PROJECT Report Project Title (50) Ensure food security for 300 families in Bangladesh

The IDEX-SATU Partnership: International Development Exchange (IDEX) is a San Francisco-based social change organization whose mission is to promote economic empowerment and social change in A rica! Asia and "atin America# In $angladesh! one o IDEX%s local partners is the Social Advancement thro&gh 'nit( (SA)')# SA)' is a grassroots organization that empowers individ&als and comm&nities so that the( can become s&ccess &l agents o change and development on their own behal # SA)' promotes the socio-economic stat&s o distressed and powerless women thro&gh instit&tion b&ilding! ed&cation! economic development activities! and ood sec&rit( initiatives# SA)'*s programs reach over +,!--- women in +./ villages across 0 districts o $angladesh# Summary of Project Progress to Date )he activities are ta1ing place as per plan# SA)' contin&es its savings and credit program with 2!-,- women in the 3alihati area# It provided micro-credit to 2-- women to increase their income! trained /-- women in diversi ied crop and vegetable c&ltivation &tilizing ecologicall( so&nd and s&stainable agric&lt&ral practices and met the health needs o 4- v&lnerable in ants and pregnant women# The area and issues IDEX s&bmitted a proposal to 5lobal 5iving on behal o SA)' to develop long-term s&stainable methods or improving the stat&s o women rom the ac&tel( poor! small! and marginalized arm ho&seholds o 3alahati 'pazila2 in )angail! $angladesh# 3alihati lac1s an( 1ind o comm&nication in rastr&ct&re or p&blic acilities# )he area%s health complex is ar rom the interior villages! &ndersta ed and ill-e6&ipped# 7eople do not receive ade6&ate medical treatment! and the area is beset b( high child mortalit( and morbidit( rates# )he literac( rate ( or those 8 (ears and over) in the pro9ect area is /0#+: or men and 24#/: or women# SA)' o&nd that the low standard o living in these comm&nities was characterized b( large disparities o income! indebtedness! poor ho&sing acilities! a lac1 o health care or ed&cation# 80: o the women did not have eno&gh income to meet the prescribed ood inta1e and 8.: o the armers had limited 1nowledge abo&t ood processing and storage# ;hildren rom these amilies were &nderweight! o ten d&e to the mothers% poor health res&lting rom the lac1 o preand post-natal care# Activities carried out 5ro&p ormation SA)' ormed ,< women%s gro&ps in +- villages! with a total o 2!-,- members# )he members were selected rom extremel( poor! small! and marginal ho&seholds# SA)' made reg&lar visit to the gro&ps and members to disc&ss the changes that were ta1ing place# )he( o&nd that in
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)iers o administration# )he co&ntr( is divided into districts! &pazilas and &nions#

man( instance the gro&ps were convening their own meetings! disc&ssing and ta1ing action on iss&es a ecting the members! and participating activel( in the credit program# Some gro&p leaders were ta1ing an active part in the local government activities# )raining on capacit(-b&ilding )raining and awareness b&ilding are 1e( components o SA)'%s pro9ects# )he training programs were organized to b&ild on the s1ills o women and armers and served /-- women# SA)' provided training on vegetable c&ltivation! crop diversi ication! land &se! integrated pest management+! ood preservation! and ish c&ltivation# A ter receiving training! the participants re lected on what the( had learned at the gro&p meetings# Income generating activities 4- women were provided credit to carr( o&t income generation activities and help them ta1e steps o&t o povert(# )he activities incl&ded ood processing and vegetable garden! small trade! and po&ltr( rearing# )he credit amo&nt ranged rom =0- to =2--# )he credit was available thro&gh grants made this (ear and rom the revolving &nd (principal and interest repaid rom earlier loans)# )he repa(ment rate is aro&nd 4.:# >omen in small trade small trade! ba1er(! and grocer( are ma1ing pro its o 0-: rom their small b&siness# )angail is a commercial town with high tra ic low! women can sell their wares 6&ic1l( and on a reg&lar basis# ?other and child health )o date SA)'%s has monitored the health stat&s o 20- pregnant women and 20- in ants# A trained n&rse cond&cts reg&lar health co&nseling and treats minor ailments# )he n&rse and gro&p leaders ens&re that the women and in ant maintain health( diets and adhere to their imm&nization sched&les# )he cr&x o this program is to ed&cate women abo&t ood 6&alit( and balanced diet preparation# In an in ormal s&rve(! SA)' o&nd that! @Awareness abo&t health has increased among the gro&p members and there is less blind observance to religio&s belie s and s&perstitio&s practices# )he door step medical acilities and health chec1-&p o pregnant women is helping to ens&re sa e motherhood and in red&cing incidence o child mortalit(#A )he gro&p members p&t into practice what the( learn in the meetings# For example pregnant women are more conscio&s abo&t their diet and tr( to incl&de meat! mil1! and vegetables# )he( also ma1e s&re that the( get s& icient rest a ter completing their dail( ho&sehold wor1# )he women are care &l in preparing meals# )he( wash the vegetables thoro&ghl( be ore c&tting and coo1ing# )he( do not coo1 vegetables or a long time so as to not lose the protein content# A ter coo1ing the( preserve the ood in a sa e place and cover it to protect it rom lies B other insects#

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Integrated pest management (I7?) is a arming method that is environmentall( responsible and economicall( viable# I7? oc&ses on minimizing pesticide &se! enhancing environmental conscio&sness and promoting s&stainable agric&lt&ral s(stems#