youth with disabilities Total 170 CWDs & YWDs received ID card and Total 585 receive Govt. ID card to avail safety net support CWDs & YWDs are in process of ID card collection. 3 Pos organised the event. More than 150 Person with disabilities and 20 parents actively participated in the event. More than 1000 Day observation community people also ensured their participation as direct audiences during the event. Three partner organisations organised the event. 60 children with Art Practice disabilities actively performed during the competition where 10 parents participated as audiences P8 No. 2 | March | 2014 connect | DRRA News and Notes Bangladesh polio-free by March 2014. Bangladesh had remained a polio-free country since November 22, 2006. The World The health sector of Bangladesh Health Organisation (WHO) has overcome poverty and low required all the member nations healthcare spending to make of the South East Asia Regional significant achievements over the Organisation (Searo) –to which last four decades, said a six-part Bangladesh was a member – to series on Bangladesh published be free of polio patients for at by the medical journal The least three years before the Lancet. Bangladesh, the eighth countries could be eligible for most populous country in the polio-free status. According to a world with about 153 million WHO report, cases of polio have people, has recently been decreased by over 99% since applauded as an exceptional 1988. Once certified, this region health performer. Improvements would be the fourth of the in the survival of infants and WHO’s six regions to be poliochildren under 5 years of age, life free. According to WHO's Global expectancy, immunisation Certification Status, the 11 coverage, and tuberculosis countries of this region are now control in Bangladesh are part of polio-free but will be certified so a remarkable success story for only after maintaining the status health in the South Asian for three years. On 25 January country. According to the Lancet Bangladesh observed the 21st study series, Bangladesh’s National Immunization Day pluralistic health system where (NID) programmes across the many stakeholders including the country providing polio vaccines private and non-government to 22 million children aged up to organisations have been 59 months. encourage to thrive and See more: experiment – is what sets the country apart. This is despite low Bdnews.24 spending on health care, a weak World Bank progress report health system, and widespread poverty. The six-part Series takes on Bangladesh makes no mention of the connection a comprehensive look at one of between poverty and disability the "great mysteries of global health", investigating a story not World Bank (WB) published its only of "unusual success" but also the challenges that lie ahead ten-year progress report looking at poverty trends in Bangladesh, as Bangladesh moves towards titled Bangladesh Poverty universal health coverage. Assessment: Assessing a Decade of Progress in Reducing Poverty, See more: The Lancet 2000-2010. The report’s 262Bangladesh set for polio-free pages make no mention of the status by 2014 connection between poverty and disability. While the report The World Health Organisation looked at a wide variety of economic indicators in making (WHO) is expected to certify Lancet study: Bangladesh health sector remarkable success story in South Asia its assessment, it failed to address the critical links between poverty and human rights, especially in three areas: disability, labour protections, and gender-based violence. Although the report’s discussion of safety nets includes a brief description of Bangladesh’s cash-transfer scheme for people with disabilities, it does not present data on poverty rates among these individuals and their families. Approximately 16 million people with disabilities live in Bangladesh today. Disability and poverty are often mutually reinforcing. People with disabilities are overrepresented among those living in absolute poverty, by one WB estimate accounting for 1 in 5 of the poorest people. Things are even more difficult for women with disabilities. In the context of poverty alleviation and employment, the WB pointed out that Bangladesh has to grapple with a growing demand for jobs, especially skilled, salaried work, urging investment in “skill development” to prepare the burgeoning youth for the current labour market. But by excluding people with disabilities from their poverty assessment, the Bank missed a critical opportunity to redefine ‘skill’ and to highlight the importance of investing in environments that enable such individuals to work. Conducting a poverty assessment that factors in criteria affecting a specific section of the population may be methodologically challenging and expensive, yet not impossible. The World Bank should help Bangladesh develop country surveys that capture disability-related information and include these in poverty assessments. The WB should implement these measures in consultation with local disabled persons’ organisations, which have consistently advocated such inclusion. Doing so would pave the way for more incisive policy prescriptions for poverty alleviation. See more: Bangladesh Poverty Assessment: Assessing a Decade of Progress in Reducing Poverty, 2000-2010 Memorandum of Understanding signed to train disabled RMG workers A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed to provide training to people with disabilities, particularly the victims of Rana Plaza collapse and other readymade garment factory accidents. Under the MoU, training would be provided to the people with disabilities through a school namely “Orthotics and Prosthetics School”, the first of its kind in Bangladesh to be established. Marking six months of the Rana Plaza tragedy, the agreement was signed among Promotion of Social and Environmental Standards in the Industry (PSES), a joint project of the governments of Bangladesh and Germany, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaftfür internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Centre for Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP) and Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). As a sustainable response to the recent incidents P9 No. 2 | March | 2014 connect | DRRA News and Notes Cooperation and Development (BMZ) made funds available to support the workers suffering from temporary and permanent injuries, said a statement of the BGMEA. One of the areas through which this fund is being disseminated is rehabilitation and this MoU is the first step towards its implementation, it added. The areas to be covered under the MoU are: infrastructure development to start the school, a training lab and library facilities, curriculum development,a student exchange programme, making factories accessible for people with disabilities, job placement and consultation. neuro-development disorder will be its chairperson. At least four parents of such disadvantaged children will also be the part of the board.The government will also nominate two persons from philanthropic and industrial entities for the board with a view to generate funds. Bangladesh may experience deficits in mathematics due to high concentrations of manganese exposure in drinking water. Bangladesh preparing National Social Protection Strategy (NSPS) The Government of Bangladesh has embarked upon the See more: Manganese Exposure formulation of a comprehensive from Drinking Water and National Social Protection Children’s Academic Strategy (NSPS) that seeks to Achievement streamline and strengthen the existing safety net programmes See more: Trust for autistic children UN high-level panel: disability with a view to achieving better issues must be part of results from money spent, and to Manganese exposure from development agenda broaden the scope of social drinking water affecting protection from the more narrow children’s academic Disability was largely neglected safety net concept to include achievement in the millennium development employment policies and social goals, but the signs are that insurance to address the Drinking water manganese is a people with disabilities will emerging needs of a middle potential threat to children's receive greater attention in the income Bangladesh in 2021 and See more at: MoU signed to train health due to its associations with forthcoming framework. The UN ahead. The proposed social disabled RMG workers a wide range of outcomes high-level panel that looked at protection strategy will focus on including cognitive, behavioral the post-2015 development expanding coverage of core Legislation to form trust for and neuropsychological effects. agenda urged that no one be left schemes for the most vulnerable Autistic children Although adverse effects of the behind. During consultations members of the society, which metal on cognitive function of before the panel document was includes children, elderly and the The Parliament in Bangladesh the children indicate possible produced, civil society disabled. By broadening the has passed a landmark legislation impact on their academic organisations insisted that the scope and coverage and by to form a trust that would look achievement little evidence on next set of development goals improving programme design the after autistic children when no this issue is available. Moreover, should cover the world's most NSPS will help lower income one is there to help them. The little is known regarding marginalised people, including inequality and contribute to law asked the government to set potential interactions between indigenous groups and those with higher growth by strengthening up the trust as soon as possible exposure to manganese and other disabilities. The World Health human development. The NSPS for the protection of the children metals, especially water arsenic. Organisation estimates that 1 draws on the past experience with neuro-development A research conducted in billion people live with some sort with social protection disorders like autism, down Araihazar, a rural area of of disability – about one in seven programmes in Bangladesh and syndrome, intellectual disability, Bangladesh, did cross-sectional people. People with disabilities good practice international and cerebral palsy. The study of 840 children to are statistically more likely to be experience. government will inject Tk 1 investigate associations between unemployed, illiterate, to have billion as a start-up fund for the manganese and water arsenic and less formal education and less See more: proposed trust. The Prime academic achievement in access to support networks. They Minister, possibly to be the mathematics and languages are further isolated by Planning Commission: National Social Protection Strategy President of its board, will head among elementary schooldiscrimination, ignorance and (NSPS) the advisory team. The board children, aged 8-11 years. Data prejudice. will bring together all 14 relevant on arsenic and manganese ministries in its advisory team exposure were collected from the See more: including the ministry of labour participants at the baseline of an High Level Panel on the Post2015 Development Agenda and employment that will look ongoing longitudinal study of for jobs for these children. The school-based educational 27 members of the board will be intervention. The research drawn from all walks of life but a finding suggests that a large government appointed expert on number of children in rural P10 No. 2 | March | 2014 connect | DRRA CreativeAbility Name: Sefali Age: 11 Follow us facebook.com/drrabangladesh twitter.com/drrabd Contact us Road # 1, House # 2/5 Shyamoli, Dhaka - 1207 Tel: +88 - 02 - 9140162 ; +88 - 02 - 9129423 Fax: +88 - 02 - 9124057 EXT: 109 Email: [email protected] Website: www.drra-bd.org youtube.com/drrabd soundcloud.com/drravoice www.drra-bd.org