Plan Bangladesh

Nilphamari

Update on Nilphamari 2013

Welcome to your annual report on Plans work in Nilphamari, the area where your sponsored child lives. We wanted to share with you some of the work that you are helping to make possible through your child sponsorship contributions. Plans staffs have written this document with the help of children from the area. Thank you for sponsoring a child with Plan. We organized a consultation session with children where their views and valuable feedback were received and incorporated to make this document more meaningful. The area of Nilphamari is among the poorest in the country with 80% of the population living below the poverty line. Protecting vulnerable children, improving health services and the quality of education and reducing disaster risks were identified as priority activities in this area. Better health for a better quality of life. It is A now verywith easy for me to get Mother her children. advice and treatment from the Clinics and Union Health & Family welfare centre. We dont need to travel a long way to the sub-district health complex. I am getting the necessary services at

Bringing positive changes through improved health services

The impoverished population of Nilphamari faces an

my door step. Golapi, 20 years old, acute shortage of quality health services. Particularly high are maternal and infant mortality rates in this area. To make health care affordable and accessible for the poor and marginalized, Plan supported the operation of 162 Clinics that provide primary health care services and health education. Each clinic serves about 6,000 people. To ensure the quality of health services, we provided training to the clinic management group on child protection, leadership and account management. They are now capable of conducting regular monthly meetings, making use of local resources and communicating and liaising with the local government organizations like the Union Council and government health department to ensure proper functioning of the Clinic. One clinic management group has taken the initiative to start a Safe Child Delivery Unit and is planning the construction of a two-storied building in this regard. In

Nilphamari.

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2013, our clinics served about 1.3 million patients including children and mothers. The Union Health & Family Welfare Centres served 90,000 patients.

Addressing Maternal and Infant Health

Fig 1:

Our health workers have been active in increasing the awareness level among women regarding maternal and infant health. They have been facilitating regular sessions among groups of women and discussing important health issues. This has been an effective step towards reducing the high maternal and infant mortality rates

Maternal and child health care situation

prevalent in this area. Last year 21 Union Health &

Family Welfare Centres provided 24-hour safe delivery provision.

Improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Practices

We have also actively promoted improved water, sanitation and hygiene practices in the area. An analysis of the progress sanitation conditions by the people has shown improvement the conditions 71% in 2013. In this regard we arranged a School Sanitation Fair where the people of the area including children enthusiastically participated. Results of our efforts have been apparent in the behavior changes we have observed. 93% of the Organized sanitation fair for creating awareness among people and children an in from latrine

57% in 2011 to

people are now drinking water from tube wells. Currently 33% of the population in Nilphamari is drinking water from paved tube well while 67% are still using unpaved tube wells.

Promoting child rights for the protection of children

Children Organizations supported by Plan have been working with various social and child-related issues such as preventing child marriage, child labor, child trafficking, ensuring child rights, etc. In 2013 they were successful in stopping 26 child marriages and ensuring the schooling of 200 children. 100% online birth registration was achieved in Nilphamari through technical support provided by Plan which has proved to be highly effective in preventing child marriage, child labour etc. Our activities this year

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Children are actively participating in drama and marshal arts

included raising awareness about the protection of women by participating in a rally attended by members of the local government and the area population. The Children Organizations were also active in creating awareness about various child-related issues through theatre shows and other events. We organized a Childrens Fair to create awareness about the rights of children. Childrens participation in local level planning (including local government institutions, School Improvement Plan etc.) was significant. The Children Organization of this area performed 60 Theater for Development (TFD) shows

Arjina the Shining Star

Arjina Akter completed non-formal primary education in Plan supported school and was admitted in grade six at a formal public school. She then became a member of a Children Organization and actively participated in different child rights related awareness activities (such as observing special days, drama, rally etc.). She was 13 years old and studying in grade 8 when her family tried to get her married. However, Arjina had Arjina with her mother learned about the dangers of child marriage from the Children Organization. She managed to convince her parents not to

have her married off early. Arjina is now a 1st year Bachelor of on Child Marriage which were highly enjoyed and appreciated by the people. This has effectively Arts (honors) student at the Nilphamari Government College. created awareness in the area about the dangers and harmful effects of child marriage. She is also a member of the Women and Children Affairs When I was eight years old my parents my The marriage. I had no named intention to get standingarranged committee. villagers have Arjina the married. At that time I was involved with Star a children organization ofher Plan Bangladesh and Shining and now encourage more and more to received training on child rights and protection. I discussed with my about theinbad complete her studies and become a parents successful teacher her effects of child marriage. My parents realized and stopped the marriage. Now I am continuing area. my education. - Sharifa, 16 years old student, grade 10.

Improvements in quality primary education

Through the efforts of Plan Bangladesh to make education inclusive for all children and improve the quality of teaching, we have achieved 100% enrollment in this area. This year we operated 321 Shishu Bikash Kendras (Child Development Centres) for 2-year-olds, 40 pre-schools and 40 primary schools. In all 40 primary schools we have implemented our School Improvement Plan (SIP) for improved quality of education. 13,769 children are now enrolled in SIP/Primary schools 1,200 children in pre-schools and 4,168 children in Shishu Bikash Kendras (SBK). The residents of this area are more conscious of the need to send their children to school. The people of the area including the School Management Committee, parents, teachers and learners are all closely involved with the School Improvement Plan. All the SBKs, Preschools and Primary Schools received educational, playtime and instructional materials. Teachers have been using the teachingClass demo for students in the open field through small group

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learning materials and have involved the children in the joyful teaching-learning process. In fact these achievements are aligned with Plans global campaign Learn without fear. There was some improvement in the results of the Primary School Certificate Exam this year. The percentage of students passing the exam went up to 98% this year which was comparatively higher than that of last year (94%).

Our progress in disaster risk reduction

The poor and vulnerable population of Nilphamari experiences various disasters such as food & economical crisis in the dry season, flooding during rainy season, earthquake, fire etc. To help build disaster resilience among the people, Plan Bangladesh became a member of the district and sub-district Disaster management committee through simultaneous and Our response to the affected people during disaster continued advocacy with the committee members. A warehouse has been established with 1,500 packages of

Non Food Items (NFI) - such as blankets, hygiene and sanitation supplies etc for this would enable a rapid response during any disaster or emergency. 40 primary schools under Plans School Improvement Plan (SIP) have incorporated disaster preparedness as part of the schools annual planning. We provided training on disaster risk management for the local disaster management committee and demonstrated mock drills, so that people are prepared in the case of an earthquake at primary schools. Local Government Institutes observed National Disaster Preparedness Day at the District and Sub-district level. We also provided training on basic disaster risk management to our Plan staff, partner staff and volunteers.. 123 training participants learned about the emergency exit. We also extended emergency aid to 123 fire victims in 32 households in this area that included 12 children. Our disaster response included the education of children within the area during the emergency period as well as developing a strong linkage with the local government to take more initiatives for their relief and rehabilitation.

Major priorities for the next year

Following priorities have been selected in consultation with the children and people of this area:

1. Ensure 100% hygienic latrine and paved tube well for safe drinking water. 2. Capacity building of Children Organization, Local govt. institution and area to address protection
issues of children

3. Increase child participation in different Government and Non govt. institutions to promote child
rights.

4. Mobilize teachers, students and School management committee members to prepare school
contingency plan and act accordingly.

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5. Conduct Mock drill in the schools to strengthen their capacity and knowledge on Disaster risk
issues.

6. Promote Inclusive Education in 40 SIP school to ensure quality education for ALL
CHILDREN.

7. Make duty bearer sensitized to enroll marginalized children in mainstream of

education as well as support learners to achieve all competencies of Primary Level.

Message from the Program Unit Manager

We have achieved significant milestones through our School Improvement Plan, the sub-district model health care intervention and in helping to eliminate child marriage from majority of the areas. We will focus on the inclusion of marginalized children into mainstream activities, education and protection. Thank you for your continuous support.

Hrishikesh Sharker, Program Unit Manager

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