Project purpose
The main objective is to increase the income of 40,000 households in the region Gaibandha who live below the poverty line. This region is often hit by cyclones and floods, and crops fail. This is touching people in a spiral of poverty and malnutrition.

Target group                                                                                                                                                        The project focuses on women who are alone in the care of their family because they do not have a husband anymore. During five years we offer working to improve food security through greater diversity in revenue sources. The women are trained to grow several types of crops and trees. Furthermore, they receive cows for the sale of milk and chickens to sell eggs. Through the larger variation they are less dependent on one type of crop and less vulnerable to occasional natural disasters. Access to clean drinking water is secured by the construction of wells. Also not unimportant is the lobby from the government for more attention to vulnerable groups in Gaibandha.

About the partnerorganisations                                                                                                                          The three development ICCO & Kerk in Actie, Lepra Zending, Dark & Light Blind Care and seven local partner organizations, combine forces to improve food security in Bangladesh. Why does Dark & Light participate in this project? It is unfortunately a fact that people with disabilities in developing countries often live in extreme poverty. Of the 40,000 households in this project 20% or more has a members with disabilities. We expect one quarter of them has to do with visual disabilities. The experience of Dark & Light is a high added value. Our partner organization CDD, for example, will use a boat for eye tests and hearing tests and physical therapy in difficult to reach areas.
Cooperation between different organizations each with their expertise in agriculture, fisheries, income-generating activities, rehabilitation of disabled leprosy care and project management input is unique. This cooperation increases the impact and sustainability of this project.

The European Union supports this project, however, 20% is self-financed by Dark & Light. Your support is urgently needed! Will you help? On request we send you a detailed project description.

Target desription

• In 2010 8,000 extremely poor households of single mothers with a disability or a disabled family member is helped to improve living conditions structurally.
  

This project is made possible with support from the European Union. Own contribution needed by Dark & Light in 2010: € 10,000.