Documentary

Unnayan Dhara / উন্নয়ন ধারা

Machizo has produced profile documentary of Unnayan Dhara.

Duration: 12 min. Language: Bengali with English Subtitle.

Unnayan Dhara is a Bangladeshi non-government voluntary development organization (NGO) works on ‘Organic Agriculture Promotion’, and ‘Rural Development’ issues, focused to farmer’s rights, organic agriculture, food security and climate change since its inception on 1992.

Thanks to Unnayan Dhara and Machizo team for arranging footage and information within a short time to make it nice. We have the plan to make the 2nd version with the seasonal footage.

Best wishes for the success of Unnayan Dhara’s efforts.

Unnayan Dhara / উন্নয়ন ধারা2022-02-15T12:36:05+00:00

Social Services on Wheels

GramWeb is a web-based platform developed by Global Communications Center (GCC) to provide a point of information storage and sharing for the 85000 villages of Bangladesh. It enables Villagers at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) to move from information consumers to information producers. They collect the village data, share those worldwide via their own village site, which is maintained by a villager called Village Information Entrepreneur (VIE) for promotion, communication and thereby make it a source of their income. For the first time villagers will be able to know and share their village to the whole world resulting a virtual global village.

GramWeb assists villagers to become village information owners and invites the BoP villagers to use their village information as their sources of income. This system will increase transparent information with accuracy, and improve villagers’ opportunities.

Events URL: http://www.gramweb.net/rampal | http://www.gramweb.net/basundia

Social Services on Wheels2018-11-28T05:01:48+00:00

Less Contamination

‘Less Contamination’, the video is on training for ITC ( International Trade Centre ) has been produced by Machizo in English and French version. The training film is on cotton contamination reduction along with the cotton to textile value chain has been produced jointly with Square Textile, an integrated textile and clothing manufacturing company from Bangladesh that has been working closely with ITC on African cotton contamination reduction and linking African ginners closely to its customers.

French Version: Moins de Contamination
Film de sensibilisation pour un coton africain non contaminé sur le marché

Le film de sensibilisation sur la réduction de la contamination le long de la chaîne de valeur du coton au textile a été produit en collaboration avec Square Textile, une entreprise de fabrication intégrée de textile et d’habillement au Bangladesh qui a travaillé en collaboration avec l’ITC sur la réduction de la contamination du coton africain et a établi des relations étroites avec des égreneurs africains auprès de ses clients.

English Version

French Version

Less Contamination2018-11-28T07:54:56+00:00

IGPF

The video documentary portrays the success stories of IGPF project. IGPF (Income Generation Project for Farmers Using ICT) aims to produce technologies to provide advanced farming knowledge, crop maintenance, and marketing information. Remote area’s farmers will be able to communicate with the experts and market agents with the help of this project and this project will help to produce chemical free healthy vegetables. IGPF is funded by JICA jointly supported by GCC of ( Grameen Communication), BSMRAU and WIN Inc.

IGPF2018-11-29T04:51:54+00:00

Qurbani Project

Documentary on Qurbani Project of IRW Bangladesh.

Qurbani is a practice performed at Eid ul Adha, a celebration in recognition of the belief, humility, and devotion shown to Allah by his Prophets, Ibrahim (pbuh) and only son, Ismail (pbuh). When Ibrahim (pbuh) received a revelation in his dream that he is to sacrifice Ismail, his treasured blessing, at such an elderly age, he informed him of his dilemma and they both entrusted themselves to Allah.
In exercising this uncompromised commitment to Allah, Ismail was replaced on the alter by a ram in acknowledgement of his sincere faith in Allah. In honor of this supreme act and exemplifying the spirit of sacrifice by both noble prophets of Islam, Muslims rejoice each year for the festival of Eid ul Adha. The festival is marked by the sacrifice of an animal, usually a sheep, goat, or cow with a significant portion given to the poor in submission to the will of Allah

In the spirit of Qurbani, Islamic Relief Bangladesh implemented Qurbani Programme 2011 in areas where most of the poor people face food crisis due to rising food prices, higher fuel costs and affected by various disasters such as flash flood, cyclone, water logging, and river erosion. In most cases, these marginalized poor people cannot afford to buy food for their families’ need. Since most of the times, the people have to struggle managing foods for them and family, they do not have capacity to perform Qurbani. As a result, they fail to enjoy the festivity of Eid ul Adha.

Like every year Islamic Relief in 2011, reaches out with Qurbani meat to diverse range of vulnerable beneficiaries like widows, orphans, aged and disabled and the poor among the disaster affected populations. In selecting beneficiaries, staffs of Partner NGOs, volunteers & Project Implementation Committee members arranged meeting with Union Parishad bodies, social elites and community people in the selected unions. In consultation with them, volunteer/PNGOs, prepared initial list of beneficiaries. After cross checking of beneficiaries by the IR representative and PNGOs staff, the list was finalized. They also carefully identify families to ensure those people who need it most.
Qurbani is one of the seasonal programs for Islamic Relief to empathize with those who rejoice the Eid ul Adha without having Qurbani meat. To share the spirit of sacrifice, this year Islamic Relief raised resources from its donor and partners across the world to help the poor people of Bangladesh and distribute fresh and good quality Qurbani meat countrywide.

Under the Qurbani Project 2011, this year meat packets were distributed to 29,280 families across 31 districts of Bangladesh covering 146,400 beneficiaries. Each packet contained an average of 2 kg beef. The packets were distributed to the vulnerable poor families, either through local NGOs, or through community based organizations or by Islamic Relief directly. Islamic Relief distributed the food directly in areas where it has its direct field presence. The covered districts were chosen considering the severity of poverty and natural disaster proneness. The families were selected in group-meetings, in a participatory way with the active participation of the community.

In partnership with Rural Economic Development Program (REDP), Karmayon and Pariber O Shishu Kallayan Kendra (POSKK) at Dhonbari sub-District of Tangail District. Total of 3,000 meat packets were distributed on 8th November 2011. Honorable Minister Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Member of Parliament, Ministry of Food and Disaster Management, Government of the People ’s Republic of Bangladesh was present as chief guest at Dhonbari Municipality area and inaugurated the Qurbani meat distribution program to the poor people.

Food insecurity & malnutrition is the core concern for the poor in Bangladesh. The poor people have to remain unfed or half fed most of the time. They are victims of malnutrition. With the generous support of various donors across the world, this program contributed to bring joy and food for 2 or 3 days to the destitute and also complimented other projects of Islamic Relief Bangladesh.

Qurbani Project2018-11-29T04:55:17+00:00

Home of Our Own

Islamic Relief Worldwide Bangladesh has been implementing different types of projects in northwest Bangladesh since 1994, dedicated to improve socio-economic situation of extremely poor peoples. During course of its work, Islamic Relief observed that there are some orphans, their sibling and mothers in every community living in extreme penury with not even a proper roof on their heads. They belong to some of the most vulnerable and socio-economically marginalised groups in Bangladesh. They live in very poor houses with not enough to eat and very poor schooling. Most of the time they are also left out of the safety net or social security program of the Government. The prevailing patriarchal family dynamics and socio economic environment around them, further limits their access to even the other basic needs and services.

These women-headed families with orphan children are extremely marginalized. These families struggle from dawn to dusk for food with low wage rates and irregular opportunities for them even to sell their labour. They cannot even dream to improve their house and install tube well and latrines of their own. Most of them live in very poorly built houses made of thatch, straw or leaves. They are not even able to maintain it properly. The house drips in rain and lets in the cold during severe winters.

As they have no tube well and sanitary latrine of their own almost all such families frequently fall ill to water borne diseases. Most of these families depend on home-based livelihoods like poultry, goat and cattle rearing, homestead gardening. But when they are affected by any disease, they are forced to sell their productive assets to pay for medical bills and become asset less. Thus continues their vicious cycle of poverty.

To address their poor situation, Islamic Relief Worldwide Bangladesh implemented a project –

“Access to Improved Housing Safe Water and Sanitation for Orphans families” in Mithapukur sub-district under Rangpur district.The objective of the project was to provide improved houses, safe water and sanitary latrines for families of selected orphan children.

The inputs of the project have improved the houses, water hand pumps and sanitary latrines of the orphans and their families. It is expected that this project would make a significant impact on orphans and their family members. Better living and sanitary conditions will reduce their exposure to diseases and also the treatment cost. It will also improve their physical and mental health and increase their capacity to work. A proper house will also give them a social dignity to the orphan children and their families. They would feel more secure and would be more confident about their future.

Islamic Relief supported the families of orphans irrespective of their caste, creed, religion or gender. However priority was given to teenage girl orphan children. The targeted orphans included 53 girls and 47 boys and among these 82 are Muslims, 17 Hindus and 1 from the indigenous community.

Beneficiary’s choice and opinion was given priority during the construction process. The provisions for the house included corrugated iron sheets and fence with wooden structure, cement pillars, bamboo for the roof, wooden door and window and stairs built of bricks in front of the door.

Beneficiaries are now happily living in their houses. No more dripping houses in rains or cold shivers in the cold spells! Ensured availability of safe water and sanitary latrines also means dignity in bathing and defecation and freedom from water-borne diseases for these families.

Home of Our Own2018-11-29T04:57:01+00:00

Homeguti

Homeguti, a popular sports in greater Mymensingh. This is a sports named ‘Homeguti’ There is competition of showing power. But don’t have violence; and having traditions to follow the rules. Without player nobody touch the guti (ball). The aspect of game is, to take the control of 40 kG brass ball by struggle and playing between 2 groups of 2 villages.  Over the last two hundred years, this game is practicing in the greater Mymensingh.

Peoples’ tale, the landloards of Muktagacha Atharobari, petronized to entertain the citizen by this power of game. Early time wood-ball was used in game but later started to use brass-ball.

Still it practices widely in Muktagacha and Phulbaria of Mymensingh, and different area of Jamalpur and Tangail districts. Mymensingh regional this game generally starts on the last day (puhura) of Bangla ‘Pous’ month. After cropping, in the wide-open field generally the ‘Humguti’ game arranges. The villages, particularly capricious rural youth are the player of this game. There is no certain number of players but happen between two villages. Before start the game, the Ball ( Guti ) take equal distance from the two village, in 3rd place. By the signal of group leaders, the game starts. However fighting starts to take control the Guti (ball). The village that can hide and take control unto the last becomes win

One to four days is the standard duration of game. During game huge audience stands around the field. And with clapping encourage own village players. During game, villagers pride to do hospitality the players.

To protect the ball control the players take ball inside their circle. Villagers don’t mind the tree fruit have been finish by players and visitors. After finish the game the guti (ball) has been protected in the team leader of victory team. In modern agriculture system crop has been cultivated whole year. So there is no open field like before. This is the main reason to reduce ‘Homeguti’ game culture.

Direction and Filming: J. Alam ( Jahangir Alam)
Narration: Tanzia Khanam
Script & editing: Shahjahan Siraj
Research Associates: Sujit Kumer. Paul
Technical Support: Machizo Multimedia
https://www.machizo.com

 

হুমগুটি , ময়মনসিংহের একটি আঞ্চলিক জনপ্রিয় খেলা

দৃশ্যটি কোন ঝগড়া বিবাধের নয়। এটি একটি খেলা । খেলাটির নাম হুমগুটি। শক্তির প্রতিয়োগীতা থাকলেও, খেলাটিতে ক্রোধ আর হিংসা স্থান নেই । আছে নিয়য় মেনে চলার প্রথা। প্রতিযোগী ছাড়া কেউ গুটি স্পর্শ করে না।

খেলাটির বিশেষত হলো ৪০ কেজি ওজনের একটি পিতলের বল নিয়ে দু এলাকার দু’দলের হাজারো মানুষের কাড়াকাড়ি করে বলটি নিজেদের দখলে রাখা। বিগত দু’শ বছর ধরে খেলাটি বৃহত্তর ময়মনসিংহের বিভিন্ন এলাকায় জনপ্রিয়। কথিত আছে, মুক্তাগাছার আঠারো বাড়ীর তৎকালিন জমিদাররা সাধারণ প্রজাদের শক্তি পরীক্ষা ও বিনোদনের জন্য এ’খেলার পৃষ্ঠপুষকতা করতেন। প্রথম প্রথম কাঠের তৈরি হুমগুটি দিয়ে এ খেলা হতো, পরে পিতল গুটি দিয়ে খেলার প্রচলন শুরু হয়। আজো ময়মনসিংহের মুক্তাগাছা, ফুলবাড়িয়া, জামালপুর ও টাঙ্গাইল জেলার বিভিন্ন উপজেলায় দুরুন জনপ্রিয়তার সাথে এ খেলার চর্চা হয় । ময়মনসিংহের আঞ্চলিক এই হুমগুটি খেলা সাধারনত পৌষ মাসের শেষ দিন, পুহুরাতে শুরু হয়ে থাকে । শস্য তোলার শেষে ফসলহীন বিস্তৃর্ণ খোলা প্রান্তরে এ খেলা হয়। গ্রামের কৃষক মুজুর বিশেষত সাহসী যুবকরাই এ খেলার খেলায়ার। এ খেলায় খেলোয়ারের সংখ্য নিদ্দিষ্ট না থাকলেও , খেলাটি সাধারনত হয়ে থাকে দু গ্রামের মাঝে। দু’গ্রাম থেকে সমদুরত্বে অবস্থিত তৃত্বীয় এলাকায় হুমগুটিটি নিদ্দিষ্ট স্থানে রাখা হয়। দু’দলের দলনেতা নির্দেশ পাওয়া মাত্রই খেলাটি শুরু হয়। গুটি নিয়ে দু’দলের মাঝে তুমুল কাড়াকাড়ি চলে গুটিটি নিজগ্রামে নিয়ে যাওয়ার জন্য। যারা নিজ গ্রামে গুটিটি নিয়ে লুকিয়ে রাখতে পারে তারাই বিজয়ী।

হুমগুটি খেলা সাধারনত এক থেকে চারদিন ব্যাপি হয়ে থাকে। খেলার সময় বিশাল খোলা মাঠের চারদিকে উৎসাহী দর্শক দাড়িয়ে খেলা উপভোগ করে। হাততালি দিয়ে নিজ নিজ এলাকার খেলায়ারদেরকে উৎসাহ দেয়। খেলাকে কেন্দ্র করে গ্রামবাসীরা খেলোয়াদেরকে আদর-আপ্যায়ন করে গর্ববোধ করে। খাবারের সময় গুটিটি দখলে রাখার জন্য, গুটিকে কেন্দ্র করে চারদিকে গোল হয়ে বসে ভোজন বিলাস করে। গুটি নিয়ে চলার পথে গাছের ফল সাবার করলেও কেউ কিছু মনে করে না। খেলা শেষে সাধারনত বিজয়ী দলনেতার বাড়ীতে পরবর্তী বছর খেলা শুরু না হওয়া পার্যন্ত গুটিটি রক্ষিত থাকে।
আধুনিক কৃষি ব্যবস্থা সারা বছর চাষ হয় বলে , এখন ফসলহীন বিস্তীর্ণ খোলা প্রান্তর কমে যাওয়ায় হুমগুটি খেলা বিলুপ্ত হতে চলছে।

নির্দেশনা এবং চিত্রগ্রহণ: জাহাঙ্গীর আলম
স্ক্রিপ্ট ও সম্পাদনা: শাহজাহান সিরাজ
বর্ণনা: তানজিয়া খানম
গবেষণা সহকারী: সুজিত কুমার পাল
কারিগরী সহযোগীতা: মাচিজো মাল্টিমিডিয়া

Homeguti2018-11-29T04:57:58+00:00

Tale of Madhupur

Blossoms of flowers, song of birds, movement of wild animals, natural growing, and living together of different species are characters of a forest. The Madhupur Shal forest, one of the biggest forest of Bangladesh, is being destroyed for mono cultural plantation. Along with erosion, the soil fertility is declining. The less density of forest is now a threat for wildlife. The monotones vegetation dominated by Eucalyptus, Acacia and robber has been increased dangerously. The forest has become just like a garden. The nature of forest has been fallen. The birds do not sing a song there, flowers cannot grow with total freedom, animal cannot play, as they like. The diversity of species has been lost.

Since 1982 the deforestation of Madhupur has been continuing by the name of social forestry movement with the help of forest department. Research finds that the forest is fading away very fast; however, social forestry has destroyed bio-diversity in Madhupur. The deforestation has crippled the livelihood of Mandi and Kuch community.

“Clean Jungle” slogan and Madhupur National Park establishment encouraged converting the forest into agriculture land. Also cultivation of banana, pineapple in place of Shal even hybrid cultivation is capturing the original forestland. A decade ago, the size of the forest was 45,000 but now the area has reduced more than 60 percent. The traditional Shal and 300 species of birds, 60 species of medicinal plant, vegetables, herbs, and creepers have already missed away. A large variety of wildlife, including tigers, black bears and peafowls, has disappeared. The main reasons of this great loss are deforestation and monoculture plantation around seven districts of Barian tracts. Along with the forest, Mandi and Kuch culture is disappearing.

Immediate steps should be taken to conserve natural resources of Madhupur; otherwise, we will be unable to find this heredity and resources.

Tale of Madhupur2019-01-14T07:37:55+00:00

Food for Fasting People

The month of Ramadan is a time when Muslims fast to seek Allah’s blessings, His forgiveness, and mercy. Ramadan is an opportunity to reap great spiritual rewards for acts of devotion and a reminder for us to reach out to our less privileged brethren in a way that they get empathy and support for them to retain their dignity and respect as they struggle to make their two ends meet in this Holy month.

 

Islamic Relief, in this month reaches out to them through one of its seasonal program to provide standard food rations to the marginalised poor, particularly the women-headed households and the ones that have orphan children, elderly people especially who are fasting during the holy Ramadan.
This is also a month when poor communities in Bangladesh face food crisis due to rising food prices, flood, river erosion, higher fuel costs and an increased demand. They cannot afford to buy food that they and their families need. As a result, more and more people go hungry, face gross malnutrition and keep sliding back into a cycle of poverty. Ramadan puts extra stress on them in getting access to at least three full meals. In some cases, after whole day of fasting, a vast majority of rural poor particularly marginalized communities don’t get nutritious food.
Ramadan is an ideal time for Islamic Relief to empathize with those who go without food. Every year Islamic Relief raises resources from its donor partners across the world to help the rural poor of Bangladesh and distributes basic food items for Iftar and Sahari countrywide.
In the year 2011 the Ramadan project started on 1st August, 2011. Under the Ramadan project food packets were distributed to 5700 families across 23 districts of Bangladesh covering 22,480 individual beneficiaries. Each packet contained 15 kilogram rice, 3 kilogram lentils, one and half liter cooking oil, one and half kilogram chickpeas and one and half kilogram sugar.
The packet was distributed to the vulnerable poorest family either through local NGOs, or through community based organizations or by Islamic Relief directly. Islamic Relief distributed the food directly in areas where it has its direct field presence. The covering districts were chosen considering the severity of poverty and natural disaster proneness.

The families were selected in a participatory way with the active participation of the community in group-meeting.

In Faridpur district, through a partnership with Beneficiary Friendship Forum (BFF), and in the presence of District Commissioner Helaluddin Ahmed and Country Director of Islamic Relief Worldwide Bangladesh- “Javed Ameer” and Program Manager of Islamic Relief “Mostak Hussain”, distributed 200 packets on 7th August 2011.

‘Astha Social development organization’, one of the partner of Islamic Relief at Dinajpur district distributed food packets to 200 families in the presence of the district Commissioner “Jamal Uddin Ahmed” and Municipal Commissioner, ” Ziaur Rahman Nawsad”

The project compliments other food security projects of Islamic Relief Worldwide Bangladesh and covers areas that are not covered by other programs yet the communities are vulnerable for various reasons Islamic Relief Bangladesh is contributing for poverty alleviation in Bangladesh by integrating the community participation in vulnerable areas since April 1991 particularly to reduce and mitigate human sufferings during and after any emergencies and disasters.

Food for Fasting People2018-11-29T05:09:09+00:00

Eye Sight Rehabilitation

To achieve healthy eyesight for people of the greater Rangpur and adjacent sub-districts of Dinajpur in northwest Bangladesh, Islamic Relief Worldwide Bangladesh initiated Eye Sight Rehabilitation Project.

Arrange patients screening program to identify cataract patients
– General eye care services
– Provide operation services for cataract patients through partner hospital and
– Awareness on eye care and eye treatment
– Counseling and motivation

The project successfully completed its last phase started from 15th July’2010 and continued

Major activities of the project includes –

During this period, the project provided cataract operation facilities for 1012 peoples instead of its initial target 800, refractive error corrected for 603 peoples and facilitated general eye care and treatment awareness among 12459 peoples irrespective of gender, race and religion.

Un-operated cataract is the main cause of blindness and low vision. The cataract surgical coverage for blind eyes due to operable cataract was notably low.

Managing of transport cost, operation and medicine cost are big factors for the poor households of proposed rural areas when they experience eyesight problem. As a result, many people force to live either with blindness or extreme low vision and as consequence socio economically become excluded, extremely vulnerable and many of them force to adopt immoral trafficking as begging.
In these circumstances, rural community based cataract-screening programmes and free cataract operation support are highly important for the rural poor and extreme poor peoples.

Blindness severely affects people’s life and livelihood. Peoples are expecting continuation of this project and extended its coverage to reach more peoples experiencing cataract blindness.

Eye Sight Rehabilitation2018-11-29T05:10:13+00:00
Go to Top