So Nanu and I arrived safely back in the U.S. a few days ago. It was an interesting journey, we spoke of Pakistan's independence along the way, and Nanu told me about her memories of the day 60 years ago. I thought of my experiences along the way. The last few days were really heart-wrenching, bidding farewell to my colleagues, getting lots of presents, going to their houses. We grew close, and this bond is something I will hold close to me. I was so exhausted after returning that I spent the first few days back sleeping.
The work of the Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship in the MDG work was publicized in some Bangla newspapers! I posted the links below:
http://www.jaijaidin.com/archive/2007-08-12/details.php?nid=26157
http://thedailystar.net/2007/08/12/d70812071084.htm
This upcoming year, as I work on my MDG thesis, I will be honing in more on my findings, enhancing them with academic research. I am eager to delve more into this topic academically. More than anything, what I learned this summer is that the work that is being done on the local level in Bangladesh is amazing, and that I can help. I can do this, I have a role in this, and I believe I can do it well. :) I made memories that will last a lifetime, and I am so elated at what this summer has been. I start my senior year with a fresh perspective, a desire to actualize what I have learned, and a mind open to what can be done. :) This will be good, I feel....
Friday, August 17, 2007
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Smells Like Inspiration
We returned from Patuakhali at noon yesterday, docking in at Shagarghat in Old Dhaka. It was perhaps the most amazing trip I've ever taken. We made the trip from Dhaka to Patuakhali purely by launch, on the river the whole way. Once arriving in Patuakhali, we were greeted by the chairmen. Settling in, on our first day we began our interview with the Union Parishad Chairman. We drove into Auliapur, a union in the district. We drove through so much greenery and agricultural scenery that I almost quite couldn't believe it. Upon arriving at the UP building, me and my colleagues Rizwan and Ginny began interviewing Chairman Kabir. We spoke of his experiences with the MDG project, and afterwards we went into the town hall for a discussion with the MDG Club Members. This was so much better than I expected. We spoke with the committee leaders of the Agriculture Club, Mothers Health Club, Environment Club, and Education Club. We also heard stories of direct beneficiaries, people who had been helped by these clubs, directly from them. That was an amazing experience. I was sitting by the chairman during the meeting, and we spoke of his budget allocations throughout as well.
That night, Atiur Rahman, our NGO Chairman, gave a press briefing on the Unnayan Shamannay/Patuakhali District MDG Project. His endurance and speaking ability is amazing. The next day, there was a huge meeting at the Auliapur Union Parishad Building. The UP Chairman facilitated the meeting of our chairmen, the DC commissioner, and the UNO officer. The turnout was incredible. As many of the villagers showed up, I talked with a lot of the young girls who came. They came mostly from nearby schools, and I asked them about their classes, their homes. During the meeting, the speakers talked about their hope of making Patuakhali and Auliapur a model union for all of Bangladesh. I was sitting up front as well, and I gave a short speech about the motivation and inspiration I got from the work that was being done in Patuakhali. Then Atiur Rahman gave the keynote address. His ability to capture an audience absolutely floored me. The audience was hanging on his every word, and Atiur Rahman spoke of our vision to make Aliapur a place where dreams can be accomplished. His words brought chills to my skin. I believe in someone who gives so much of himself for such beautiful work.
Throughout these few days, we spent time with the UP Chairmen, visiting his house, talking with his family. After all the official meetings were over, we all traveled to Kouakata, a sea beach in the south of Bangladesh. This trip was tons of fun. The sea beach was beautiful, and we all ran around like little kids. The night we got there, I was speaking with Atiur Rahman on the beach, with the waves crashing around us. He told me about the last time he was in Kouakata, 20 years ago, with Professor Yunus. He told me that Bangladesh needs people who do good work, and that I should join his organization after I graduate. I pictured my future standing beside his work, and thought of all the beauty I had seen the past few days.
There was a lot there, during this trip, that I hadn't gotten anywhere else. Maybe the roads were not perfect, the conditions a bit difficult, the journey a bit arduous. But there was authenticity, purpose, and so much beauty in what we did and where we went. Along the way, we all sang Bengali songs. We talked of Bangladesh, school, the future, the floods. There's something in this work, these people, that I haven't found before. This work may be difficult, and it may be a struggle, but it's what I want, and that makes all the difference. What that means for my future, I'm not really sure, but I know that here there is an organization that does good work, a chairman who gives his all for what he does, and people who are working for their dreams. And here, in the middle of all that, thousands of kilometers away from Bangladesh's capital, is where my heart lies.
On the launch ride back, Rizwan and Ginny and I interviewed the UP Chairman further. I received a fund allocation from the Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship, and I was interested in using it for the MDG activities of the Mothers Club and the Education Club. The mother's Club is limited in its ability to provide antenatal care, while the education club is battling to lower the drop-out rate in the local schools. As my time here comes to an end, I wrap things up, with my mind more content than I ever expected, and my perspective broadened beyond my own belief. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, "The mind, expanded by a new idea, never shrinks to its former dimensions." :)
That night, Atiur Rahman, our NGO Chairman, gave a press briefing on the Unnayan Shamannay/Patuakhali District MDG Project. His endurance and speaking ability is amazing. The next day, there was a huge meeting at the Auliapur Union Parishad Building. The UP Chairman facilitated the meeting of our chairmen, the DC commissioner, and the UNO officer. The turnout was incredible. As many of the villagers showed up, I talked with a lot of the young girls who came. They came mostly from nearby schools, and I asked them about their classes, their homes. During the meeting, the speakers talked about their hope of making Patuakhali and Auliapur a model union for all of Bangladesh. I was sitting up front as well, and I gave a short speech about the motivation and inspiration I got from the work that was being done in Patuakhali. Then Atiur Rahman gave the keynote address. His ability to capture an audience absolutely floored me. The audience was hanging on his every word, and Atiur Rahman spoke of our vision to make Aliapur a place where dreams can be accomplished. His words brought chills to my skin. I believe in someone who gives so much of himself for such beautiful work.
Throughout these few days, we spent time with the UP Chairmen, visiting his house, talking with his family. After all the official meetings were over, we all traveled to Kouakata, a sea beach in the south of Bangladesh. This trip was tons of fun. The sea beach was beautiful, and we all ran around like little kids. The night we got there, I was speaking with Atiur Rahman on the beach, with the waves crashing around us. He told me about the last time he was in Kouakata, 20 years ago, with Professor Yunus. He told me that Bangladesh needs people who do good work, and that I should join his organization after I graduate. I pictured my future standing beside his work, and thought of all the beauty I had seen the past few days.
There was a lot there, during this trip, that I hadn't gotten anywhere else. Maybe the roads were not perfect, the conditions a bit difficult, the journey a bit arduous. But there was authenticity, purpose, and so much beauty in what we did and where we went. Along the way, we all sang Bengali songs. We talked of Bangladesh, school, the future, the floods. There's something in this work, these people, that I haven't found before. This work may be difficult, and it may be a struggle, but it's what I want, and that makes all the difference. What that means for my future, I'm not really sure, but I know that here there is an organization that does good work, a chairman who gives his all for what he does, and people who are working for their dreams. And here, in the middle of all that, thousands of kilometers away from Bangladesh's capital, is where my heart lies.
On the launch ride back, Rizwan and Ginny and I interviewed the UP Chairman further. I received a fund allocation from the Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship, and I was interested in using it for the MDG activities of the Mothers Club and the Education Club. The mother's Club is limited in its ability to provide antenatal care, while the education club is battling to lower the drop-out rate in the local schools. As my time here comes to an end, I wrap things up, with my mind more content than I ever expected, and my perspective broadened beyond my own belief. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, "The mind, expanded by a new idea, never shrinks to its former dimensions." :)
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Launching Forward
The past week I’ve been reviewing my findings from Sirajganj and preparing my paper for UNDP. I can’t quite describe the experiences I’m having here. I’m seeing so much I haven’t seen before. With political activity, many are getting increasingly scared about the range of power that this regime will exert. There is talk that the military may take over more forcefully, and that our system may become like
This uncertain state of government has a lot of people worried. I went to Atiur Rahman’s house last week (he’s the chairman of Unnayan Shamannay). As we discussed politics, he said that through his conversations with political ministers, he is more and more worried that the military will have an imposing role in the future.
This past week, I spent my nights after work at Kushi Fupi’s, my dad’s younger sister. It was an intense week of experiences. My Chachu, Dad’s older brother, has been missing for the past 30 years. During the liberation war in 1971, he was severely tortured, and a few months after that no one heard from him again. Then a few months ago, one of my Dad’s relatives spotted him, contacted him, and now he is back in our lives. He was at my Fupi’s this past week too. It was interesting to talk to someone who had such a huge role in my Dad’s life. It’s funny, as much as I love my parents and consciously try to learn as much about their lives as I can, they surprise me. My Fupa told me stories of my dad’s family when they lived in Gopalganj. This uncle who disappeared was the hub of the family; and once he left Dad became the caretaker of everyone. I wonder so much about that part of his life, about what it meant to him.
The flood season has affected everyone here. We see news of the destruction in the North. People are somewhat comforted that the government has taken action to provide relief and seems to be well-organized. Last night, we stayed up sharing flood stories (well I was listening). My Api told me about all the years they raised their furniture, and dodged snakes. She told me lots of funny anecdotes as well. Fupi also told me stories of their life during the liberation war. She said once, their entire family traveled for 8 hours to the inner village to escape the army. Once they reached the village, the next morning the army invaded that village, and they traveled back. This was the way
The details she shared with me will stay with me forever. There are things I am seeing here I will never forget. I am pleased with the NGO work so far. This project on localizing the MDGs has shown me a lot about the nature of research and advocacy on the local level. Though I have many limitations in this aspect, I’m learning a lot, and I don’t think that can be a loss in any way. Tomorrow we travel to Patuakhali, for a 3 day site visit to another of the local MDG Unions. This union is rather organized in its MDG activities, and us field researchers will have the opportunity to interview the chairman and committee members in-depth. I look forward to learning as much as I can and seeing what this looks like. I move forward with an open mind, and an undying need to know what is happening. This is so much closer to what I’ve wanted to do than anything I’ve ever done before. I’m new to this, I have tons to learn, and I’ve found something I won’t let go of. And so I take a deep breath, gear myself up, and look forward.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
And So It Is
I returned from my first site visit yesterday. On Tuesday, our research team of 7 headed out of the Dhaka capital to the village of Sirajganj. Unnayan Shamannay has been working in Sirajganj for the past 9 months to establish MDG Clubs focused on health, environment, education, and agriculture. Since I am researching efforts to localize the MDGs, I wanted to see what these clubs look like.
So we drove about 5 hours to this village. We pulled up to the Union Parishad Town Hall Meeting, and inside we were greeted by the Chairman of the Union Parishad. He had arranged for members of these clubs to talk to us about their activities. My boss Taifur Rahman started by giving a brief background of the MDGs. It was so unreal that we were discussing, on a local village level, these UN goals that I'd been reading about for years. I can't really describe what that felt like. Then Taifur introduced me, and I asked questions about the clubs...how they started, where the interest came from, what they do. And what I found blew my mind.
These local residents were very engaged, and knowledgeable about their development needs. They spoke eloquently of how they are addressing dilemmas in agriculture, education, etc. that their village is facing. They knew better than anyone else what their village needs and how to counter problems. That's what Unnayan Shamannay believes in: that local people have the capability and expertise to tackle local issues, and that they should be mobilized to do so. These MDG clubs aim to organize activities that are fully carried out by the local village residents.
I've never seen an NGO so committed to a deep understanding of local needs as Unnayan Shamannay. They aim to actually, truly understand what is needed, and in the aim of sustainable development, they engage those with the greatest stake in positive outcomes to actualize these activities. These people work with their hearts, fully, and it shows. It's so soul-soothing to see an NGO that can do this kind of work. A lot of it is built on the good name of Dr. Atiur Rahman. While we were in the village meeting, local villagers discussed the various times Atiur Rahman has visited and the things they said. They know him by name, and they respect him deeply. As part of the Education Club in Sirajganj, the 2 students with the highest grades at the end of the year get an award from Dr. Rahman at a reception every year. For this village children work like mad, for the chance to get to meet Dr. Atiur Rahman. To think of the greatness and authentic work that one man can inspire is nothing short of incredible.
The work that these village MDG clubs do is definitely difficult. They face shortages, crises, and a struggle with resources. Yet what is important is that the structure is in place. These members are interested, invested in the outcomes, and organized around discussing these issues. What Unnayan Shamannay is working on now is ensuring that this structure sustains. The village will always be facing crises, but these can be handled more effectively by a group committed and dedicated to discussing and tackling these issues. This MDG model so far has been carried out in 2 Union Parishads in Bangladesh. In our country, you don't get any more local than the Union Parishad....there are about 5000 UPs in Bangladesh. Unnayan Shamannay, we are now looking at how this model can be expanded to more UPs in Bangladesh.
It's so hard to explain what I felt. I studied these MDGs developed by the UN in a sterilized, academic context for over 2 years. To see how we talked about these goals in rural Bangladesh, in Bangla, in human terms, to see what an MDG meant in terms of one woman's life, to see what kind of action this actually inspired, brought tears to my eyes. I was so scared to do this, so scared that I wouldn't be able to. But this is a lot bigger than me; it's not about me. As much as I have to take myself out of my comfort zone, work harder, I don't care, because I believe in what human development can bring. I was worried about my ability to communicate with the villagers, but it was a non-issue. They listened to me attentively, they heard me, and we talked. When I told them that I was going to share what I saw in these villages in America, they clapped for me. It's probably the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.
After our session we wandered into the village. God, the endless greenery does wonders for your soul. I was feeling so many things.....peace, calm. When we talk about these rural villages, we talk in development terms, infrastructure needs, etc. No doubt, there were many things left to be done in the villages....the roads badly needed repair, etc. But needs on paper don't translate to life. These villagers are some of the most hospitable people I've met. Wherever we met, no matter how humble their conditions, the villagers would sit us down, feed us something, usually coconuts :), talk with us. I found it remarkably easy to talk with the female villagers and ask them about the MDG clubs.
And then we left, heading back to Dhaka. I came back with an even deeper love for my country, and a bit of a better understanding of how it can be better. I question whether I have the capability to address issues that big, and then I remember that of course I do. I have to. On the trip back, we made jokes and sang along the way. It's so interesting, it's my culture, and to see how interactions are different among Bangladeshis than amongst my American friends is really fun. There is an undeniable political undertone to everything we do here. On the way back to Dhaka we were stopped by police for a random inspection. They insisted on interrogating our driver, and wouldn't release him until they received money. These constant reminders make it hard to forget about the interim military government.
And so now we assess, review, prepare for the next site visit. Our team will be heading to Patuakhali, the other MDG Union, on Aug. 3rd. :) Until then, happy travels!
So we drove about 5 hours to this village. We pulled up to the Union Parishad Town Hall Meeting, and inside we were greeted by the Chairman of the Union Parishad. He had arranged for members of these clubs to talk to us about their activities. My boss Taifur Rahman started by giving a brief background of the MDGs. It was so unreal that we were discussing, on a local village level, these UN goals that I'd been reading about for years. I can't really describe what that felt like. Then Taifur introduced me, and I asked questions about the clubs...how they started, where the interest came from, what they do. And what I found blew my mind.
These local residents were very engaged, and knowledgeable about their development needs. They spoke eloquently of how they are addressing dilemmas in agriculture, education, etc. that their village is facing. They knew better than anyone else what their village needs and how to counter problems. That's what Unnayan Shamannay believes in: that local people have the capability and expertise to tackle local issues, and that they should be mobilized to do so. These MDG clubs aim to organize activities that are fully carried out by the local village residents.
I've never seen an NGO so committed to a deep understanding of local needs as Unnayan Shamannay. They aim to actually, truly understand what is needed, and in the aim of sustainable development, they engage those with the greatest stake in positive outcomes to actualize these activities. These people work with their hearts, fully, and it shows. It's so soul-soothing to see an NGO that can do this kind of work. A lot of it is built on the good name of Dr. Atiur Rahman. While we were in the village meeting, local villagers discussed the various times Atiur Rahman has visited and the things they said. They know him by name, and they respect him deeply. As part of the Education Club in Sirajganj, the 2 students with the highest grades at the end of the year get an award from Dr. Rahman at a reception every year. For this village children work like mad, for the chance to get to meet Dr. Atiur Rahman. To think of the greatness and authentic work that one man can inspire is nothing short of incredible.
The work that these village MDG clubs do is definitely difficult. They face shortages, crises, and a struggle with resources. Yet what is important is that the structure is in place. These members are interested, invested in the outcomes, and organized around discussing these issues. What Unnayan Shamannay is working on now is ensuring that this structure sustains. The village will always be facing crises, but these can be handled more effectively by a group committed and dedicated to discussing and tackling these issues. This MDG model so far has been carried out in 2 Union Parishads in Bangladesh. In our country, you don't get any more local than the Union Parishad....there are about 5000 UPs in Bangladesh. Unnayan Shamannay, we are now looking at how this model can be expanded to more UPs in Bangladesh.
It's so hard to explain what I felt. I studied these MDGs developed by the UN in a sterilized, academic context for over 2 years. To see how we talked about these goals in rural Bangladesh, in Bangla, in human terms, to see what an MDG meant in terms of one woman's life, to see what kind of action this actually inspired, brought tears to my eyes. I was so scared to do this, so scared that I wouldn't be able to. But this is a lot bigger than me; it's not about me. As much as I have to take myself out of my comfort zone, work harder, I don't care, because I believe in what human development can bring. I was worried about my ability to communicate with the villagers, but it was a non-issue. They listened to me attentively, they heard me, and we talked. When I told them that I was going to share what I saw in these villages in America, they clapped for me. It's probably the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.
After our session we wandered into the village. God, the endless greenery does wonders for your soul. I was feeling so many things.....peace, calm. When we talk about these rural villages, we talk in development terms, infrastructure needs, etc. No doubt, there were many things left to be done in the villages....the roads badly needed repair, etc. But needs on paper don't translate to life. These villagers are some of the most hospitable people I've met. Wherever we met, no matter how humble their conditions, the villagers would sit us down, feed us something, usually coconuts :), talk with us. I found it remarkably easy to talk with the female villagers and ask them about the MDG clubs.
And then we left, heading back to Dhaka. I came back with an even deeper love for my country, and a bit of a better understanding of how it can be better. I question whether I have the capability to address issues that big, and then I remember that of course I do. I have to. On the trip back, we made jokes and sang along the way. It's so interesting, it's my culture, and to see how interactions are different among Bangladeshis than amongst my American friends is really fun. There is an undeniable political undertone to everything we do here. On the way back to Dhaka we were stopped by police for a random inspection. They insisted on interrogating our driver, and wouldn't release him until they received money. These constant reminders make it hard to forget about the interim military government.
And so now we assess, review, prepare for the next site visit. Our team will be heading to Patuakhali, the other MDG Union, on Aug. 3rd. :) Until then, happy travels!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
The hand that feeds...
It's interesting working in an office of men. I'm used to working around mostly men from my time at the embassy, and I realized that I get to see a world that lots of people don't see. Unnayan Shamannay works for women's empowerment, women's development, and most of the staff are men. Arguably women have not achieved the kind of status in employment that allows them to seek such jobs. It just takes a little getting used to. I'm fine with being the only woman in my office. It gets to me a little that people keep commenting on how young I look. And all week they've been ragging on my Bangla. I'm improving, though, and I'm working at it. This isn't about me, it's about a lot of other things, and I'll take whatever criticisms come my way and fix the problems because the issues we're dealing with are a lot bigger than my ego.
They've given me a lot of credibility at work. This week I got to meet the chairmen of both the Sirajganj and Patuakhali committees. I will be traveling to both unions to observe the activities of the MDG Monitoring Committees. I've been going through a lot of thrilling research this week (for real), and I will start compiling some thoughts some. Dr. Rahman said UNDP, which frequently collaborates with Unnayan Shamannay, is looking for a report on localizing the MDGs. Thus he was going to use my paper as a basis for this report. That's exciting, but this is about more than that. I want to understand what's going on, what's happening, what can really be done, and what the problems are. And that works another way.
This week has been a lot of fun. My colleagues are pretty jovial and entertaining. It's funny, I can see them be a bit cautious about me, perhaps because I'm a woman, a foreigner, a young person. Whatever it is, I've been trying to make them feel easy around me. The Bangladeshi hospitality is something incomparable. This week, Rony Bhai, my colleague, took me on a tour of Dhaka University. The campus is beautiful, lined with trees and historic buildings. He asked me about being American, we talked about politics, philosophy, languages. I Loooove good conversations.
I returned to the campus today with Palash, an Ashoka fellow. Palash is a good friend of mine from DC when I worked at Ashoka this summer. We had an instant connection, and we've been talking about Ashoka Bangladesh ever since. Palash and I had some fun adventures today. We met a little ways from work to meet with one of his friends at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council. Ashoka is sort of unofficially looking for a new country director, and Palash thought this guy would be a good candidate. We talked away the afternoon, and I saw the same enthusiasm for his work and genuine dedication in this guy that is so apparent in Palash. It was truly a delightful meeting. Afterwards, Palash and I took the bus (my first experience in public transport in Dhaka!) to Dhaka University and milled around. We talked about entrepreneurship, Bangladesh, politics, while walking around the campus. It reminded me of our conversation a few months ago as we walked along the National Mall in DC. Palash has a good heart, and our friendship has grown these past few months.
I'm out of my comfort zone a bit. At the same time, this is exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be uncomfortable, challenged, threatened, forced to work harder. There are things I'm seeing here that I will never forget. And I know that this is never how I will do it again. I can't study poverty while living in one of the poshest parts of Dhaka. I can't read about equality while watching my relatives treat their servants like doormats. There are certain things I had to agree to in coming, I had to compromise on the conditions of my fellowship. But it will be different next time. And though it's complex, tough, and uncomfortable, I will continue to work on it, now and in the future, because this work is in everything I do and see now.
They've given me a lot of credibility at work. This week I got to meet the chairmen of both the Sirajganj and Patuakhali committees. I will be traveling to both unions to observe the activities of the MDG Monitoring Committees. I've been going through a lot of thrilling research this week (for real), and I will start compiling some thoughts some. Dr. Rahman said UNDP, which frequently collaborates with Unnayan Shamannay, is looking for a report on localizing the MDGs. Thus he was going to use my paper as a basis for this report. That's exciting, but this is about more than that. I want to understand what's going on, what's happening, what can really be done, and what the problems are. And that works another way.
This week has been a lot of fun. My colleagues are pretty jovial and entertaining. It's funny, I can see them be a bit cautious about me, perhaps because I'm a woman, a foreigner, a young person. Whatever it is, I've been trying to make them feel easy around me. The Bangladeshi hospitality is something incomparable. This week, Rony Bhai, my colleague, took me on a tour of Dhaka University. The campus is beautiful, lined with trees and historic buildings. He asked me about being American, we talked about politics, philosophy, languages. I Loooove good conversations.
I returned to the campus today with Palash, an Ashoka fellow. Palash is a good friend of mine from DC when I worked at Ashoka this summer. We had an instant connection, and we've been talking about Ashoka Bangladesh ever since. Palash and I had some fun adventures today. We met a little ways from work to meet with one of his friends at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council. Ashoka is sort of unofficially looking for a new country director, and Palash thought this guy would be a good candidate. We talked away the afternoon, and I saw the same enthusiasm for his work and genuine dedication in this guy that is so apparent in Palash. It was truly a delightful meeting. Afterwards, Palash and I took the bus (my first experience in public transport in Dhaka!) to Dhaka University and milled around. We talked about entrepreneurship, Bangladesh, politics, while walking around the campus. It reminded me of our conversation a few months ago as we walked along the National Mall in DC. Palash has a good heart, and our friendship has grown these past few months.
I'm out of my comfort zone a bit. At the same time, this is exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be uncomfortable, challenged, threatened, forced to work harder. There are things I'm seeing here that I will never forget. And I know that this is never how I will do it again. I can't study poverty while living in one of the poshest parts of Dhaka. I can't read about equality while watching my relatives treat their servants like doormats. There are certain things I had to agree to in coming, I had to compromise on the conditions of my fellowship. But it will be different next time. And though it's complex, tough, and uncomfortable, I will continue to work on it, now and in the future, because this work is in everything I do and see now.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Working.....
Eeeeh! Okay I finished my second day at Unnayan Shamannay yesterday. And it's been pretty great so far. On the first day, Taifur Bhai introduced me to everyone and showed me around. I am "Shefa from America." I've never been described like that before. :) Then Taifur provided me with a lot of the specific research I've been looking for....MDG progress specifically for Bangladesh, localized targets and strategies. The sources they have are incredible. I've read many World Bank, UN, and Government of Bangladesh reports. What US (short for Unnayan Shamannay) produces are publications from the people's perspective. They try to gauge the general people's perspective on progress and shortcomings on MDGs. It's exactly what I've been looking for, and the past few days I've been soaking up their info.
I met with the executive director yesterday, the amazing Atiur Rahman. He is so intriguing, and interesting...he brings his white Lab Dushtu to work. :) We made a plan for our site visits....he's been very good at accommodating me. We are going to Sirajganj this Saturday, and Patuakhali Aug. 3rd-6th.
Taifur sat down and helped me make a work plan yesterday, one that encompasses my meetings with Ashoka fellows and public health specialists around the country. They have so much knowledge here. The things I've been looking for, they've been working on for more than 10 years. It's very humbling, and I'm extremely grateful that they're giving me so much time, given I'm so ripe on all this.
So it's interesting at work. Albeit an organization that espouses gender equity and women's empowerment, I'm one of maybe 5 women in the office. I think that says more about status of women's employment in Bangladesh moreso than the hiring preferences of US. The people who work here are extremely dedicated, motivated, and progressive. It's strange, I really didn't foresee myself having much of a language issue. I thought I was kind of almost fluent, and could speak Bangla like a native. But kind of not true....when I speak Bangla with them I tend to fumble a lot, and it's readily apparent that I am a foreigner.
I'm sort of disappointed, but I will work to improve. I can tell the staff is sort of interested in why I'm here. Some of them tentatively asked me what I think of America and Bush. I think they are trying to see what my motives are and what it is I want to do. They've been very nice to me, but I think it will take some time before they tell me what they really think and engage in serious academic dialogue. I hope to be at that stage soon.....through being genuine and earnest in my efforts I think that will come. It's kind of strange being "the American."
Yesterday was quite the day....the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was arrested on extortion charges. It was a big deal all day. I went to lunch with a few of my colleagues, and we went to this out of the way food joint for lunch. I loved it. :) We were debating politics, and one of my colleagues nervously told us to keep it down. That's when I remembered that while the interim caretaker govt is in, all political activity is banned. It's interesting, people say things in the country are much better now than before....traffic, greater efficiency, greater safety. But there are other things going on, certain freedoms restricted, and things going on beneath the surface that start to show every now and then.
So far this has been a lot of what I'm looking for. This people are genuine, their work is earnest, and their intention is authentic. I have a tendency to love everything I do, but this really feels good. :)
I met with the executive director yesterday, the amazing Atiur Rahman. He is so intriguing, and interesting...he brings his white Lab Dushtu to work. :) We made a plan for our site visits....he's been very good at accommodating me. We are going to Sirajganj this Saturday, and Patuakhali Aug. 3rd-6th.
Taifur sat down and helped me make a work plan yesterday, one that encompasses my meetings with Ashoka fellows and public health specialists around the country. They have so much knowledge here. The things I've been looking for, they've been working on for more than 10 years. It's very humbling, and I'm extremely grateful that they're giving me so much time, given I'm so ripe on all this.
So it's interesting at work. Albeit an organization that espouses gender equity and women's empowerment, I'm one of maybe 5 women in the office. I think that says more about status of women's employment in Bangladesh moreso than the hiring preferences of US. The people who work here are extremely dedicated, motivated, and progressive. It's strange, I really didn't foresee myself having much of a language issue. I thought I was kind of almost fluent, and could speak Bangla like a native. But kind of not true....when I speak Bangla with them I tend to fumble a lot, and it's readily apparent that I am a foreigner.
I'm sort of disappointed, but I will work to improve. I can tell the staff is sort of interested in why I'm here. Some of them tentatively asked me what I think of America and Bush. I think they are trying to see what my motives are and what it is I want to do. They've been very nice to me, but I think it will take some time before they tell me what they really think and engage in serious academic dialogue. I hope to be at that stage soon.....through being genuine and earnest in my efforts I think that will come. It's kind of strange being "the American."
Yesterday was quite the day....the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was arrested on extortion charges. It was a big deal all day. I went to lunch with a few of my colleagues, and we went to this out of the way food joint for lunch. I loved it. :) We were debating politics, and one of my colleagues nervously told us to keep it down. That's when I remembered that while the interim caretaker govt is in, all political activity is banned. It's interesting, people say things in the country are much better now than before....traffic, greater efficiency, greater safety. But there are other things going on, certain freedoms restricted, and things going on beneath the surface that start to show every now and then.
So far this has been a lot of what I'm looking for. This people are genuine, their work is earnest, and their intention is authentic. I have a tendency to love everything I do, but this really feels good. :)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Arrived Safely!
Whew....I arrived in Bangladesh safe and sound yesterday. It was probably the most interesting trip I've had so far. During the journey, my grandmother and I talked about the independence of India....she told me her memories. We talked about the assassinations of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and of Gandhi. She told me in Calcutta, on the day that Gandhi was killed, there were massive protests throughout the streets of people marching and saying that Gandhi's memory would never die.
I had an interesting conversation from London to Dubai with the guy sitting next to me....he was from South Africa, and we started talking about being Muslim in Johannesburg vs. in rural America. It was definitely very intriguing to compare.
I arrived yesterday, amidst a whirlwind of calls from relatives. I've been trying to get over my jet lag, and I've given myself a few days....I start work on the 15th. I am looking forward, and things have gone well so far. The task for today: get a mobile phone.
I had an interesting conversation from London to Dubai with the guy sitting next to me....he was from South Africa, and we started talking about being Muslim in Johannesburg vs. in rural America. It was definitely very intriguing to compare.
I arrived yesterday, amidst a whirlwind of calls from relatives. I've been trying to get over my jet lag, and I've given myself a few days....I start work on the 15th. I am looking forward, and things have gone well so far. The task for today: get a mobile phone.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
I am leaving for Bangladesh today, in a matter of hours. I've been talking about this trip for so long, with my friends, colleagues, fellowship interview panels, and I'm pretty excited about the trip. The fellowships I received were for research for my senior honors thesis. I've been doing research on progress on Millennium Development Goals over the past few years. At UNC, I studied a lot of the framework of the MDGs through the UN and initiatives such as the Millennium Village Project. While I was at the Embassy of Bangladesh, I studied the Bangladesh Country Reports on MDG progress put out by the Government of Bangladesh.
Through the readings, conversations, and exposure I've had so far to the MDGs, I became very drawn to community-based approaches. Through the development approaches I studied, it seemed that the most successful ones were the ones that local people incorporated and furthered. That's why I was so drawn to the Millennium Village Project. Yet my interest was in human development in Bangladesh, as through our numerous visits back Bangladesh was always in the back of my mind.
My research led me to the NGO Unnayan Shamannay. In Bangla this phrase means "Integrated Development." I've met the Executive Director a few times, and he is the eminent, genuine, amazing economist (interesting how many economists there are in Bangladesh) named Dr. Atiur Rahman. He founded this NGO after extensive work with Bangladesh Institute for Development Studies and Dhaka University. After speaking with Dr. Rahman, I became interested in one of their projects on the Millennium Development Goals. In addition, I was very attracted by their mission: "The human context and with all its concomitant linkages that shape and define the human prospect is the central concern of Unnayan Shamannay.
The operational space of Unnayan Shamannay therefore is more than research; it internalizes development, public policy and heritage." The humility and awareness that this NGO seems to bring to development work is a lot of what I was looking for.
Unnayan Shamannay has been working in 5 different rural districts of Bangladesh. These districts were selected based on areas in which local residents and local government authorities were willing to participate. Their approach has been to catalyze the formation of local MDG committees to inspire activities to promote the MDGs. Based on their work in these villages over the past 5 years, Unnayan Shamannay has seen significant improvements in MDG indicators...increase in child literacy, drop in maternal mortality, drop in infant mortality. Based on these results, the NGO is interested in expanding their efforts to more villages in Bangladesh. My project will be focused on analyzing the successful components of their village model and making suggestions on where improvements can be made.
Right. I've arranged with the NGO to have a daily working space at their headquarters, and to arrange field visits to the rural districts. I've been talking with them over the past 6 months, and so I feel that we're relatively clear on the research. I'm sort of nervous out of my mind. Because I'm being rather presumptuous with this project. Sure, I've been studying for a few years and have some cursory knowledge of development. The people I've been working with have been doing this for years, and they have a much better idea of the environment than I do. As much as I've made a conscious effort to speak Bengali and know about Bangladesh, I am an American, and I have been educated in America. I'm expecting some initial resistance, I'm thinking that they might not take me seriously at first, and I'm expected to have to work at it, a lot.
I know I have a lot to learn. The development theories I've been studying I feel have given me a good institutional understanding of human development. But that's not the only part of this. I've seen, through traveling through Bangladesh, that life is not about process and indicators and UN reports. To understand human development I feel it necessary to understand how people live and what their needs are and see them as human beings rather than research subjects. Which is why I'm very intrigued by this NGO....while keeping grassroots development at its core, most of its partner projects are with the UN. I want to see what that looks like, I want to understand what that means.
I guess what makes all this more scary is that there isn't really a personal/professional divide for me on this. I care about this work because it means something. When I talk about poverty in Bangladesh it isn't a discussion of how the other half lives or how some distant Third World country is suffering (I've read recently that Bangladesh is no longer Third World btw :). It's how my relatives live, it's how my family lives, it's personal. I care about human development because I've seen the effects of poverty through every visit I had to Bangladesh since I was a child. Those images never left me. And although I have a lot to learn, and much to understand, I think I can help, and it's with that conviction that I approach this research project.
And it is personal. I spent a long time, a few years, convincing my parents that this is the kind of thing I wanted to do with my life. Interestingly enough, though they grew up in Bangladesh, lived through the liberation war, and fiercely love their homeland, they always said that I couldn't do anything there. They would talk about the lack of opportunity, the corruption, everything, and say that they didn't believe it was possible for positive change to happen. But I had the suspicion that they never really believed that. They treasured the security and stability of life in America, but Bangladesh is their homeland. And then there was Yunus, the amazing Nobel Price achievement that showed the world that improvement is being done, is being done well, and is being recognized internationally. I think Yunus served as the one biggest factor in legitimizing my work with my parents. When I actually got to meet him this year, their pride was readily apparent.
So that's my research plans. I don't expect to learn everything or understand everything in a month. But this isn't the last time I will be back. I see this as a first step, for many future visits for what I want to do.
While I am in Bangladesh I also plan to visit the Johns Hopkins Jivita research site. This is one of the largest studies done on child vitamin A deficiency, and since I've been interviewing at Hopkins they've mentioned connecting with this site quite a few times. The research directors are incredible, and they've mentioned the possibility of my working with them one summer. Johns Hopkins has an amazing institutional relationship of doing research in Bangladesh, and if I end up doing my master's there (fingers crossed!), I hope to be back many times in Bangladesh.
Through my work with Ashoka, I have also made plans to connect with Ashoka Fellows and the country director. I have been speaking a lot with Shamsul Momen Palash, a dynamic fellow in charge of the Green Bangla Coalition. I'm excited to see his work in Dhaka and speak with him more. 3 of the other fellows run NGOs that are conveniently located in the district in which I will be living, Dhanmondi. I hope to meet with a few of them after work some days. I aim to understand how their Ashoka experience has been, to see if they have suggestions for improvement, and see where Ashoka might be able to improve. My approach will be to listen and to stay humble.
In the midst of this I've scheduled appointments with people working in public health in the country and civil society. I have a good friend at the BRAC University School of Public Health who will show me around their school and government center. My contact at ICDDR,B, a renowned site for study of infectious disease, will show me around their site as well. I wanted to get a greater understanding of public health work in Bangladesh, so I am excited about these visits.
I also have meetings with people from the Center for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh Environment Network, and Grameen. Okay, so I've made a lot of plans. :) Um, eek, and I know traffic is bad, it's hard to make appointments, plans fall through. But I'm looking forward and excited about this. I think that to be involved in systemic change, you have to understand things from different perspectives. I will be doing work with my NGO, but I wanted to get a view of things from other members of civil society, public health experts, Ashoka. I think their work in human development is all connected, and I want to understand how it interacts, interplays. My time is short, but I plan to listen and take up as much as I can. And I'll return, as soon as I can I think. :)
I think the best part of this so far is that it's personal. My entire family knows about it, my grandmother is traveling with me, my parents have been giving me advice and helping me practice Bangla, and last night Mom said she was really proud of me. :) This isn't a one-time thing for me, I have a lot of ties here, this matters to me, and although the work will be hard, that doesn't scare me. I believe in this and I will work for it. So I leave today! Eeek, we'll see how this goes, and I feel ready. To learn a lot, to be challenged, shaken up, forced to adjust. I have my fingers crossed, and a strong belief that this will work. It has to.
Through the readings, conversations, and exposure I've had so far to the MDGs, I became very drawn to community-based approaches. Through the development approaches I studied, it seemed that the most successful ones were the ones that local people incorporated and furthered. That's why I was so drawn to the Millennium Village Project. Yet my interest was in human development in Bangladesh, as through our numerous visits back Bangladesh was always in the back of my mind.
My research led me to the NGO Unnayan Shamannay. In Bangla this phrase means "Integrated Development." I've met the Executive Director a few times, and he is the eminent, genuine, amazing economist (interesting how many economists there are in Bangladesh) named Dr. Atiur Rahman. He founded this NGO after extensive work with Bangladesh Institute for Development Studies and Dhaka University. After speaking with Dr. Rahman, I became interested in one of their projects on the Millennium Development Goals. In addition, I was very attracted by their mission: "The human context and with all its concomitant linkages that shape and define the human prospect is the central concern of Unnayan Shamannay.
The operational space of Unnayan Shamannay therefore is more than research; it internalizes development, public policy and heritage." The humility and awareness that this NGO seems to bring to development work is a lot of what I was looking for.
Unnayan Shamannay has been working in 5 different rural districts of Bangladesh. These districts were selected based on areas in which local residents and local government authorities were willing to participate. Their approach has been to catalyze the formation of local MDG committees to inspire activities to promote the MDGs. Based on their work in these villages over the past 5 years, Unnayan Shamannay has seen significant improvements in MDG indicators...increase in child literacy, drop in maternal mortality, drop in infant mortality. Based on these results, the NGO is interested in expanding their efforts to more villages in Bangladesh. My project will be focused on analyzing the successful components of their village model and making suggestions on where improvements can be made.
Right. I've arranged with the NGO to have a daily working space at their headquarters, and to arrange field visits to the rural districts. I've been talking with them over the past 6 months, and so I feel that we're relatively clear on the research. I'm sort of nervous out of my mind. Because I'm being rather presumptuous with this project. Sure, I've been studying for a few years and have some cursory knowledge of development. The people I've been working with have been doing this for years, and they have a much better idea of the environment than I do. As much as I've made a conscious effort to speak Bengali and know about Bangladesh, I am an American, and I have been educated in America. I'm expecting some initial resistance, I'm thinking that they might not take me seriously at first, and I'm expected to have to work at it, a lot.
I know I have a lot to learn. The development theories I've been studying I feel have given me a good institutional understanding of human development. But that's not the only part of this. I've seen, through traveling through Bangladesh, that life is not about process and indicators and UN reports. To understand human development I feel it necessary to understand how people live and what their needs are and see them as human beings rather than research subjects. Which is why I'm very intrigued by this NGO....while keeping grassroots development at its core, most of its partner projects are with the UN. I want to see what that looks like, I want to understand what that means.
I guess what makes all this more scary is that there isn't really a personal/professional divide for me on this. I care about this work because it means something. When I talk about poverty in Bangladesh it isn't a discussion of how the other half lives or how some distant Third World country is suffering (I've read recently that Bangladesh is no longer Third World btw :). It's how my relatives live, it's how my family lives, it's personal. I care about human development because I've seen the effects of poverty through every visit I had to Bangladesh since I was a child. Those images never left me. And although I have a lot to learn, and much to understand, I think I can help, and it's with that conviction that I approach this research project.
And it is personal. I spent a long time, a few years, convincing my parents that this is the kind of thing I wanted to do with my life. Interestingly enough, though they grew up in Bangladesh, lived through the liberation war, and fiercely love their homeland, they always said that I couldn't do anything there. They would talk about the lack of opportunity, the corruption, everything, and say that they didn't believe it was possible for positive change to happen. But I had the suspicion that they never really believed that. They treasured the security and stability of life in America, but Bangladesh is their homeland. And then there was Yunus, the amazing Nobel Price achievement that showed the world that improvement is being done, is being done well, and is being recognized internationally. I think Yunus served as the one biggest factor in legitimizing my work with my parents. When I actually got to meet him this year, their pride was readily apparent.
So that's my research plans. I don't expect to learn everything or understand everything in a month. But this isn't the last time I will be back. I see this as a first step, for many future visits for what I want to do.
While I am in Bangladesh I also plan to visit the Johns Hopkins Jivita research site. This is one of the largest studies done on child vitamin A deficiency, and since I've been interviewing at Hopkins they've mentioned connecting with this site quite a few times. The research directors are incredible, and they've mentioned the possibility of my working with them one summer. Johns Hopkins has an amazing institutional relationship of doing research in Bangladesh, and if I end up doing my master's there (fingers crossed!), I hope to be back many times in Bangladesh.
Through my work with Ashoka, I have also made plans to connect with Ashoka Fellows and the country director. I have been speaking a lot with Shamsul Momen Palash, a dynamic fellow in charge of the Green Bangla Coalition. I'm excited to see his work in Dhaka and speak with him more. 3 of the other fellows run NGOs that are conveniently located in the district in which I will be living, Dhanmondi. I hope to meet with a few of them after work some days. I aim to understand how their Ashoka experience has been, to see if they have suggestions for improvement, and see where Ashoka might be able to improve. My approach will be to listen and to stay humble.
In the midst of this I've scheduled appointments with people working in public health in the country and civil society. I have a good friend at the BRAC University School of Public Health who will show me around their school and government center. My contact at ICDDR,B, a renowned site for study of infectious disease, will show me around their site as well. I wanted to get a greater understanding of public health work in Bangladesh, so I am excited about these visits.
I also have meetings with people from the Center for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh Environment Network, and Grameen. Okay, so I've made a lot of plans. :) Um, eek, and I know traffic is bad, it's hard to make appointments, plans fall through. But I'm looking forward and excited about this. I think that to be involved in systemic change, you have to understand things from different perspectives. I will be doing work with my NGO, but I wanted to get a view of things from other members of civil society, public health experts, Ashoka. I think their work in human development is all connected, and I want to understand how it interacts, interplays. My time is short, but I plan to listen and take up as much as I can. And I'll return, as soon as I can I think. :)
I think the best part of this so far is that it's personal. My entire family knows about it, my grandmother is traveling with me, my parents have been giving me advice and helping me practice Bangla, and last night Mom said she was really proud of me. :) This isn't a one-time thing for me, I have a lot of ties here, this matters to me, and although the work will be hard, that doesn't scare me. I believe in this and I will work for it. So I leave today! Eeek, we'll see how this goes, and I feel ready. To learn a lot, to be challenged, shaken up, forced to adjust. I have my fingers crossed, and a strong belief that this will work. It has to.
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