Coastal Development Partnership :: Asia NGO Partners

Regions: Africa Asia Latin America

Name of Organization: Coastal Development Partnership

Country: Bangladesh

Project Title: "Improving the Quality of Education for Working Children in Khulna City"

Project Timeframe: 3 Months

Location of Project: Khulna City

Budget Amount: $2,633.27

NGO contact and website:
Mr. Ashraf-ul-Alam Tutu
55/2 Islampur, Khulna
Bangladesh –9100
Ofice: 0088 041 810573
Fax: 0088 041 729310
E-mail: cdp@khulna.bangla.net, tutucdp@hotmail.com
Website: www.cdpresourcecentre.org

Project's Primary Objective: Child Labor Education Initiative's Objective # 2: Strengthen formal and transitional education systems

Description of Organization: Coastal Development Partnership (CDP) is a networking organization that coordinates the activities of its partner NGOs on several different issues. It was registered under The Societies Act of 1860 at Khulna, vide Number 54 dated May 31, 1999 and also under the Bureau of NGO Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh at Dhaka vide Number 1749 dated October 21, 2003. CDP was founded to coordinate the advocacy activities of a network of NGOs, which at the time was working for the inclusion of the Peoples' Alternative Proposal of Tidal River Management (TRM) in the Khulna Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project (KJDRP). CDP has experience working in partnership with national and international organization such as the Global Fund for Women DFID, Action Aid, Integrated Rural Development Foundation, Asian Social Forum, World Social Forum, and many more. The following are some of CDP's projects:

The PADMA Network (funded by The Prip Trust): This network was formed to increase the capacity of NGOs in the Ganges Dependent Areas (GDA) of southwest Bangladesh to ensure the participation of their constituents in all major water/river projects in this region.
Strengthening of CDP Resource Center (funded by CARE): Since its inception in January 1997, large numbers of highly useful information resources (books, journals, bulletins, newsletters, research reports etc.) have been accumulating by CDP. CDP secured funding from CARE's GOLDA Project to develop a database, install a web site, and systematically number and shelve the resource materials so that they can be of use to the community.
CDP received funding from CARE (financed by CIDA), to establish itself as the central information center for all of the local partners and stakeholders in CARE's Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change (RVCC) project.
Capacity Building of Grassroots Partners for Ensuring Good Governance and Human Rights: this is a project of CDP in partnership with Manusher Jonno, a joint Human Rights project of CARE, BLAST, London School of Economics, and two other organizations.

All of the above mentioned programs include an education component. CDP has also implemented an education program as a partner of the SANJOG Network under its Social Development and Mobilization Project (SDMP) in the rural areas of the Southwest Coastal Region. In addition CDP has successfully conducted a transitional education program, operating 50 non-formal child education centers in Khulna city in association with its network partners.

Description of Project funded by CIRCLE: CDP has proposed to provide support for five non-formal schools being managed in Khulna City by five community-based NGOs, all located in labor-intensive areas. CDP will implement a three-month program to improve the quality of these on-going education programs. The key activities will include discussions with community leaders to ensure community governance of the non-formal schools, motivating one social organizer from each NGO to return the drop-outs back to school; incorporation of cultural activities such as art, in order to make the education process relevant and attractive to the children and to monitor their progress; exhibitions of the children's drawings to raise community awareness; and a community discussion meeting at the end of three month project. An experienced CDP Program Officer will be the principal manager of the UAC project, and will receive training by the Coordinator. S/he will conduct a baseline survey, oversee the selection of the participating NGOs and their schools, as well as project implementation, and document and report on the project. It is expected that as a result of this project, 150 – 200 working children will benefit and enrollment/persistence will increase by 10%. The following is a detailed activity plan:

Carry out baseline survey of selected areas of the city, to estimate number of potential students, number of NGO-run non-formal schools, number of students attending schools and number of children not attending schools, reasons for not attending, etc.
Conduct orientation of NGO executives and teachers from selected schools, who will learn about the project in a one-day workshop.
Orient community leaders, who will be invited to a meeting where the goal and objectives of the project will be explained, and their views, advice, and cooperation will be sought.
Engage five senior students of the Khulna Art College to teach drawing to the project-assisted students and to prepare them to participate in a drawing competition at the end of the project.
Contract with cultural organization of Khulna City that possess experience in instructing children in cultural performances, to train the children in drama, recitation, and chorus song.
Hold drawing competition and cultural programs: at the close of the project period, and award prizes for the best performances. The best drawings will be hung in the classrooms.
Complete documentation and reporting, and submit all reports to Winrock.

Project Targets (Common Indicators):
Enrollment: Increased by 10%
Persistence: Increased by 10%
Transition:
Completion: 200 children will obtain quality education