With their relentless and sincere efforts, more than 1,100 underprivileged ethnic families of 26 villages under Godagari upazila of the district have attained food security and self-reliance.
The villages are Choitanyapur, Shahanapara, Kantapasha-Edulpur, Nimkuri, Patharghata, Beldanga, Golai, Geolmari, Gardaing, Mulkidiang, Daingpara, Neemghutu, Shreerampur, Biroil, Baganpara, Gonoker Daing, Farshapara, Dadour, Gunigram-Rajpara, Idulpur, Narshinghagarh- Adarshagram, Agalpur, Madhaipur and Udpur.
‘The Aboriginals Village-based Sustainable Food Security Program’ has been playing a positive role in making them free from poverty and hunger through building food storage (Rakkshagola).
By dint of their own initiatives, the underprivileged and disadvantaged community people have built food security to mitigate their long-lasting sufferings during the lean period.
Center for Capacity Building of Voluntary Organization (CCBVO) has initiated the programme in 2003 through disseminating updated ideas and extending some financial and technical support under the village-based community development approach.
These were revealed at the daylong annual general meeting of all the benefited community members both males and females on Rajabarihat High school playground under the same upazila on Friday.
Dr HKS Arefin, a retired professor of Anthropology Department of Dhaka University, addressed the inaugural session as the chief guest while Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Prof Fazlul Haque, CCBVO President Ariful Haque Kumar, Joint Secretary Saiduzzaman Sipon and Chief Executive of Lahanti Foundation Everest Hembrom spoke on the occasion as special guests.
CCBVO Executive Chief Sarwar-E-Kamal welcomed the participants with Convener of the Organizing Committee Santash Ekka in the chair.
Some 5,665 organized community members including 1,630 women and 2411 boys and girls from the 1105 organized families attended the ceremony.
The meeting was told that the community members have so far saved 1.76 metric tons of rice and 64 tons of paddy in addition to capital formation of around Taka 24.71 lakh.
Besides, they disbursed 2.19 tonnes of rice and 2.08 tonnes of paddy and cash Taka 11.37 lakh for health, education and other family purposes to the needy members as risk assistance during the lean period.
Apart from this, the beneficiaries are engaged in various income-generating activities like homestead gardening and dairy and poultry rearing, through which, they also meet up daily nutritional requirement along with building their capacity.
