Overordnede mål
People with disabilities (including people with leprosy) in Joyphurhat and Gaibandha areas, Bangladesh, have access to their (disability) rights and experience full participation in social and economic life, and are represented by sustainable and functioning organizations.
Umiddelbare mål
Outcome 1: By July 2022, 162 SHGs for persons affected by leprosy or disability in Joyphurhat and Gaibandha districts, have improved capacity to voice their rights and access social and economic entitlements. Outcome 2: By July 2022, 12 sub-district Associations in Joyphurhat and Gaibandha districts are sustainable, responsive to SHG needs and advocate at district and regional level.
Målgrupper
Primary target group: • 2.496 Self Help Group members (88% female, 12% Male), people affected by leprosy, disability and Social exclusion. 875 people (751 F, 124 M) affected by leprosy (here among 107 a disabled because of leprosy) and who have been cured of leprosy but continue to have ill-health or disability as a result of the leprosy and are discriminated by community. And 661 (593F, 68 M) members are from leprosy family who are also affected by social exclusion. 31 (8 M, 23 F) people who have disability caused by other than disability and therefore, neglected by the society and even by relatives for they consider them not financially productive and due to superstition. Total members with disability are 138 (leprosy disable107 and 31 general disable). And 50 female members from general disabled families. 879 (772F, 107M) marginalized people, especially widow with little or no income sources, abandoned wives are also deprived of their right in the society and family. The SHG members constitute of 162 SHGs, 12 associations and 2 district committees. Secondary Target group: 484 Community leaders and 62 Government officials. They support the members for being included in the community and have access to rights and entitlements
Resume
Through the partnership of The Leprosy Mission Denmark and The Leprosy Mission International-Bangladesh, Civil Society Organisations in the form of 162 Self Help Groups (SHGs), 12 Associations of SHGs at sub-district level and 2 district committees at district level, in the deprived districts of Joypurhat and Gaibandha, North-Western Bangladesh, will be consolidated to lift the voice of their members. The overall aim of the project is to empower one of the most stigmatized and marginalized people´s groups in Gaibanda and Joypurhat districts in North-West Bangladesh, namely persons with disabilities caused by leprosy and other reasons. The project seeks to change the life situation of the target group; 2.496 self-help group members from being discriminated to being respected and included in their community, able to fight for and get access to their rights, and to be self-sustaining through economic empowerment. The proposed project is a consolidation phase of a Self-Help Group project intervention in Gaibandha-Joypurhat Districts, Rajshahi Division. The first two phases were funded by effect:hope Canada, which due to a severe set-back in their funding in 2018 had to withdraw from an appropriate consolidation phase. Therefore, in order to finalizing the project and consolidating its sustainability, TLMIB approached TLM-Denmark regarding this final phase,and TLM-Denmark was in a particular good position to contribute since excellent experiences regarding consolidation and advocacy, have been harvested in two other divisions namely Nilphamari area, Rangpur Division (CISU 16-1923-SP) and a people led development project in Chattogram. The focus of the project is therefore to ensure institutional sustainability in the groups through reinforcement of leadership and management skills. Support more groups to graduate and thus function independently with only a minimum of external support and gradually hand over supervision and monitoring of SHGs to the 12 Associations. The exit strategy moreover aims to support the groups in becoming financial sustainable and capable of voicing issues of the most marginalized towards relevant duty bearers.