http://www.friendsofnowder.org Friends of Nowder Mon, 07 Nov 2011 23:29:52 +0000 http://www.friendsofnowder.org en http://www.friendsofnowder.org/The-Film http://www.friendsofnowder.org/following/friendsofnowder.org/The-Film Mon, 07 Nov 2011 23:29:52 +0000 Friends of Nowder 2268286 In the summer of 2010, one of our trustee's, Morgan Phillips, led a group of film students to Bangladesh on a Global Footsteps, Global Venture. Together they filmed footage for a documentary on healthcare in rural and urban Bangladesh. The interviews conducted and the footage gathered tell the shocking story of corruption and malpractice that undermines the Government provision of basic health care. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2268286/Nowder_meeting.png" border="0" width="670" height="376" width_o="1372" height_o="772" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2268286/Nowder_meeting_o.png" align="left" /> On visits to local and district hospitals Morgan interviewed Doctors, Patients and local Politicians uncovering the true story of what ordinary Bangladeshi's experience when they fall ill. The documentary is yet to be made, we are currently seeking the support of a skilled film editor willing to put this film together before making it public. We have made a trailer, which we hope serves as a taster for what the final film could become. If you would like to help us create this film, please contact Morgan Phillips directly by email to: mail@becominggreen.co.uk http://www.friendsofnowder.org/Our-heroes http://www.friendsofnowder.org/following/friendsofnowder.org/Our-heroes Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:45:13 +0000 Friends of Nowder 2264682 Our work is inspired and guided by the following people: Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury To date, the greatest success of the HRA Foundation is to have established a delivery partnership with Gonoshastra Kendra (people's healthcare). GK is an NGO established by Dr Zafrulla Chowdhury whose commitment to providing affordable healthcare to the people of Bangladesh is truly inspiring. On visiting Nowder in summer 2011 Dr Zafrulla agreed to establish a GK primary healthcare service at The HRA. He wrote this to us shortly after: Dear Arosh, The visit to Nowder yesterday was very interesting....The most delightful experience was to meet your mother and your sister Salma, who looked after us very well. Their hospitality was remarkable and your mother's jovial manner and warmth touched all of us. Of course, your mother mentioned that of her three sons you are the naughty and intelligent one. Your mother offered your elder brother's house, where she resides, for use by the GK programme for at least five years until we have our own facilities. She proposed that the female staff can stay on the first floor, and that she would be their guardian. The hospital services can be conducted in the ground floor, which will require some modifications (windows and doors) to accommodate a pharmacy, dental room, X-ray and ultra-sonography, OT, consultation and five beds. The roof of the shed in front of the building has to be replaced and raised two feet in order to accommodate a false ceiling. Best wishes, Zafrullah <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2264682/Kathy_Zafrulla_Arosh.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="300" width_o="716" height_o="321" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2264682/Kathy_Zafrulla_Arosh_o.jpg" align="left" /> Professor Muhammed Yunus As a Nobel prize winner Professor Yunus is world famous. Although we are not involved in microcredit, we do share his vision for a more equal and just Bangladesh. Yunus' model of Social Business is an inspiration to us, the change in mindset it represents could have a transformative impact on the way business is done, not only in Bangladesh. In summer 2010, our co-ordinator and HRA founder, Mr Arosh Ali, fulfilled a lifetime's ambition when meeting Professor Yunus at the London School of Economics. Dr Valerie Taylor O.B.E. In 1979 a physiotherapist, Dr Valerie Taylor established the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed in Bangladesh. The CRP was established to address the terrible situation faced by disabled people in Bangladesh. We have been linked to the CRP since our inception and hope one day, to partner formally with them to make life better for those facing disability in Biswanath. Greg Mortenson Mortenson's efforts to promote peace and education in Pakistan and Afghanistan are an example that would motivate anyone. His bestselling books 'Three Cups of Tea' and 'Stones into Schools' have been read by several of our volunteers and are a reminder to us of what one commited person can achieve. http://www.friendsofnowder.org/Education http://www.friendsofnowder.org/following/friendsofnowder.org/Education Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:39:10 +0000 Friends of Nowder 2141066 Schools in Bangladesh are very overcrowded and often lack basic equipment. It is very hard for children to get a worthwhile education without basic stationary and in a classroom of over 100 children. Before the HRA Foundation was established it was estimated that only 10% of young people in Nowder had reached education Standard 8 (the Bangladesh equivalent of a Key Stage 3 level in the UK). <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2141066/education.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="868" height_o="651" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2141066/education_o.jpg" align="left" /> The HRA Foundation is making a significant improvements to education in Nowder village. Our aim is to ensure that by 2018, numeracy and literacy levels reach 100% in Nowder. Since 2008 we have been running: 1. Daily nursery classes for 210 children aged 4 - 6. Children from all social and economic backgrounds attend our nursery. This is unique in Bangladesh. 2. Daily extra tuition classes for 156 children aged 6 to 10. Classes occur throughout the day and provide children with the opportunity for the 1 to 1 tuition they miss out on in school. We aim to keep the ratio of tutor to children below 1:15. Again, children from all backgrounds attend. Again, this is a unique service in Bangladesh. 3. An educational toy library for use by the whole village. Our educational work is coordinated by a local trained teacher. We employ 20 young women and 2 young men. We also pay for them to enter into further education courses in education, law and healthcare. £2 a month provides the stationary, refreshments and tutor support for each child recieving these services. By 2013 we hope to establish a homework club for 11 - 16 year olds, to do this we hope to attract a fully qualified teacher. Many adults in Bangladesh remain unaware of the services available to them from Governments and NGOs. We would like to establish an informal life skills programme for adults of all ages to ensure they are aware of what is rightfully theirs. http://www.friendsofnowder.org/Curry-with-love http://www.friendsofnowder.org/following/friendsofnowder.org/Curry-with-love Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:33:00 +0000 Friends of Nowder 2141027 Volunteers Arosh & Shamima, who have 30 years experience in catering, will prepare fresh Bangladeshi cuisine and deliver the food to your venue for gathering of 10 or more people. Arosh and Shamima are fully trained and experienced Chef’s and have access to a professional kitchen to prepare your meail. We can provide you with a restaurant standard buffet meal at very competitive prices. Because everyone involved is a volunteer, our only costs are the raw materials, once these costs are covered the rest of the money all goes to the charity! So, if you’re having a birthday party, a social gathering, a business meeting or any other special occasion, please call on us to provide you with the food! We can cater for parties for anything between 10 and 110 people anywhere in North London. For more information or to make a booking please call or email Mr. Arosh Ali. 07850 025 796 arosh@friendsofnowder.org We will customise a menu for you within your budget. The surplus from ingredient costs will be given to Friends of Nowder UK, who work with HRA Foundation Bangladesh. To have a festive Curry with Love night and give your support to Friends of Nowder contact Arosh on 02084400581 or send your interest to partymeal@friendsofnowder.org.uk For another way to enjoy a curry and support our charity check out our Charity Night page. http://www.friendsofnowder.org/Visit-Bangladesh http://www.friendsofnowder.org/following/friendsofnowder.org/Visit-Bangladesh Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:27:34 +0000 Friends of Nowder 2141005 Nowder village is in the Upozilla (district) of Biswanath in the Sylhet division of Bangladesh. Members of our partner charity Global Footsteps have travelled to Bangladesh in 2009, 2010 and 2011. They all had fantastic experiences and made valuable contributions to our work. We are now looking for volunteers from Europe to visit the HRA Foundation. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2141005/IMG_4472.JPG" border="0" width="670" height="502" width_o="2048" height_o="1536" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2141005/IMG_4472_o.JPG" align="left" /> We are an accredited EVS organisation meaning that we can host volunteers aged 18-30 at the HRA Foundation for any period up to one year. Alternatively you can help build the capacity of our local volunteers in Bangladesh through a 2 to 4 week visit. We need experts in education, healthcare, vocational training and advocacy. If you are interested in volunteering with HRA Foundation and spending time in a wonderful country please contact us: arosh@friendsofnowder.org http://www.friendsofnowder.org/Primary-healthcare http://www.friendsofnowder.org/following/friendsofnowder.org/Primary-healthcare Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:31:09 +0000 Friends of Nowder 2140665 When the HRA Foundation launched in 2008 our biggest aim was to make Primary Healthcare accessible to everyone in Nowder village. The progress we have made is one of our greatest and proudest achievements to date. In 2010 the world respected Dr Zafrulla Chowdhury invited 3 young women from Nowder to train as field paramedics. During his medical training in the UK, Dr. Zafrulla was inspired to launch a People's Health Centre (Gonoshasthaya Kendra) a healthcare NGO based on the UK NHS model. In 2011 Dr Zafrulla Chowdhury made an unexpected personal visit to Nowder to announce that GK will open a Primary Healthcare centre for the people at the HRA Foundation. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2140665/bangladesh-healthcare1.jpg" border="0" width="482" height="314" width_o="482" height_o="314" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2140665/bangladesh-healthcare1_o.jpg" align="left" /> Why this is so important The health care system in Bangladesh is one of it's greatest failings. Corruption is rife and the standard of care in Government run hospitals is way below standard. It is not uncommon for patients to be left on a dirty floor, denied access to basic medicine and ignored for days by doctors. For the indignity of being treated this way patients even have to pay to use the hospital and for expensive prescription drugs. Those who can afford it choose private healthcare, the effect is greater inequality. Nowder is incredibly poorly served, the local hospital in Biswanath town is mismanaged and dirty. Local people have lost their faith in the hospital. They see very little point in visiting a hospital where only one out of the twelve doctors show up for work. And, why visit a hospital where you are more likely to catch something from the filthy surroundings than be cured of the illness you have? http://www.friendsofnowder.org/Care-for-the-elderly http://www.friendsofnowder.org/following/friendsofnowder.org/Care-for-the-elderly Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:23:22 +0000 Friends of Nowder 2139943 The HRA Foundation works with elderly members of the Nowder community who are so often left to suffer because families can't support their basic needs. It is our aim to maintain the dignity of the older generations, to provide them with their basic medical needs at an affordable price. Our partnership with GK healthcare is absolutely vital to this. http://www.friendsofnowder.org/National-campaigning http://www.friendsofnowder.org/following/friendsofnowder.org/National-campaigning Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:31:10 +0000 Friends of Nowder 2139917 We have set the HRA Foundation up as a working model for others to follow. It is a model that we hope all those involved in building the capacity of rural communities can learn from. We recognise that, although we can be effective at the grass-roots, fundamental change at the national level is crucial to Bangladesh's future. We feel a duty to campaign at a national level for change in the delivery of education, healthcare and vocational training. In London and Dhaka our volunteers regularly meet with politicians, business people and the leaders of large NGOs. Friends of Nowder has won cross-party political support in the UK. We take a keen interest in the delivery of the UK government's international development commitments. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2139917/morgan_arosh.jpg" border="0" width="670" height="413" width_o="814" height_o="502" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/158924/2139917/morgan_arosh_o.jpg" align="left" />