Bangladesh Association of Sustainable Development (BASD)
Organizational Profile

Introduction: BASD is a non-governmental, non-profitable and social development organization devoted in combating human sufferings, poverty reduction and ensuring peace and justice in the society. It has been closely working with the rural and urban poor communities for upgrading their social, educational, economic, and environmental and health situations. It is all about pushing its boundaries to empower communities to develop their own distinctive ways of following good values.

Legal status of BASD: Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development (BASD) was registered with NGO Affairs Bureau No. 886, Social Welfare No. 03221 and MRA No. 05518-04426-00431.

Who We Are: BASD covers by its projects and programs the people of all faiths irrespective of caste, creed and religion. It serves all people in need putting more emphasis on the children, women, youth and most vulnerable people – landless, small land-holders, indigenous, tea workers, differently able people, climate refugees, brothel girls and children. BASD aims at holistic development that includes socio-economic and moral-ethical dimensions. All its projects and programs are located in the hard-to-reach areas to serve the people in need. The General Council of BASD oversees all aspects of governance of organization and operation of programs. The General Council meets two times in a year to formulate policies, review BASD’s progress, approve annual report and budget, select auditor etc. The Executive Committee meets on by monthly basis to follow up policy implementation, approve projects/programs and work-plan, monitor BASD’s work progress and give guidance for financial issues. The Executive Committee also guides the Executive Director and the senior staff for ensuring quality services for people in need. Addressing human sufferings, social injustices, poverty and inequalities was the main purpose of establishing BASD by its initiators. This purpose is still relevant in the present context of Bangladesh because for various reasons about 30 percent of people of hard-to-reach areas are yet to enjoy human dignity and fullness of life.

Vision: A transformed society where everyone lives in peace enjoying human dignity and fullness of life.

Mission: Working with the most disadvantaged people and vulnerable communities focusing rights, respect and justice through sustainable interventions for holistic development.

Values:
• Service- with mutual respect and unconditional love,
• Trust - in the dignity and rights of the disadvantaged and vulnerable people
• Stewardship - in using organizational and other resources
• Empowerment - of the disadvantaged people and vulnerable communities
• Love and care - for the nature
• Justice – for the disadvantaged people and the vulnerable communities accompanying them to rise above their poverty with a sense of dignity and self respect.
• Equity – of all people without discrimination of culture, gender or religion.
• Partnership – working in fellowship and cooperation at all levels, generously sharing resources to help build capacity in vulnerable communities to work for better future.
• Solidarity - among all people, but particularly with the disadvantaged people and the vulnerable communities. Solidarity includes the preserving determination to work for the common good.

Principles:
• Developing people’s capacity to link up with Government services.
• Serving the most disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.
• Establishing rights and dignity of the most disadvantaged people.
• Ensuring transparency and accountability in all stages of activities.
• Maintaining flexibility and diversity in program/project management.
• Promoting team spirit and professionalism for all activities and services.
• Mainstreaming gender, aged and disability across the organization.
• Encouraging feedback from all stakeholders.
• Sharing good practices with others and learning from others.
• Ensuring inclusiveness and child protection in development planning.

Policies and Manuals in practice:
1. HR Policy (Jul, 2018)
2. Financial Management Policy (Mar, 2017)
3. Child Protection Policy (Mar, 2017)
4. Women Empowerment Policy (Dec, 2014)
5. Capacity Building Policy (Sep, 2014)
6. Gender Policy (Sep, 2014)
7. Environmental Policy (Sep, 2014)
8. Sustainable Livelihood Policy (Sep, 2014)
9. Disaster Management Policy (Aug, 2010)
10. Relief and Rehabilitation Policy (Sep, 2014)
11. Policy of Camera, Computer, Laptop, Projector, Phone, Mobile, Consultant (Mar, 2019)
12. Vehicle Policy (Apr, 2013)
13. Micro Credit Management Policy (May, 2019)
14. Staff Provident Fund (Apr, 2016)
15. Good Governance (Sep, 2014)
16. Staff Security Policy (Mar, 2017)
17. Behavior Policy (Mar, 2017)
18. Training Centre Policy (Jun, 2016)
19. Anti Corruption (Jul, 2018)
20. Money Laundering (Jan, 2020)
21. Role and Responsibilities of SMC (Senior Management Committee) May, 2019

BASD Program Location and Beneficiaries:

With whom BASD Works:
• Climate change and disaster affected people
• Tribal people
• Tea garden workers
• Poor and vulnerable people
• Day labors
• Marginal farmers, small traders, small service holders
• Brothel girls and vulnerable women
• Street and floating children
• Rohinga Refugees

BASD Executive Committee:

Advisory Committee:

Monitoring: Monitoring is an ongoing process. It is integrated with the management reporting. The monitoring system will be computerized and managed by the responsible persons. Two ways information flow has been established to ensure timely information for all stakeholders. Using participatory approach monitoring tools and indicators are developed. All stakeholders’ participations are ensured in this regard. Both qualitative and quantitative changes are reflected in the reports. Monitoring information is collected at field level and these are analyzed accordingly. Both physical and internal effect monitoring system has been developed.

Evaluation: The program as usual is evaluated once in a year internally. Both project staff and beneficiaries are involved in this process. An independent professional team carries out the external evaluation once in three years as decided by the organization and the donor.

Reporting: Project reporting system has been integrated with the management. Periodical reports are prepared for various needs of different stakeholders. The format and scope of the reporting depends on management as well as donor requirement. The reports are mainly focused at the result level. Project staffs help the focal point and the Executive Director with their outputs and data to prepare the reports.

Technical Aspects: Strategy: BASD puts emphasis on capacity building for itself as to be a master capacity builder, advocate, researcher and implementer of multi-dimensional programs and acts as an institution. It works with the grassroots beneficiaries, Local and International NGOs, Government, National and International Donors and Financial Institutions and Development Partners to ensure resource and policy linkage for its ongoing and incoming projects and programs.

Funding Sources: BASD has good linkages and relationship with Government of Bangladesh, Donors Organizations, National and International Networks, Commercial Banks, Bangladesh Bank, International and National NGOs. BASD has contributed for quality improvement of setting up small micro-credit enterprises in different parts of the country with its own funds and community involvement.

Stakeholders:
• Government and non government agencies.
• Local government bodies.
• Local beneficiaries.
• Financial institutions/banks.
• Development partners/UN agencies.
• Research institutions.
• Policy makers and social leaders.
• Media professionals.
• National and International Networks.
• Foreign Government.

Staffs:

Projects and Programs:

Capacity Enhancement and Resource Integration for Area Resilience (CERIAR): This program was launched in Banishanta (Dacope) in 2005 and later shifted in Mongla (Bagerhat) with the financial assistance of TEAR Australia. The main activities are capacity building and phase over of the 60 Self Help Groups (SHG), Networks of Mongla, Chilla and Changpai Unions, livelihood development, climate change adaptation, child development.

Other Program Experience:
1. Livelihood Skill Training: BASD initiated to develop the livelihood skill of the community people especially for the unemployed women, youths and school dropped out students. Some of trainings are: carpentry, motor mechanics, electronic, welding, sewing, embroidery, boutique, handloom, handicrafts, confectionary, animal husbandry, organic gardening, poultry tailoring, kerchupi, beauty parlour etc. More than 5,000 unemployed women, youths and school dropped out students, poor community people, brothel and street girls are included.

2. Networking Program: BASD believes in cooperation and has established networks with local government, Government agencies, NGOs, institutions and related groups. BASD regularly joins the government coordination meetings at Upazilas, Districts, National and International levels. BASD initiated cooperation and networking with GO-NGOs for Climate Change, Eco-Village, HIV/AIDS. BASD has close Networking with GEN (Global Ecovillage Network) in Scotland, GENOA (Global Ecovillage Network Oceania Asia), in Thailand, C-MAN (Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Network) in Bangladesh, CDF, DAWN (Disadvantaged Adolescents Working NGOs) in Dhaka, Gaia Education in Scotland, GEESE, Scotland and many other Networks in the local level and International level.

3. Education Program: BASD has children assistance program in different schools, institutions and communities in the project areas of Mongla, Dacope and Srimongal with the financial assistance of donors. BASD selects the poor and vulnerable children, especially handicapped, children of widows and financially and socially back warded people. Under this program, children get assistance for education; learn cross cutting issues, life training, environment, child rights and various skill developments. BASD implemented education program in different districts of Bangladesh during 1995 – 2008 and children education assistance program from 2009 – 2018 in Mongla, Dacope and Srimongal.

4. Adult literacy program: Through this program BASD implemented non formal education from 1995 to 2008 in various locations like Narayangon, Sunamgonj, Moulovibazar, Khulna and Bagerhat Districts for the illiterate poor people. The illiterate group members learnt writing, reading, doing sums and planning various projects for their livelihoods. This process helped them a lot for phase over of the groups for self reliance and sustainability.

5. Primary and preventive health care service: Motivation and training, focusing on disease prevention through nutrition, hygiene practice, clean water and sanitation programs in different areas including tea gardens in Srimongal, weavers area in Araihahar, hilly area in Sunamgonj, saline areas in Mongla and Dacope from 1995 - 2016. The organizations trained and educated at least one member from each savings / self help group as health worker, who help other members of the groups for necessary assistance. The health worker educates and encourages group members for plantation of medicinal saplings at home so that the members do not run to the doctors for simple and common diseases.

6. Water and Sanitation Programs: From 1995 to 2015 BASD has been working for water and sanitation with integrated approaches in different communities like Srimongal, Sunamgonj, Araihazar, Mongla, Banishatna and Sutarkhali in the following forms:
a) Teaching and preparing pit latrines’ rings, slabs, fences in different villages for using in village communities and selling for extra income for the groups.
b) Distribution of rings and slabs to the poor community people for installation.
c) Helping construction and using of Eco Friendly Latrines in different villages.
d) Installation of Tube wells in the poor community areas in the country.
e) Distribution of Tube wells to the village communities
f) Helping 52 village communities in Mongla (Bagerhat), Banishanta and Sutarkhali (Dacope) from 2008 for re-excavation of sweet water ponds, for drinking and washing.
g) Some villages constructed pond sand filters (PSF) for drinking with assistance from BASD.
h) 52 village communities were advised and distributed clay pitchers for preservation of rain water for drinking in the hard times of the year.

7. HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention program: Educate and aware sex workers in Banishanta brothel and the community people in Banishanta union and Mongla municipality regarding the hazard of HIV/AIDS. Supply condoms to sex workers and risk groups so that they could save themselves from the risk of HIV/AIDS. As the part of prevention program BASD provided treatment support to the STD patients in these areas. Skill development training along with rehabilitation to sex workers and their boys and girls is another component of this HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention program. The organization provided different skill development training to more than 200 sex workers in Banishanta brothel and street girls of Mongla and some of them are rehabilitated in nearby village communities.

8. Justice and advocacy: Enhancing awareness to poor men and women at grassroots level on basic human rights is one of the components of BASD. It focuses on ‘at risk’ people; poor, children, women, indigenous and minority groups to establish their basic rights. Till now BASD provided training to about 1000 community people and children on different human rights issues.

9. Disaster Response Program: Emergency disaster events such as hurricane, tidal wave, flood, earthquake or other ‘natural or human-made disasters are main hindrances of sustainable developments, which BASD tried to respond. BASD undertook immediate relief works (survival and protecting affected people’s lives) and midterm rehabilitation programs (assistance with returning to previous livelihoods) in different areas in the country. BASD responded for Dengue Fever Eradication in Dhaka and Srimongal and Rehabilitation to the AILA affected people in Dacope and Mongla are important initiatives, which were appreciated by the government and the community.

10. Permaculture and Ecovillage Initiatives: