Bangladesh Itinerary

I finally feel like I am fairly organised for the first stage of my WCMT fellowship in Bangladesh. I am so privileged to have the opportunity to undertake this study, thanks to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. 

I hope the project continues to shed light on the issues of gender and domestic abuse, and that the messages will resonate in the UK and in India and Bangladesh. It is daunting (particularly with such an emotive subject), but I am confident I can learn something new and inspire change. Each individual thread seems insignificant, but once they are woven together the resulting tapestry will tell a story...

The itinerary is as follows:

Arrive 3rd December 

4th December Visit 'HEED' (Health Education and Economic Development) Centre. Lesson to brush up on my Bengali, and visit to the 'Centre for the rehabilitation of destitute women'

5th/6th Weekend

7th- 9th BRAC exposure programme. 2 days visiting rural programmes, 1 day urban programmes. http://www.brac.net/

Visiting BRAC programmes including: Microfinance, Health Nutrition and Population Programme (HNPP), Human Rights and Legal Aid Services (HRLS), Gender Justice and Diversity (GJ&D)), Migration Programme, Community Empowerment Programme (CEP) and BRAC Education Programme (BEP). Quite a lot for 2 days! 

10th - 14th Working at Acid Survivors Foundation 20 bed hospital for victims of acid violence in Mirpur. Interviewing staff and speaking with survivors. http://www.acidsurvivors.org/

15th - 18th Working with 'Bandhu social welfare' organisation which will link me with their community organisations (Shustah Jiban and Badhan Hijra Shangah) supporting 'Hijra' (transgender) community in Dhaka.  http://www.bandhu-bd.org/

19th Return home.