Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Our mission is to help disadvantaged people to identify and solve their own problems and realize their potentiality.

Working with the disadvantage people Mattering to self sustaining development

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996 has been empowering communities through performing in the field of Health & Nutrition, Water & Sanitation, Reproductive Health Literacy, HIV/AIDS Prevention, Gender Awareness, Adolescent Girls Empowerment, Non- Formal Education, Environment Protection, Sustainable Development, Leadership Development Program and different training programs and so on over the years from its establishment in 1996.

Organization Values and Principles of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation encourages the following values to be practiced both at individual and organizational level. 1. Honesty 2. Transparency and Accountability 3. Mutual respect 4. Creativity 5. Gender sensitiveness 6. Cost efficiency 7. Participation 8. Solidarity Guiding Principles of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation

1. Utilization of local wisdom and resources. 2. Encouragement of innovation and creativity. 3. Prioritizing quality. 4. Enhancing coordination and networking. 5. Accepting challenges Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation believes: 1. In the potential power of the poor to participate actively in development initiatives within their community. 2. In equal opportunity for man and women in society irrespective of class, age, ethnic, culture or religion. 3. In freedom of expression, movement and choice by man and woman alike. 4. In social harmony free from communal bias. Programs of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation

For the past 13 years we have been working in the field of: 1. Non- formal technology-based education 2. Human resource Development 3. Training (human, leadership & skill development) 4. Waste water management and environmental sanitation (ECOSAN) 5. STD/HIV/AIDS Preventative Program 6. Women and Child welfare 7. To promote research progamme and publication (both print and electronics media) Member/ partner/ donor of

 PMNCH The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health hosted by the World Health Organization (Switzerland)  Global Found for Women (GFW), USA  BCC Network, Bangladesh  NYC STOP Human Trafficking, USA  International Journalists’ Network, USA  Changemakers, USA  Asian Harm Reduction Network, Thailand  Solution Exchange, India  Wiser Earth, UK  The Developer's Network (DevNetwork Forums), USA  World Wildlife Fund, USA  WINGS, USA  Sight savers International, USA  Bangladesh Social Network,  Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), USA  American Foundation for the Blind  Krityanand UNESCO Club, Jamshedpur, India  Bangladesh ECD Network, BRAC, Bangladesh  Naripokha, Bangladesh  Church World Service community (CWSC), USA  Voyagers world  Take Part Social Action Network, USA  International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, USA  K4 Htalth, Knowledge for Health, USA  FX Network  blurtit  UNYK, UK  FBO, USA  National Partnership for Women & Families, USA  Family Care International, USA

Contact: Mohammad Khairul Alam Executive Director Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 24/3 M. C. Roy Lane Nobabgonj-Section Dhaka-1211 Bangladesh E-mail: Rainbowngo@gmail.com Web: www.newsletter.com.bd/, http://rainbowdhaka.onsugar.com/, http://rainbowdhaka1996.blogspot.com/, Tel: +880-2-8628908, Mobile: +88-01711344997

Community Development Activities of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

HIV/AIDS PREVENTION PROGRAM of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Observing the devastation of HIV|AIDS worldwide Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been inaugurating its activities and spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS since 1997. From starting it upholds the vulnerability of HIV/AIDS nationally and internationally by advancing its social warning with a view to spread awareness among the prostitutes on the vulnerability of HIV|AIDS. Its first project was implemented in Goalando Brothel, and later we started in Dhaka city with the financial support of the Global Fund for Women, USA. The purpose of the project was to reduce the vulnerability of STI/HIV/AIDS among the target beneficiaries especially the youth, street children, youth /adolescent students, domestic workers, transport workers (drivers and helpers of truck, bus and tempo), hotel/restaurant workers, commercial sex workers, industry workers, professional blood donors, injecting drug users etc. The objectives of the project is to create a vast awareness on the knowledge on HIV|AIDS. So with this view to initiated peer Education, Referral of STI patients to clinic, counseling, condom promotion and awareness building to improve awareness scenario, understanding and knowledge of the target populations about prevention of HIV/AIDS by taking preventive initiatives and awareness raising programs.

Beside these to give more emphasis on HIV/AIDS among the all kinds of people it spreads its activities by giving entertainment so during this period, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation produced several animated cartoons, songs, banners etc. These BCC materials provided with the necessary information about HIV/AIDS to both literate and illiterate people. About 1500 people, basically the youth, adolescents, transport workers (drivers and helpers of bus, track, and tempo), injecting drug users, sex workers, call girls, NGO workers or staff, factory workers, vulnerable youth and women groups, and MSM received awareness training on HIV/AIDS, STI/STDs, and its protective means alongside gaining knowledge on reproductive health, sexual health, primary health care etc. In the aftermath of such trainings target groups are being more conscious about HIV/AIDS & also about sexual health, reproductive health, primary health care etc. These trainings will help these people to disseminate their knowledge among their family members and neighborhood and make them aware about HIV/AIDS, STI/STDs & different social issues. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation organized 2 district level workshops/seminars, 8 action researches among sex workers and their clients (Goalanda brothel, Mymensingh brothel, Residence Sex Workers, Floating Sex Workers), 10 grassroots-level workshops, 10 awareness programs for NGO workers, hundreds of community meetings, hundreds of courtyard meetings, 2 rallies on HIV/AIDS awareness and over 500 home campaign on HIV/AIDS and STI/STDs.

MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH CARE INTERVENTIONS of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

The connections of HIV/AIDS with humanitarian crisis are establishing a great problem for all over the world. So motivation, awareness raising and dissemination of knowledge through different means and media are the most important activities under the program to improve the overall health status of the target people.

Women are disproportional infected with HIV/AIDS for biological, social, economic reasons. Heterosexual and vertical transmission of the virus has resulted in its wide distribution in the general population in sexually active adults and adolescents so with a view to make the vulnerable group conscious about health related issues, awareness activities were carried out on personal hygiene practice, dehydration & importance of ORS, Antenatal Care (ANC), Post Natal Care (PNC), delivery care, health & nutrition, family planning, water & sanitation, immunization, etc. The staff of the program organized small and large scale of group meetings, conducted household visits, displayed video films and arranged audio folk songs to create awareness & motivation among the target people. Several Behavioral Change Communication (BCC) materials like posters, leaflets, flipcharts, stickers etc. were mainly used for different promotional activities.

To achieve the objectives under Maternal Health Care program, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation started providing several trainings for its target groups.

Motivation, awareness raising and dissemination of knowledge through different means and media are the most important software activities under the program to improve the overall health status of the target people. The software supports comprise all the services, which lead to sustainable behavioral change. Keeping this in mind, awareness raising acts on health related issues within the community people have been emphasized at as one of the most important parts throughout the reporting period.

Among many health related issues, awareness activities were carried out on personal hygiene practice, dehydration & importance of ORS, Antenatal Care (ANC), Post Natal Care (PNC), delivery care, health & nutrition, family planning, water & sanitation, immunization, etc.

The program staff organized small and large level group meetings, conducted household visits, displayed video films and arranged audio folk songs to send a message to raise awareness among the target people and motivate them. Several Behavioral Change Communication (BCC) materials like posters, leaflets, flipcharts, stickers etc. were mainly used for different promotional activities.

To achieve the objectives under Maternal Health Care program, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation is now providing several trainings among its target groups.

FAMILY PLANNING INTERVENTIONS of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

With view to reduce over population from Bangladesh Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan foundation emphasis on family planning as it is one of the most important and vital components of health program. The staff put their earnest efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of having a small family and to increase the percentage of users of family planning devices through motivation. Therefore, the program staff provided trainings on how to use contraceptives and distributed the materials (in a small scale) among the fertile couples within the target groups. Such training campaign has got a momentum as well as popularity in the project domain.

ANTI-TRAFFICKING MOVEMENT of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Bangladeshi girls and women are trafficked to India in maximum number by the several district of Bangladesh such as Kustia, Jessore, Rajshahnd even from other districts. As this country is one of the victim countries for internationally trafficked persons primarily women, girls and children. Trafficking in young women and children are matter of great concern all over the world. Several thousand women and girls are trafficked annually from Bangladesh for the purpose of sexual exploitation, primarily to India, Pakistan, and the Middle East. Most trafficking girls and women are sexually abused; often they also experience other forms of physical and psychological brutality. They are in high risk of being infected with STD's including HIV/AIDS and they are by the surrounding society seen upon as unchaste and lowest ranked group in the society. One of our surveys at Goalondo brothel under Rajbari district in Bangladesh found out that almost 53% of sex workers enter the profession before the age of 20 years, and 30% do so between 20 to 25 years of age, and some of them get into this profession through deceptions of the traffickers. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation started Anti Trafficking movement on 2006. In this long run, we have been able to bring in several organizations in Anti-trafficking movements, through our comprehensive training.

Bangladesh is one of them victim countries for international trafficking, primarily the women, girls and children. Several thousand women and girls are trafficked annually from Bangladesh for the purpose of sexual exploitation, primarily to India, Pakistan, and the Middle East. Most trafficking girls and women are sexually abused; often they also experience other forms of physical and psychological violence. They are in high risk of becoming infected with STD's including HIV/AIDS and they are by the surrounding society seen upon as non-pure and considered among the lowest ranked in the society.

Alongside extreme limit of poverty, gender inequality plays a vital role too behind all these; also frustration and risky behavior cause a major damage behind the scene. The link between poverty and gender inequality helps the decline of the socio-economic progress. This link creates several anti-social and fatal issues too; such as, trafficking for prostitution, selling of sex for livelihood, breaking down of family norms to create frustration and driven drug point etc.

It is not just the problem of girls; even little boys and women are victimized to trafficking to countries like India. They are trafficked even within Bangladesh, often from the villages to the major metropolis areas with the promise of work opportunity and a better life. These little boys and girls are then forcefully involved in physical labor at rich households, child labor, pick pocketing, illegal drug selling, criminal activities, thieving, commercial sexual selling and many other unfair jobs etc. India is one of the major markets for trafficking as people from most of the countries are trafficked here. Bangladesh is a big market where from these victims are trafficked.

Bangladeshi girls and women are trafficked to India in maximum number from these districts of Bangladesh- Kushtia, Jessore, Rajshahi and also from other districts. India shares 4,222 kilometers of border with 28 districts of Bangladesh, most of which are open with rivers running across. So, Bangladeshi trafficking groups have been able to build up powerful bases in the border districts of India in West Bengal and Assam, to the north and west, and these have now become favorite transit points of trafficked women.

One of our surveys at Goalondo brothel under Rajbari district in Bangladesh, it has been found out that almost 53% of sex workers enter the profession before the age of 20 years, and 30% do so between 20 to 25 years of age, and some of them get into this profession through deceptions of the traffickers. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation started Anti Trafficking movement in 1998. In this long run, we have been able to include ten organizations in these activities. By mid 2007, our team of experts trained Anti-trafficking actions among some NGOs working in the border areas.

EDUCATION PROGRAM of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Bangladesh is a being a poor country here illiteracy is considered as a curse of getting development. So education is necessary for human and social development and it is a basic human right. Unfortunately, the people of our country are still suffering from the curse of illiteracy. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation believes that as soon as the people of our country will ascend on the educational ladder, economic and political stability will be restored and; as a consequence, a just society will be established.

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation upholds emphasis on Basic Education (BE) comprising functional education, literacy, post literacy/continuous education, livelihood development, life skill development, adult education, early childhood education, human resource development and so on for keeping its target groups (disadvantaged and poorest people especially women and children) on the right track towards sustainable future. So it stared its function to spread the light of education among the illiterate people. Internalizing the fact, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation started its Education Program back in 1996 through providing need-based education to the community people catering to them. Our education programs/projects/courses are designed to provide literacy and numeric along with general knowledge, skills and values to the target groups through constructive and basic education. The activities under Education Program includes about 20 general social issues, such as nutrition, environment, pollution issues, basic business management, child care, prevention of communicable common diseases, health and hygienic, balance diet, family planning, HIV/AIDS/STDs prevention, personal health care, leadership development etc. It contains Community Demand Driven (CDD) and problem solving holistic approach. The BE classes have proved to be an excellent forum for group information and motivation.

Since 1996 under education program, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been conducting and organizing institutional development program making the disadvantaged people organized through group formation that they can be able to achieve necessary life skills and develop leadership within effective and comprehensive interaction. For example, through its three adult education centers in urban areas of Dhaka City, about three hundred illiterate beneficiaries are getting the opportunities to take complete livelihood development oriented education in every shift. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation offered an opportunity for education to the adolescent girls from the poor and landless families within the program intervention areas who either have never been enrolled in a formal school or have been dropped out due to extreme poverty as well.

Recently, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation launched its primary education program called Basic Education for Working Adolescents and Street Children (BEWASC) to provide access to the working children with basic rights to primary education, especially who do not have the family support or whose families are dysfunctional. So far, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has established two BEWASC schools with the funding from dedicated individuals from the community and through the organizations own fund as a pilot project.

BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Having vast experience of working with people living under the poverty line, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation always endeavors to understand the basic problem of the poor. BEWA is a continuous effort of the organization to utilize the experience concerning such poor people as well as adolescents.

Several NGOs provided the necessary materials and curriculum for this pilot project as per mutual support harmony. The duration of the course has been designed for one year, where there are 4 teachers for conducting the course and the target students are mostly the adolescents between 8-14 years of age all working class or street children. The BEWA classes start in between 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and continue for two hours. The times are to set according to the students’ convenience, as the students are more than often engaged in working.

EXPANDED HEALTH & EDUCATION PROJECT of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation started a implementing project in 2005 by expanding its own fun only to keeps hands beside the destitute people with a view to expanding health and education program its always supported the illiterate and poor people by advising education and health treatment. To make the society free form the illiteracy, diseases need proper way of giving basic education and nutrition. The necessary technical the necessary technical and materials/logistics support have been provided by the Dhaka City Corporation, (DCC). The intervention area for this project called ‘Expanded of Immunization Program’ (EPI) is Lalbagh area, Dhaka. The project is covering both mothers (15-49 years of age) and children (0-5 years of age).

Women have less access to get information and education so they are less able to get information and response to the disease. Bangladeshi women especially in the rural part have a poor knowledge on HIV/AIDS and its transmission and prevention. In many developing countries where diagnostics facilities may be minimal, epidemiologists employ a case defection based on the presence of various clinical symptoms associated wit immune deficiencies and the exclusion of other known causes of immune suppression such as cancer, or mal-nutrition under the under the integrated support services on health and nutrition paramedics, one Program Officer (PO) trained in nutrition, food processing and general health, two Assistant Program Officers (APO) trained in health, nutrition and non-formal primary education, were involved with Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation in the project.

PROTECT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE:

Sexual abuse of children is fundamentally based on various types and levels of power imbalances (physical, class, gender, age, economic, social, political etc.) between the parties involved. It is an abuse of trust within the confines of an established distorted relationship where the abuser uses various forms of grooming and manipulation to get to his desired. Children cannot give informed consent to enter into a sexual relationship with an adult. There will always be a power imbalance and a lack of awareness in regard to the child’s physical, emotional, social and psychological development. A person they know abuses the vast majority of the children, who are sexually abused, in most likeliness.

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation puts fundamental importance in combating all forms of sexual abuse on children and any such exploitation. The organization’s awareness activities have an essential role to play in protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. They are ideally placed to disseminate knowledge, encourage child protection practice amongst the individual members from families. The Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been active in initiating to look at child protection issues. The following are some of the initiatives that have been undertaken in this work area. Need of childcare, gender education, parental awareness and dissemination of information against sexual abuse are the basic tools of the program.

SOCIAL MOBILIZATION PROGRAMS of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Social mobilization is a major part of all activities taken up by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation, which aims at creating a major thrust to solve problems of individuals, families or concerning social magnitude by promoting participation of all possible sectors and civil society, mobilization of local resources, use of indigenous knowledge and enhancement of people’s creativity and productivity through mass campaign. The concept has an extreme positive significance where a real change could be initiated by orchestrating joint efforts against the alarming health & education situation. To face the serious alarming scenario in health, education and some other areas, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation realized that the standard of living could be raised through an overall improvement of socio-economic and demographic conditions by undertaking an integrated social mobilization program with components of information (providing), health and basic education as the major components.

To promote and improve the socio-economic status and demographic conditions, promotional activities have been facilitated in the intervention areas through different forums. Young men in impoverished communities have many needs. Sometimes the only means of income available involves strenuous manual labor, low job security and little or no control over working conditions. Though such type of work may not have a risk of HIV infection in itself, but can lead to intense frustration. The lack of personal satisfaction may turn into adopting escapist behaviors like excessive drinking, taking drugs or sexual association with prostitutes/sex workers and so on. Therefore, the youth groups of the society fall easy victims to HIV infection. With this understanding, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation promotes sex education targeting the vulnerable youths and women through different communication materials and thought provoking activities.

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation believes that the focus on HIV/AIDS and other general & reproductive health issues must be expanded to the youth groups. But it has been observed that resources and attention are limited to protect young women from falling victims to HIV infection. This point is correlated with women's rights and reproductive health. Before adopting any approach for preventing HIV/AIDS, it should be acknowledged that young women are far more vulnerable than young men in this regard. Therefore, initiatives have been taken for raising awareness and highlighting the means those perpetuate the power relations in different societies and cultures to exploit the disadvantaged women at all levels. The endeavors are still being put in to eradicate the violence against women.

It should be admitted that still the women in our country have less opportunity, lower status and less access to any skill development training and resources and hence perpetuate their lower socio-economic status. The women are the main sufferers of trafficking, victims of sexual violence and pervasive illiteracy. Their representation in different forums is insignificant which also leads to a weak voice from them when it comes to decision-making.

All these facts and findings urged Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation to empower women and to prevent and control HIV/AIDS. We provide services to women vulnerable to HIV infection, especially those aged 15-40 years. This includes women working as low-paid industrial or house workers and women living in slum areas. Services include Behavior Change Communication strategies on HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, condom promotion, referral to reproductive health services, advocacy to local officials and agencies and; linkages with other development and HIV prevention activities. Now these women are becoming aware of these sensitive issues and trying to protect themselves from being forced against any sort of sexual violence or any chance afflicted with HIV/AIDS. They also have started taking up their own responsibilities and their own choices for their lives.

POULTRY AND LIVESTOCK PROGRAM of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

The Poultry and Livestock sector is an important one for the farming in Bangladesh and is contributing tremendously towards poverty alleviation, self-employment, nutritional enhancement and agricultural resource development. Less capital and time are required to adopt the program while it generates a substantial return for the households engaged in this sector.

Approximately 70% of the landless women are directly or indirectly involved in traditional poultry rearing activities. It is a good source of income for rural women as they have some experience in poultry rearing.

Poultry rearing could be more effective if poultry mortality could be reduced with the improvement of local breed. At the same time, nutritional level of the family could be enhanced.

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation started its poultry and livestock program since its inception and has vast experience in operating this program. Since 1996, we are initiating the eagerness-building program in this sector. We are implementing the program with the assistance from Livestock Officer (Govt.) and with the own source of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation. Selected group of members are provided with different types of trainings on poultry and livestock rearing and management. We also make vaccination facility available to the beneficiaries through Govt. Livestock and Poultry Department. We also spread beef, Mutton, chicken etc among the destitute people to stand beside them.

ESTABLISH GENDER EQUALITY, WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS AND GOOD GOVERNANCE:

Bangladesh consists in the most traditional background that gender discrimination is common feature, less job opportunity; economic dependency and abuse of women’s right and illicit trafficking of girls and women are major reasons leading to increase discrimination against women. Women are disproportional infected with HIV/AIDS for biological, social and economical reasons. Adolescent’s girls are much more oppressed. The low social status women in many poor countries encourage gender discrimination, domestic and sexual violence and psychological abuse. In Bangladesh, women constitute almost half the total population (48.5%), 85% of them live in the rural areas and are usually kept apart from men other than their family. Here the men dominate women in both rural and urban areas, regardless of their class identity. Gender awareness and women’s legal right activities under Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation are initiated with the objectives of increasing social awareness on gender related issues and to extend the legal supports to its target beneficiaries to establish women's legal rights for eliminating all types of discrimination against women. The economic, gender discrimination, social and physical right imbalance between men and women contribute to the luck of safety in sexual relationships and the difficulty for many women in negotiating safer sex. The right differentiates between men and women. Compounded by age differences, subordination in education, employment, social and legal status makes women more vulnerable to any infections. Women who have limited access to financial resources are more likely to become economically dependent on men, relegated to the subsistence sectors or forces into commercial sex works.

The objective of this project is to establish gender equality, women human rights and local level good governance involving local people. They were imparted series orientation and training to work on the 6 issues: Increase Birth Registration, Increase Marriage Registration, Protect Early Marriage, Protect Violence against Women, Reduce Family Violence, Increase Women Participation in decision making process. All these activities contributed to women empowerment and protection family violence and violence against women as a whole.

Good governance is necessary to keep balance in gender equality, rights, health and nutrition etc. if it is possible to scale all women and men with same consideration then it must be possible to eradicate the gender discrimination from our society. Imbalance attitude towards women must lower their latin skill to bloom. So it is necessary to have good governess in every sector. We have to look and keep consideration on women legal rights; they should not be deprived from the advantages that come out from our society, country and from the world. So we should maintain good governess to keep balance status of a nation.

ADVOCACY ON DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS AND LEGAL AID SUPPORT of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation also organized several advocacy campaigns and community sharing meetings to address the theme “No More Dowry”. We developed some BCC materials to make the mass people conscious concerning the ill effects of the prevailing dowry culture. We also distributed BCC materials among the members of associate organizations. Besides that organizations of similar interest and activities are availing our BCC materials for their relevant programs.

PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Promotional activities are carried out for awareness building and motivating the community people towards changing their behavioral attitude regarding health, nutrition, WatSan, personal hygiene practices etc. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation implements the promotional activities at the community level with the aid of IEC/BCC activities and materials.

A notable number of promotional activities are facilitated for the target beneficiaries and community people. The activities include production of IEC/BCC materials (printed materials, audio-video materials, etc.), conducting courtyard meetings, counseling, organizing rallies along with mike announcing, displaying film shows and animated cartoons, folk songs containing message, small and large group discussion meetings, seminars, workshops, meetings at different forums, doorstep visits etc.

To activate all the development programs, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has a well-equipped communication material development cell coupled with a team of skilled personnel.

Adding to these, to make aware and motivate the people, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been developing and using communication materials on dowry, acid crime and HIV/AIDS which have been pasted throughout the year on the back of the rickshaws containing different messages and pictures about the dreadfulness of HIV/AIDS and dowry. In fact, we always encourage people to leave smoking by anti-smoking campaign and create mass awareness through anti-trafficking campaign.

TECHNICAL SERVICES FOR POOREST PROGRAM of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has a strong inclination towards serving the hard-to-reach rural poor. With this intention, the organization has already started implementing an experimental project titled "Financial Services for the Poorest" at a village in Manikgonj district. The broad objective of the project is to make further contribution to overall poverty alleviation. The poor who do not have land or house of their own and who have to live from hand to mouth and are far away from getting any credit support are covered under the initiative.

Our organization undertakes various income-generating activities to assist the extreme poor. Moreover, we provide them with motivation skill development training so that they can become self-employed. These activities include cottage industry based on indigenous materials (e.g. bamboo or bamboo cane, hogla, cane, mat etc.), livestock and poultry rearing, tailoring, nursery business, small shops to sell retail products and other feasible activities.

INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING THROUGH TRAINING PROGRAM of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation believes in people’s participation in the development process. Training becomes one of the key components of the development activities of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation. It has been proven that the potentiality, knowledge, attitude and practice of people lag behind because of the absence of enlightened and trained people. Training adds perfection to any intervention. It is an essential input to bring a positive change for sustainable development. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation is developing a cluster of capable and skilled people at the grassroots level.

Realizing the training needs, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been actively upgrading its training process as an important tool for building institutions. We conduct specific on-the-job and skill-oriented training courses to develop a skilled workforce both at the staff and the beneficiaries’ level. By the end of 2007, we conducted about 20 HIV/AIDS awareness trainings in deferent levels of the community: commercial sex workers, youth, rickshaw-pullers, labor-women, and street-children. We also organized and conducted other social awareness/social development trainings for our target groups.

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been organizing different training courses within its own capacity by giving due importance to the needs of staff as well as its group members. Training courses are planned, designed implemented and evaluated as per the needs and priorities. During the training courses, knowledge and skills are conveyed to the trainees as they go through teaching and learning exercises in the classroom and practical experience in the filed as well. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation appreciates the process of sharing and mutual learning through participatory approach in conducting courses. Relevant training methods are carefully selected on the basis of the level of the participants’ education, knowledge and skills.

DISABLES’ AWARENESS AND REHABILITATION:

Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been running a development and awareness program for the disables with the technical partner Nobo Anquer Shomaj Kallyan Shansta, also with the help of APEX Bangladesh. Through this program, we are helping people to change their negative attitude to the disable people, especially the children. With a view that they are not burden to our society, we are sponsoring some disable children to go to school to continue their education to earn their worth to the society. The organization distributed wheelchair, schoolbags, instrument boxes, pencils and notebooks, color pencils and brushes; rubbers etc. among the 10 disable students.

WATER AND SANITATION PROGRAM of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

As our main mission is to create a society free from all devastation, diseases etc we give emphasis on water and sanitation, as it is the main basis of getting ride off all diseases. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been incorporating WatSan activities exclusively with the assistance form integrated software and hardware support services from the Qatar Charity under its collaboration activities. We have been setup deep tubule in costrel region Agalzara, Barishal. In this activity we start from 2008 with financial support by Qatar Charity. Under this program we aware the people about arsenic and it’s effect, importance of drinking safe water and the bad effect of drinking impure water. Wastewater management, Ecological sanitation (ECOSAN) is also part of this program.

We have achieved a sound experience in rehabilitation activities, particularly in WatSan activities. After any devastating cyclone in coastal belts, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation runs its rehabilitation activities, which included relief distribution, ensuring safe water & environmental sanitation, repairing and resetting the damaged tube wells, dewatering ponds as well as producing water-seal ring-slab latrines from its own fund.

Furthermore, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation performed arsenic test on a good number of hand tube-wells with its own efforts and funds. The tube-wells with arsenic contamination were marked red while the arsenic free tube-wells were marked green. We also spread awareness among the people using communication materials on usage of safe water, personal hygiene practice, disposal of solid waste and dangers of arsenic and arsenic mitigation options.

ADOLESCENT GIRLS PROGRAM of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

In Bangladesh particularly in rural and urban slum area adolescent girls are the most deprived group of all. They are deprived of education, human rights, family and legal security. They are neglected and sometimes ostracized, despite being productive members of society with great future potential. During adolescence girls become a social burden of their parents even while they accomplish many manual responsibilities in poor families. To add some additional earnings for the family, adolescent girls work as maidservants where they are poorly paid and bitterly treated.

After their marriage, the adolescents bad and un-livable life fraught with torture, desertion and divorce. Due to dowry system and having no literacy and knowledge of legal rights, the yield to the cruelties of their husband’s family in the most cases. Thus their wedlock becomes a dead lock by napping their lives in the bud. Being fully aware of the problems. Rainbow has taken up the initiative for the well being of poor adolescent girls through launching a adolescents advancement program of adolescent girls training’s where life based education is a vital component.

The purpose of this training is to make the adolescent girls aware of social exploitation, reproductive health, gender awareness, STDs/STI, HIV/AIDS, legal rights, concepts of family development, hygienic sanitation, arsenic pollution, clean water, leadership development, health, nutrition, mother care before and after pregnancy, family planning, concept of marriage, early marriage and its demerits, importance of marriage registration, divorce and ways and means to check divorce, the persecution of women and law against it, child abuse, concept of family court. Role of adolescent girls in the family their participation in development activities. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation has been running adolescent girls development program since 1996.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

The reproductive health field is attempting to more adequately address the conditions of the people sexual lives by training health workers and stretching negotiating skills in both women and men. At the community level, efforts of bring about more equitable gender relatives are even more common. Even so, women leaving in areas of evil conflict are at particularly high risk of violence, unintended pregnancy and STIs. The lack of reproductive health awareness and low acceptances of condom use, CSWs represent a highly vulnerable group in Bangladesh. The sharp rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Bangladesh contributes the spread of HIV/AIDS and may lead to a large-scale epidemic as the heterosexual mode of transmission accounts for an increasing percentage of HIV/AIDS transmission.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION:

Flood, cyclone, famine are the natural disaster in Bangladesh. Every year the people of our country faces food crisis for natural disaster. Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan foundation stands Bangladesh beside the affected people by providing food, shelter, rehabilitation etc.

FOOD ADULTERATION:

Food adulteration is heinous crime. It creates a lot of problem among the society. To eat the poisonous food children, adult all are entangle within food adulteration. Now a days food adulteration is becoming a tension corrupt trader mix adulteration even in children food like Melamine. So to create awareness against awareness food adulteration Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation held seminar, procession, campaign with the businessmen, buyer, customer, consumer etc with the association of UNIDO’s technical support we continue this program.

ANTI TOBACCO ACTIVITIES of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

Globally, the use of tobacco is decline day by day for various health reasons, but we found in our country still it has been increasing. According to WHO Global Status report 60% of man and 15% of woman in Bangladesh are tobacco users of different types like cigarette, BIRI, Hukka and dried tobacco leafs. In the rural areas it is customary to entertain guests with Hukka. Recently with the expansion of knowledge about the harmful affects of tobacco, we have started programmes of awareness building and lobbying. Under this programme Rainbow plays a significant advocacy role in this respect.

OTHER DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS of Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation 1996

For awareness building, a total of 4 animated films were showed and 1 audio song was played at the community level with the participation of a huge number of community people. Moreover, several rallies, campaigns on health related issues were held and National Immunization Days (NID) was also observed by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation through organizing rallies along with mike announcing and banner display with the participation of mothers and children of the target areas. Apart from these, we regularly organize yard meetings, which emphasizes on the target people to be more aware about the mothers’ health and nutrition.