FRIENDSHIP BANGLADESH
We work in partnership with individuals, communities, organisations and the government to create lasting solutions to the challenges faced by the poor and marginalized communities in Bangladesh.
About us
Over the last 15 years, Friendship has grown from being a distant dream to an organisation delivering vital services to 4.2 million people in the most marginalized communities of Bangladesh. Our work wouldn’t be possible if not for the 1,600 people dedicated to helping those in need.
Also crucial to our organisation is Friendship International. Formed over the years by a passionate group of people from Luxembourg, France, the UK and the Netherlands, Friendship International helps us foster partnerships, mobilise funds, gain expertise and raise awareness of our unique methodologies. More than partners, this group believes in the core values, ethics and work of Friendship. Together we are building a solid organisation that makes real changes to communities outside the economic mainstream, whilst retaining the dignity of the people who live within them.
Some of our projects
ICT-AIDED SCHOOLS:
Educating the Unreachable
In the hard-to-reach river islands in northern Bangladesh, lack of access, roads and electricity create a situation in which educational institutions are extremely difficult to run. Schools are difficult to set up and it is hardly possible to find and maintain teachers in these areas. The challenge is therefore to bypass the geographical isolation and lack of qualified teachers by using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and out-of-the-box thinking that yield real results.
Stories brought to you from the field
On International Day for Disaster Reduction 2018, Friendship took part in a joint exhibition where the government along with development partners, civil society organizations, academic institutions and other NGOs, who are working together to reduce communities exposure to disaster risks and showcased different Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) practices and approaches.
Honorable Minister of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDM&R) Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya inaugurated the ceremony as the Chief Guest and Dhirendra Debnath Shambu, MP, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee of Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief was Special Guest. The event was chaired by Md. Shah Kamal, Honorable Secretary, MoDM&R.
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2 new Health Clinics have been set up to help Rohingya and local people in Cox's Bazar to stay healthy. In Camp 5 and Camp 6, the clinics have started providing essential health services since last month.
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An estimated 34 million people are victims of the HIV virus worldwide. Since identified in 1984, more than 35 million people have died from HIV or AIDS. "In Bangladesh, the theme for the government for the 298 observances is Saving Lives through Leadership and Partnership,” said Sebastin Rema, Deputy Commissioner, Gaibandha, while addressing as the Chief Guest at the meeting and really in observance of World AIDS Day 2018, held at the Civil Surgeon Office at Kurigram. Friendship took part on this occasion along with other partner-NGOs to disseminate the message and spread awareness. This year's theme is “Know Your Status”.
Many other pertinent topics were discussed, such as children living in a world with AIDS, discrimination, universal access and human rights, HIV prevention, shared rights and responsibilities, epidemiology of AIDS, etc.
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Friendship Centre in Gaibandha was one of over sixty projects exhibited at the Bengal Stream, the first exhibition in France to focus on the architectural scene in Bangladesh, demonstrating the extraordinary vibrant architectures in the country.
The event was organized under arc en rêve centre d'architecture's East-West / North-South programme designed in 2004 to present essential purpose of architecture, giving people places to live, and placed creativity at the heart of the major issues facing societies as they turn towards the future.
The Friendship Centre, the winner of Aga Khan Award for Architecture, is a training facility, created to train staff of Friendship working with people inhabiting nearby chars, or riverine islands of Bangladesh.
Friendship's raised plinths and boat building projects are also being exhibited at the event.
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28 people, including 14 women, from Voghdanga Union, Kurigram Sadar Upazila took part in a day-long integrated training program. With a view to developing community-level training facilitators from the community, people who attended will subsequently conduct similar training for their communities in their respective wards, thus to ensure the sustainability of the project activities.
This is the first integrated training for the community people where five sectors of Friendship (Health, Education, Inclusive citizenship, Sustainable Economic Development and Climate Change Adaptation & Disaster Management sector) have conducted different sessions of the training.
Health: First aid, health care and Nutrition
IC: Good Governance and legal aid support
SED: Climate resilience cultivation and farming
Education: Education in Emergency and Adult Learning
CCADM: Local Resource Mobilization and Climate Change Adaptation
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Friendship has recently become a member of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), which is a policy networking lead alliance.
This membership will facilitate access to national policy advocacy on education platform as well as support from CAMPE in technical assistance in adult literacy program, along with primers and reading materials.
Friendship will subsequently be attending different seminars, workshops etc. organized by CAMPE. This will all work together to contribute positively towards the National Education Policy 2010.
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ISD Service Market is a monthly event running from October to May. Organizations with a strong record of community impact to sell high-quality goods are invited to participate at this fair.
Friendship’s Cultural Preservation sector had a presentation, including live traditional boat model construction on the 11th of November.
Through this initiative, ISD aims to build awareness about important issues, promote responsible consumption and support ISD Service Market partners’ missions.
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"Every person has the right to a dignified life. A dignified life fulfills a person's possible aspirations and potential. Having a freedom to decide on a person's own life and honoring this right with respect is dignity. Our own dignity depends on dignifying others and giving dignity to others."
This was the message that was unanimously agreed on by the panelists at the Global Dignity Day celebration, initiated by Friendship's Inclusive Citizenship sector and observed at Kanchipara Saidpur Government Primary School ground in Fulchhari upazila on Thursday. 30 students also participated in an art competition and were given awards for the best work.
Fulchhari Upazila Education Officer Kofil Uddin was present as the chief guest, along with Emdadul Haque, Regional Manager, Anwarul Islam, Regional Manager, Rezwanul Haque Assistant Regional Manager and Senior Supervisor Ahsan Habib. The meeting was featured on local news publications.
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Friendship’s Inclusive Citizenship sector organized 2-day workshop on shalish for 27 Community Leaders from Gaibandha and Kurigram districts to enlighten them on informal justice system, procedure and state policy to reduce illegal shalish.
Gender sensitivity in shalish, quality and skill of mediator, basic concept of rights and human rights, Village Court Penal Code, Village Court Act 2006, different civil and criminal cases, Asset Transformation Law, Khas Land Law etc. were among the topics of training at the workshop.
Md. Abdul Quddus, Joint District and Session Judge of Kurigram facilitated the training.
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Friendship, in association with District Legal Aid Committee (DLAC) Kurigram, supported by Friendship Luxembourg and ERIKS Development Partner, organized a sharing meeting comprising district legal aid committee members and panel lawyers on 20th November 2018 at the Judge Court Building, Kurigram to strengthen collaboration and extend legal aid services to deprived marginalized communities in northern Bangladesh.
Sara Bergqvist, Program Coordinator - International Department, ERIKS illustrated how Friendship’s Inclusive Citizenship sector’s initiatives are contributing to improve access to justice and ensure human rights for those unaddressed marginalized communities. Sultana Parvin, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kurigram was present at the meeting. Munshi Rafiul Alam, District and Sessions Judge and Chairman of Kurigram District Legal Aid Committee also stressed on extending such services and necessary collaboration.
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“Our experience in the field has shown that gaining the trust of the communities in which we operate is a key component of success. Trust can only be built up over time by providing consistent and reliable quality services and earning the respect of the people we work for. Friendship doesn’t work through short-term projects, but ensures its commitment to the communities on a long term basis.”
Runa Khan, Founder and Executive Director of Friendship Bangladesh
HELPING THE POOR IN REMOTE AREAS
Find out more about the charity Friendship and the impact it has on the lives of the poor in Bangladesh
Members of the Board of Trustee
Our sponsors and partners
We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without the support of our sponsors and partners.
Contact Friendship Bangladesh
Friendship Bangladesh
K-14/2A, Baridhara North Road
(Kalachandpur), Dhaka – 1212, Bangladesh