Australia Assists Community Development Programs in rural Bangladesh
(Australian Deputy High Commissioner Tim Bolotnikoff with the Students of the GBC - CHP Nursing Institute)
The Australian Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Tim Bolotnikoff, opened two community development projects funded under Australia’s Direct Aid Program (DAP) in Mymensingh and Tangail on 20 and 21 November 2011.
On Sunday, 20 November the Deputy High Commissioner opened the recently-completed extension of the Nursing Institute run by Garo Baptist Church - Christian Health Project (GBC-CHP) in Haluaghat, which received BDT 18 lakh under DAP in 2011. The extended facility will house an auditorium, a library and seven laboratories which are mandatory inclusions to upgrade the current Junior Nursing Training Course to a 4 year Diploma in Nursing Science and Midwifery Course. Currently 75 students are enrolled in the Junior Nursing Training Course.
After the opening, Mr. Bolotnikoff visited the GBC-CHP Hospital and talked to the doctors, nurses and patients. He said the project was helped both the ethnic minority Garo women in Haluaghat, as well as the community generally, which would benefit from services provided by qualified nurses. Previously GBC –CHP received support from Australian Government in 2009 -10 to obtain books and lab equipment for the Nursing Institute.
On Monday, 21 November, Mr Bolotnikoff opened an income generating training centre constructed by Symbiosis Bangladesh in Dhonbari, Tangail, which also received BDT 18 lakh under Direct Aid Program. An estimated 600 people, 85% of whom are women, will be trained annually in fish-farming, sewing, and hairdressing in this multi-purpose centre. The centre will also be used to hold health/eye clinic visits, training Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA), holding community meetings and also as a relief centre during floods.
Mr Bolotnikoff praised Symbiosis Bangladesh for their work in support the local community and the rural poor and hoped that the multi-purpose centre would go a long way towards providing livelihood skills to the people of Dhonbari Union
In 2010-2011, around BDT 260 lakh was provided to eleven organisations involved in community development under the Direct Aid Program. Major projects supported include women’s empowerment through skill development, education facilities for children from slum areas, safe water supply and sanitation project in Jessore district and building a paediatric unit in Savar for children with cerebral palsy.
Australian High Commission, Dhaka
23 November 2011
For further information please contact:
Ishrat Hossain
Senior Research and Communications Officer, AHC, Dhaka
Tel: 8813105 (ext, 497) ; E-mail: [email protected]