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'Overcoming Hardcore Poverty
in Bangladesh'
is an attempt to present major accomplishment of
Social Development Foundation(SDF), initiated in Jamalpur and
Gaibandha. SDF has been experimenting with alternative models of
poverty reduction and sustainable rural development since it’s
inception. Realizing the need to complement the existing poverty
reduction approaches of the Government, SDF has been
facilitating enabling environment to scale up social assistance
interventions with community participation, targeting hardcore
poor who are considered to be most vulnerable and remain
dispossessed of basic living facilities, being unable to attain
their choices and establish their rights in the society. The
Social Investment Program Project (SIPP) has emerged as a result
of the desire of the Government to materialize the above vision
with financial support from the IDA.
The Social
Investment Program Project (SIPP), has been designed as a
community demand driven project to develop effective and
efficient institutional and financing mechanisms for poverty
reduction. The present status of SIPP implementation shows that
the project has completed activities of Phases I and II and the
Phase III program is underway. The fund flow is directly
mobilized to the community organization (VDC), developed through
participatory planning process. The Partner Organizations
provide capacity building and technical support for planning,
implementation and monitoring to the VDC.
The experience
gained and lessons learned during the period would serve as
guiding principles for future program management and execution
of planned interventions at all levels of activities of SDF and
partner organizations. In pursuance of its policy of constant
review of the impact of its program, currently SDF is engaged in
evolving the future strategy of SDF and revisiting the strategy
for SIPP. The objective of the exercise is to emerge as a
permanent institution to work for reduction of hardcore poverty
in Bangladesh. Despite some drawbacks in implementation it has
been found that the project has improved people’s access to
local infrastructure and basic services.
Adequate
consideration may be paid to the time span required to meet the
development efforts initiated by SIPP before phasing out of SIPP.
While the focus on poverty alleviation of the hard core poor
should remain fixed and committed, strategies may have to be
adjusted in course of implementation. SDF remained committed to
evolve and implement innovative approaches to address hard core
poverty in partnership with community, NGO, Government and
public sector, World Bank and various donors.
We recall with
admiration the dedicated role of Mr. Nurul Islam Sardar former
Managing Director of SDF in its initial and formative phase. We
also appreciate the valuable contributions of Mr. M Hafizuddin
Khan, my immediate predecessor who successfully steered the
organization with vision and brought SDF in its’ present shape.
We acknowledge with gratitude the generous contribution, sincere
support and continuous guidance from the Chairman and Members of
the Governing Body which provide a new impetus to effective
functioning of SDF. We are deeply thankful for the assistance
and cooperation of all our partner organizations, district and
upazila administration, union parishad, communities, the
Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank team helping SDF to
complement the country’s ongoing efforts to overcome the
hardcore poverty in Bangladesh.
We look forward
to working together to realize this objective in the years
ahead.
Muhammad Fazlur Rahman
Managing
Director, SDF |
