RDS Work Experience:

(a) Conscientization:

Conscientization is the most and important program of the organisation. It begins from the start and to continue continuously for raising mass awareness in all respects among the targeted people and the community people. Now the community people of RDS’s working areas are fairly conscious in all respects and they can understand their development should be done themselves. In this regards, RDS arranges personal contacts, door step visits, group meetings, gatherings, seminars, workshops, folk songs, popular theatres, circulate posters, leaflets, stickers, leaflets, billboards, sign boards etc.

(b) Motivation and Institution building:

The organisation first selects the working areas, conducts base line surveys and identify the targeted beneficiaries. After identification, motivate and educate the targeted people on the goal and objectives of the organisation and activities. When the beneficiaries realises that they should be organised, then the staff members organise them into small savings groups and conduct weekly meetings and collect weekly savings to build capital of the poor beneficiaries.

(c) Credit support for IGAs:

RDS creates employment and income earning opportunities for the poor organised group members through providing skills training, management training etc. and providing credit supports. It uses group savings, donors’ fund and revolving loan fund of the organisation. So far it has provided support among 1200 group members for undertaking small income generating activities, who have been running their IGAs profitably and effectively and earning an extra-income for families & also self-employed.  Of them 90% are women and 10% men are in our credit operations. The loan realisation is about 100%. Generally the group members are encourage getting membership with savings and then building their capacity for different issued of development such as leadership development, group consistent, participation and income generation. After that of their interest and aspiration they are provided credit to them. During credit period they also provided follow up support and build linkages with other social net works for other social support. The group size has been confined 15-20 members having small group of 4-5 members, each group has a committee for president, secretary and treasurers.

(d) Education:

Education is the first and for most component of RDS’s development interventions. So, it makes aware the people and makes literate. In these respects, it runs children education and adult education activities. So far it has made literate adult women and children and also developed school going habit.

(e) Health/Hygiene.

Health and Hygiene is a on going program of the organisation, which was started in 1993 and all the field are covered with this program, because, through weekly group meetings all the community people and the group members are made aware on health and hygiene.

(f) HIV/AIDS/STD Prevention:

At present time HIV/AIDS/STD has become a very alarming issue in Bangladesh, so, the organisation has been educating and motivating the rural people and urban people about HIV/AIDS/STD. Already the people of the working areas have become aware about the seriousness of the diseases, so, they are trying to practice HIV/AIDS/STD education. In this regard, posturing and wide circulation have been conducted in the working areas. The staff members continuously educating and motivating the people on HIV/AIDS/STD diseases.

(g) Water and Sanitation.

From the very beginning i.e. 1991, RDS has been implementing Water and Sanitation program with the help of NGO Forum and still supports are continuing. Developed 1 latrine production centre.

(h) Community Development.

RDS has been working on community development since its inception in 1993 in all the working villages, which are supported by the above mentioned partner NGOs and community based initiatives.

(i) Training.

RDS emphasis on different kinds of training to the group members for their skills development and potentials upgrading and started from 1993. It is a continuous process.  

(j) Occupational Skill Development Training:

The organisation arranges occupational skills development training for the destitute women and the sex workers from 1993 and so far 380 destitute women and 140 sex workers have been provided skills development training courses on Tailoring and Embroidery. Most of them have been involved in tailoring and embroidery activities.  

(k) Non-formal Education (NFE).

RDS’s first priority is education to all group members and the children and started in RDS has been provided literacy education to group members and children.

(l) Income Generating Activities (IGA).

So far 1200+ group members have been provided credit support for undertaking income generating activities with help of group savings, revolving fund and other government supports.

(m) Awareness Raising.

Awareness raising is a very important support for all the programs and also group formation. RDS has been made aware approximately 150,000 people in its working areas. The above mentioned different donors support this program.

(n) WID/Gender.

RDS has no separate program on WID but it mainly emphasises on women development. So, about 95% of its beneficiaries are women and children. All the programs of the organisation are planned, implement and manage by the women beneficiaries. It always emphasises on gender sensitivity in all its programs, so, in every case, gender response is given highest priority and try to make gender balance. At present in maximum cases and steps, gender balance has been maintained. It is cite able here that about 90% program are implemented for the women. These programs are supported by the above mentioned donors.

(o) Environment Development and Social Afforestation:

RDS has especial program on environment development. So, it has been implementing nursery development, homestead plantation, community plantation, awareness raising, reducing chemical use, fertiliser use, developing composts, regenerative agriculture, reducing plastic use etc. activities with the support of different above mentioned donors. So far it has planted 1,50,000 saplings and developed 35 nurseries.

(p) Disaster Preparedness and Management:

Disaster preparedness and management is one of the most important activities of the organisation, because, the working areas all disaster prone as the areas are situated very near to the dangerous river Madhumati and most of the areas are Low-lying and water logged. Every year different disasters hit the areas seriously. So, the organisation imparts awareness building, preparedness and management training for the group members and the community people.

(q) Homestead Gardening:

Every house has some space, which are fallen vacant and fallow. So, RDS has taken step to utilise those fallow homestead spaces. The group members have been motivated and encouraged to utilise those fallow homesteads for vegetable gardening. In this regard, most the women members have been provided necessary training and other supports. Other women have become encouraged and established homestead gardens.

(r) Adolescent development program:

RDS has been working for the poor adolescent girls of the working areas for their life development since its inception. Already a good number of adolescent girls have become aware and skilled about their lives. The program has become accepted highly and need is increasing. Due to limitation it cannot increase the program.  So, we need supports from all concerns.

(s) Good Governance in Rural administration:

Through European Economic Commission- a project has been launched recently to establish good governance in rural administration unit in Bangladesh called Union parishad-through this project-union parishad will make budget and planning for development with the active participation of village and rural people. The budget allocation will be allocated.