News Release:Final Call For 2010 Impact Award Applications January 9, 2010
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH.Tags: Annual Impact Awards, disabled children, NGO, Stars Foundation
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London-based charity – the STARS Foundation – is making a final call for applications for its 2010 Impact Awards from eligible organisations working with disadvantaged children in Bangladesh. The deadline for Stage 1 applications is 1pm GMT Tuesday 19 January 2010.
The prestigious annual Impact Awards recognise one recipient in each category of health, education and protection. Each Award provides US$100,000 of unrestricted funding as well as tailored consultancy support. In addition, a smaller Award may be made at the discretion of the STARS Board of Trustees to recognise the work of an organisation whose application demonstrates potential as a ‘rising star.’
STARS Foundation chief executive Muna Wehbe said: “Over the past three years, our recipients have benefited in many ways from their Award, beyond the funding and the consultancy support that we offer. Organisations have secured increased funding, enhanced media profile, and built stronger partnerships. As a result, this has benefited thousands of children.”
The STARS Foundation improves the well-being of disadvantaged children around the world by supporting organisations which meet their health, education and protection needs. In 2009, six organisations in Africa and Asia were selected against a range of criteria that reflect the hallmarks of effective practice and demonstrate a positive impact on the lives of the children supported.
The 2010 Awards, which opened for applications on 9 October 2009, saw STARS extending its coverage to 24 new countries in the Middle East, East Asia and Pacific. A total of 80 countries are now covered by the Awards.
Eligible organisations wishing to apply for the 2010 Impact Award should visit http://www.starsfoundation.org.uk to download the application form before the 1pm GMT Tuesday 19 January 2010 closing date.
For further information or interview requests, please contact Mona Samari, email: mona@communicationsinc.co.uk, telephone: +44 (0) 7515 828 939
‘Waterlord’ -view of a journalist on the challanges faced by Bangladeshi people May 12, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, CLIMATE, GOVERNANCE, NGO, Sidr.Tags: fundamentalism, Hurricane Sidr, NGO
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Robert D Kaplan in a legthy discourse ‘Waterlord’ in Atlantic.com described the challanges faced by the Bangladeshi people in a country raged by flood and cyclone. (more…)
TIB reports corruptions in NGOs in Bangladesh October 6, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, CORRUPTION, NGO.Tags: NGO, TIB, Transparency International Bangladesh
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Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Research Officer Shadhan Kumar Das presented a study titled ‘Problems in good governance in the NGO sector: the way forward’ in a discussion meeting at Cirdap Auditorium in the capital recently. TIB trustee Board chairman Professor Mujaffar Ahmed presided over the meeting.
The study took into account the activities of 20 NGO’s operating in different districts of six division in the country. On them, one is an international NGO, eight are national NGOs and 11 are local NGOs.
The study observed that many NGO’s are registered with the government in exchange of bribes and some of those have existence only in paper and the government officials assisted them in the process.
The range of corruption could not be assessed as the NGOs did not provide TIB with adequate information and the NGO chiefs did not cooperate properly. The study said.
Due to lack of transparency and autocratic attitude of the NGO chiefs, an environment is created where corrupt practices become obvious. They are not accountable to the beneficiaries, rather to the donors’ TIB Chairman said. There are only a few NGOs that receive 90 % of the resources from the donors, he added.
TIB Trustee Board Chairman cautioned that involving politics with rights-based activities may bring about dangerous result.
The study found that the NGO activities are inflated to the donors to bring money for addressing problems that are actually artificial.
The Author said that due to weak institutional framework, the NGO Affairs Bureau cannot monitor the NGO activities, while the NGOs give more than enough gifts to the donors to satisfy them and cover up their irregularities.
The study said that selection of employees and selection of auditors are not regular. The procurement process of the materials is also not transparent. Retired high officials are appointed in the Governing body to help in the administration.
The study recommends a) formation of an independent umbrella body to monitor the NGOs’ activities b) formulation of a guideline for formation of governing bodies c) making all information of the NGO’s available to the stakeholders d) holding the NGOs accountable to the government, donors and beneficiaries.
The ordinary citizen had also bad experience with NGO. When he was about to have a contract with an NGO, he was cautioned not to poke into the deep of the matters.
An ordinary citizen
Post Script:
6/10/07
The Federation of NGOs in Bangladesh reacted strongly against disclosure of the facts in the study and also the comment passed by the Chairman of TIB.
Ref: The Daily Star, Prothom Alo 5/10/07, Daily Star 6/10/07
11 Nov 07
Akbar Ali Khan, Ex Adviser said that the NGOs are becoming business minded. Very few NGO’s has got transparency and accountabilty.
13 Nov 07
NBR asked the commercial bbanks to freeze all the accounts of Proshika Cahirperson Quazi Faroque Ahmed and his family members.
Response to the raging flood August 4, 2007
Posted by bdoza in AGRICULTURE, BANGLADESH, CLIMATE, Flood, NGO, POLITICS.Tags: flood, NGO
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Flood is raging through Bangladesh. More and more areas are inundated. Roads and highways are under water, thousands are becoming homeless everyday, hectors of crops are going under water. Cattle are carried away by flowing water, more than 50 men are already died, people are not getting adequate shelter, not getting food to sustain themselves, children and olds are becoming sick easily.
In this crisis, Government is trying to give support to the distressed people. The Chief Adviser, the other advisers, the chief of Army themselves are going to the flood-hit area to distribute relief and to have a first hand knowledge of the situation. The chief Adviser urges for participation of all and stresses on the coordination of the relief work. The district and sub-district administrations are trying to arrange shelters and distribute food to the victims.
The Media is trying to cover the devastation as far as possible. They are portraying the miseries of the people and the failure of the Government to reach to the distressed .
The political parties are conspicuously absent from any relief activities as if the ban on indoor politics is refraining them from doing humanitarian works. Mrs. Matiya Chowdhury said that they could not participate because Government is not allowing them to display the banners and festoons. She also wants the Government to release Sk Hasina so that she could do the relief work. BNP is busy with their infighting. While visiting a flood hit area Dr. Kamal Hussain said that all irrespective of party and politics should stand by the side of the flood-hit people.
Where are the NGO’s? The absence of the NGO’s are also marked. Why they are not participating?
The Chief adviser launches a relief fund. It is expected that all who can afford willl donate generously to the fund. The Chief of Army Staff urges the talk show experts to the come to the flood-hit area and extend support to the poor physically.
The ordinary citizen believe that the country is passing through a serious natural calamity. In such a crisis all should take active part to relieve the distress of the people. During such calamity the responsibility is not only of the Government.
The people are also looking at the response the different sectors, public and private, are making to the need of the flood-hit people.
(an ordinary citizen)
Photo: Internet
NGOs are under watch in Bangladesh July 12, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, ECONOMY, NGO.Tags: NGO
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Bangladesh Army Chief Lt Gen Moin U Ahmed when pondering on corruption in Bangladesh in a seminar on ‘Democratic Accountability and way to curb corruption’ in the city said ‘ NGOs are not free from corruption.They make beautiful papers, circulate them and then take care of themselves.’ He said that NGO need to be tightly regulated… they spend 40% of their budget on themselves rather than the organization and its beneficiaries (10 July 2007)
It is reported that the recent abduction of Mr. Shuman of Danida in Thanchi has also some connection to the corruption that was taking place in the different projects of the NGOs working there.
There were complains by the last BNP regime against Proshika for involving in political maneuvering in favour of AL. Proshika chief once arrested and put under trail.
Probably more than 20000 NGOs are working in Bangladesh. The NGOs are basically nonpolitical and non profitable organizations. In Bangladesh they are involved in various activities starting from poverty alleviation to arsenic mitigation.
Some of the NGOs have done tremendous job and even achieved international laurel such as Grameen Bank.
Again some of the NGOs are engaged in different business activities. Some of them also established private universities. There is allegation that these NGOs are exploiting their platform to get benefit from their business enterprises.
The total NGO activities are needed to be assessed and any anomaly found should be addressed properly.
Bdoza
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