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WORLD

Women Orientation and Rural Life Development (WORLD)

This non-government organization (NGO) was started by an advocate, teacher, mother, wife, and inspiration from Bangladesh, Ruhi Ara Shamshad or Jhumu to her friends.  Her organization is dedicated to helping the impoverished people in her community through trainings, income-generating projects, legal support, and reproductive health education.

 

 

Mission:

To serve the cause of suffering humanity, particularly women and children, in Bangladesh who are socially and economically deprived, with no place in society, and to give these marginalized groups self-reliance through strategic and educational programming.

Vision:

Given equal access to health care, education, and equality under the law, women, children, and men of all socio-economic backgrounds can live dignified, successful, and productive lives as members of their communities.

Projects:

Income Generation for Battered and Distressed Woman

Through her grassroots efforts battered women are able to independently raise their children in a safe environment without fear or worry of being harmed.  She gives the women legal support as well as income-generating projects. In a culture that encourages passivity and complacency of the women, Jhumu and her staff have had to work very hard to empower the women and increase their capabilities through practical training sessions.

Pre-School for Children of Sex Workers:

A growing and often ignored problem in Bangladesh is the abuse of prostitution by both the government as well as the communities.  The sex workers and their children are on the fringe of society, making education, health care, sanitation, and legal protection impossible even though it is a legal and recognized sector of the economy.  WORLD has started two schools at two separate brothels, each with 25 students, to break the cycle of poverty in the next generation.  The women are given legal support as well as reproductive health education.  The children are kept out of the brothels and are taught to read, to write, to do basic math, to spakEnglish, and to create art.  The mothers are very proud and encouraging of their children attending the WORLD school as it allows the children to get free education without the harassment and social stigmas present at the government schools.

Democracy Building:

Most recently, Jhumu has gathered support in a grassroots campaign for democracy in the upcoming election.  Bangladesh, a fledgling democracy is plagued with corruption.  The politicians. through bribery and intimidation, often prey upon the ignorant and poor.  Jhumu has stepped up to increase the voice of the poor, their awareness of the issues and to educate them of their rights as citizens of a democracy. 

Staff:

Consultant:

Mohammed Ali Azam Zaglul Rahim to WORLD is a highly competent individual with many years of experience working with multinational teams as well as local NGOs.  He is currently studying to get his MBA from the Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology.  He works very closely with the Executive Directory to develop project proposals for WORLD.

Doli Rani Karmaker
Caretaker

 

Doli is a very dedicated and compassionate individual.  She currently runs the Safe Home that is offered to children of sex workers that are students at the Kathleen Swanson Pre-School.  Doli does an excellent job and is very patient with the children. 

 

 

Lata Akhter
Lead Trainer and Coordinator of the Battered Women’s Project

Lata is young but highly motivated and bares a lot of responsibility for WORLD.  She is continually asking for more responsibility and new challenges.  Her current tasks are to train the battered women in various skills, including tailoring, sewing, and block batik, a traditional form of cloth dying in Bangladesh.  She organizes the women in the various localities throughout the Faridpur District and coordinates the production of the various handicrafts.  Lata’ s father passed away and with that tragedy has left Lata to provide for her family, a rare but very honorable position in Bangladesh.

Mohammad Hasan Al Mamun
Project Officer

Mamun is an energetic and very amicable person to have in the WORLD office.  He is currently involved in the “Democracy Project”.  The main goals of this project are to educate voters on good-governance, fair elections and voter rights.  This project is geared towards both local and national governments and is particularly important in the historical context in which it is occurring.  Mamun has to work very hard in this fledgling democracy of Bangladesh to teach the voters about the benefits of democracy versus non-secular rule.