Founder

Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah (R.)

Project Introduction: The key focus of the project from its very inception was restoration of the forest cover and biodiversity conservation in the selected denuded hills of Banshkhali through promoting natural regeneration actively with active participation of forest dependent poor and ultra poor community people living in and around the area; motivating them and making them proactive in forest and bio-diversity conservation.

Project Agreement Number: AF/GA-08003-001

Overall Objective:

Restore and Conserve Forest and Biodiversity in the Denuded Hills of Banshkhali following Collaborative Management Model

Specific Objectives:

  • Reduce Anthropogenic Pressure on the Denuded Hills of Banshkhali to allow natural regeneration of the forest cover.
  • Establish a functional model for collaborative management of the Banshkhali Denuded Hills.
  • Strengthen capacity of the Co-Management Council and Co-Management Committees as envisaged under the Collaborative Management Model.
  • Create alternative livelihood opportunities for the forest-dependent poor and extreme poor people to reduce pressure on the hills and allow natural regeneration.

Outputs:

  • Programme intervention accepted by the Government and other NGOs and replicated in other areas of the country.
  • A co-management council of 61 members formed with members from different strata of the society and a co-management committee of 31 members formed from amongst them as per structured guidelines.
  • Members of the co-management council and the co-management committee meet regularly, and take active role in interventions related to restoration and conservation of the forest and bio-diversity
  • Identified forest dependent households are provided with alternative livelihood options so that sustained income is ensured and pressure on the forest is reduced.
  • 30 groups each with a membership of 25 people are formed in each community with organized poor and ultra poor households dependent on forest for their livelihoods.
  • At least 75% of different stakeholders are able to narrate the positive impacts forest conservation can have on their lives and livelihoods.
  • School children are mobilized and energized to from Environment club in 03 school.
  • At least 80% of children at school are knowledgeable about the ill effects of deforestation and the positive impacts of forest conservation on lives and livelihoods.
  • At least 80% of women in project villages are aware of the positive impacts of forest conservation and smokeless oven use
  • Forest dependent target beneficiaries receives skill development training.
  • Target beneficiaries are able to articulate and put to practice skills received through training.
  • Target beneficiaries are benefiting from productive assets provided under the project.
  • Tube well : 3 tube-well also distributed to the beneficiaries as they were poor and ultra poor and would not be able to afford such facilities themselves

Project Components: Environment, Alternative livelihood, Institutionalization, Savings and RLF, Forestation, IGA, Capacity Building, DRR, CBO, Senior Citizen

Major Activities:

  • The Forest Department (FD) Completed restoration of roughly 102 ha of these denuded hills through establishment of plantations involving both short and long rotation species under this project
  • Day observation (Art/essay/ debate competition among the school /college student)
  • Group formation with the target beneficiaries-30 (Sadhanpur-20 & Kalipur-10) Groups & Holding regular meeting with group members.
  • Biodiversity club formation with the local youth/ school & college students. 4 Clubs formed and actively organizing and participating in different awareness programs; 2 Union Level Community Patrolling Group (CPG)  formed
  • Co-management Council & Committee formation & Holding regular meeting with Co-management Council & Committee members
  • Holding Entrepreneurship Development on Improve Cooking Stove (ICS)
  • Skill development training of group members on Vegetables Cultivation, Bamboo Made Handicrafts, Nursery, Tailoring, Apiculture etc. Orientation training on vegetable gardening

Project Participants (Direct):

Children(0-10)

Adolescent(11-17)

Youth(18-25)

Adult(26-60)

Senior Citizen(61+)

M

F

M

F

M

F

M

F

M

F

26

43

120

120

13

57

278

532

50

71

 

Project Duration: January 2009 to March 2017 (3 phase)

Financial partner (Donor): Arannayk Foundation (AF)

Implementing partner (if any): N/A

Project Location/s and number of Field offices:  Bhanskhali, Chittagong

Project Budget: 180 00 000 (3 phase)

Number of project staffs and volunteers :

Staff (Regular)

Paid Volunteer

Non-Paid Volunteer

M

F

M

F

M

F

4

1

Contact Person: Abdur Rakib, Program Coordinator.

Email: a.rakib@ahsaniamission.org.bd

Cell : 01758 939678