Annual Report July 2009 - June 2010
Left: Community training on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Appropriate Construction Technology Below: National Director Kelly Koch at Open Build Nov 2009
Above: Staff training on Compressed Interlocking Earth Block (CIEB) technology Right: Australian High Commission staff build with Habitat
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Where We Work .................................................................................................................... 4 About Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh ......................................................................... 5 A Message from the National Director .............................................................................. 6 Our Partners ........................................................................................................................... 7 Our Work................................................................................................................................ 8 Our Volunteers .................................................................................................................... 12 Our Families ......................................................................................................................... 13 Financial Statements Letter from the Auditor ............................................................................................ 14 Statement of Financial Position ............................................................................... 15 Statement of Changes in Net Assets....................................................................... 16 Statement of Functional Expenses .......................................................................... 17 Our Future Plans ................................................................................................................. 18
Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh
A Snapshot of Our Year........................................................................................................ 2
Annual Report 2010
Table of Contents
How You Can Help ............................................................................................................. 18 Story: Shelter from the Storm ............................................................................................ 19
Volunteers from University of Galway, Ireland
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Where We Work
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*An HRC or Habitat Resource Center may be a physical structure or a network of specialists offering support and resources. Centers provide expertise in areas such as project and construction management; research on appropriate construction technology; and construction skills training. They also response to disasters and provide housing microfinance expertise. An HRC may support a series of satellites. ** DR or Disaster Response project areas where Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh has worked.
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About Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh Everyone deserves a place to call home. Habitat for Humanity helps to turn such expectations into reality by transforming lives through the provision of safe, decent and affordable homes. A decent home opens the door to improved health, better performance in school, greater economic opportunities and increased community cohesion.
populous countries in the world. While the country is predominantly rural, the exponential growth in population and urbanization puts tremendous pressure on housing, sanitation, health, education and infrastructure. In addition, Bangladesh relies on a relatively narrow range of resources and is subject to frequent natural disasters.
For 35 years, Habitat for Humanity has been a catalyst for such transformations, often achieving great success by working with like-minded partners. The impact is not only felt by families whom Habitat helps. Entire communities are also transformed when partners support Habitat by providing power, water and sanitation facilities, schools, community facilities and employment opportunities.
In response to the pressing need for housing, Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh was established in 1999 in Mymensingh, and has since increased its services to 13 locations around the country. It works in mainly rural programs involving new home constructions, major and minor renovations, disaster response and mitigation, training on water, sanitation and hygiene practices and appropriate construction technology. It currently operates as a branch of Habitat for Humanity International.
Home to 160 million people, Bangladesh is among the most
Total: 2802 families served
Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh staff at 2010 Annual Retreat
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A Message From The National Director FY2010 was a tremendous year for Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh. Our organization had come a long way since the one-man venture in Mymensingh in 1999. Today, the more than eighty members of our HFH Bangladesh family work across nine districts of Bangladesh in three Habitat Resource Centers, nine satellite offices and its national office in the capital city of Dhaka.
Annual Report 2010
Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh
In our first 10 years of operation, HFH Bangladesh had adopted the traditional Habitat Save & Build program model to serve the low-income families of Bangladesh. In 2009, we conducted an extensive survey and came to realize that this Save & Build model no longer suited the needs of our families. Hence at the beginning of FY2010, HFH Bangladesh underwent a program restructure to incorporate a more demand-based approach in our product designs and offerings. Under our new model, we provide low-income families with housing loans and assistance for not only new home constructions, but also major renovations and minor repairs. This added flexibility allows us to serve a more diverse range of families and does not limit our offering to the single one-room new house option previously seen in the Save & Build model.
In addition to transitioning to our new program model, HFH Bangladesh also began project-based funding in FY2010. Our first project was for a CommunityBased Disaster Mitigation (CBDM) project, which piloted in January 2010. This project focused on mobilizing local communities, providing adequate training, and offering affordable loans to implement disaster-specific housing retrofits. The success of this pilot CBDM project saw the arrival of further support and the project is now being implemented in its full scale. Other pilot projects that began in FY2010 included one on water, sanitation and hygiene and another on compressed interlocking earth block technology. With our activities in full swing at the conclusion of FY2010, it was with bittersweet regret that I announced my resignation as National Director after 2.5 years to take on a regional role with Habitat. I would like to thank all the staff, volunteers, partners and friends for their contribution to HFH Bangladesh. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the new National Director, Mr. John Armstrong. I wish John all the best and I’m sure he will thoroughly enjoy his time at HFH Bangladesh just as I did. Sincerely,
Kelly Koch, National Director 6
HFH Europe Central Asia
HFH Canada
HFH China
HFH Great Britain
HFH Ireland
HFH Japan
HFH Korea
Community Development Society (CDS)
Development of Endemic Poor Program (DEPP)
Jesh Foundation
Protik Trust
World Vision Bangladesh
Education
American International School Dhaka
International School of Dhaka
Corporate
Chevron Bangladesh
Delta Brac Housing Ltd.
Non-Profit
Association of Development for Economic and Social Help
Banglar Mela Sangstha
Change
Other
Australian High Commission in Dhaka
Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development
US Embassy in Dhaka
Chevron presenting cheque to HFH Bangladesh
Employees of Delta Brac Housing volunteering with Habitat
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Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh
Habitat for Humanity Offices
Annual Report 2010
Our Partners
Our Work Regular Program Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh has a range of different approaches to providing housing solutions to low-income families. Habitat understands that each family differs in size, circumstance and need. Habitat‟s approach is flexible enough to offer different and adaptable solutions to all. New House Construction - Building in Stages HFH Bangladesh offers a low-cost „core house‟ design. Families start by building a house with a single room, a veranda and a latrine. Once this is built and 50% of the non-profit loan repaid, the design allows the owners to build a second room and another veranda if needed and if their finances allow. Renovations Habitat house renovations are planned changes and upgrades made to a sub‐standard house so a family can have improved and adequate living space. In addition to providing the financial loans to undertake these upgrades, HFH Bangladesh offers technical support for a range of major and minor renovations.
Annual Report 2010
Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh
A major renovation is recommended if a house is in a poor condition and requires a large amount of work to bring it to a decent, stable shape. The work includes strengthening foundations and concrete floors, building new walls or rendering existing walls, fixing roofs (framing and covering), raising plinths and building verandas.
When a house structure is stable, the need may be for minor renovation. The work might involve sealing a floor, rendering a wall, repairing a roof, extending a veranda, adding doors and windows, plastering and painting, building a sanitary latrine, installing a rainwater-harvesting system or building a shallow tube well for safe water.
Top right: Construction work of a Habitat house Middle right: Homeowner working Inside her Habitat home Left : A complete Habitat house Right: Habitat staff working with home partner to plan a manageable loan repayment schedule
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Community-Based Disaster Mitigation Program Habitat seeks to mitigate or reduce not only the devastating effect of a disaster, but also to protect families and strengthen homes against future calamities. This mitigation work takes the form of rebuilding or renovating to higher standards with quality materials and designs. It includes strengthening the structures of existing homes, providing technical training, and teaching families and communities how best to prepare for and respond to a disaster. The Habitat Community-Based Disaster Mitigation program mobilizes local communities to form village disaster management committees that actively prepare for and respond to disasters. The program focuses on encouraging as many members of a local community to participate. Habitat trainers explain and demonstrate the benefits of disaster preparedness, appropriate construction technology for disaster resilient homes, post-disaster first aid and water, sanitation and hygiene practices.
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Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh
From left going down: 1. Meeting with a village disaster manangement committee 2. Community awareness billboard 3. Celebrating Bangladesh’s Disaster Reduction Day 31 March 2010 4. Community training on disaster mitigation
Annual Report 2010
Our Work
Our Work Compressed Interlocking Earth Block HFH Bangladesh pioneered in-country research on compressed interlocking earth block (CIEB) technology in 2009. This environmentally friendly and innovative solution substitutes blocks made from a mixture of mud and cement for conventional fire-baked clay bricks. The blocks can be made at home using a manual block-making compression machine and then dried in the sun. When sufficient blocks are available, construction of a home can be as short as seven days. HFH Bangladesh has completed a comprehensive feasibility assessment study, developed a skills training program to promote the technology and built prototype houses. In the coming years, Habitat intends to introduce CIEB technology more widely across Bangladesh and to promote the approach as a timesaving, eco-friendly and cost-effective way of building homes.
Above : Making a compressed interlocking eath block
Annual Report 2010
Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh
Left: HFH Bangladesh staff building first prototype house using CIEB technology
Left: First complete CIEB prototype house located in HFH Bangladesh’s Dugarpur satellite Right: Blocks are left to dry in the sun for 2 weeks
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Diseases associated with poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) are a major cause of mortality in Bangladesh. HFH Bangladesh studies revealed that the benefits of using safe water and good hygiene practices were not well communicated or accepted in many rural communities. For instance, villagers often did not understand that good WaSH practices led to better health for themselves and their families . Based on these findings, Habitat designed training sessions on appropriate WaSH practices and communicates these to the communities. The project also included the provision of sanitary latrines together with rainwater harvesting systems.
Above : Sanitary latrine with water harvesting system installed under WaSH project Left and below: Community training on WaSH and ACT
Appropriate Construction Technology Few people living in rural areas have specialised knowledge or adequate skills to build houses. HFH Bangladesh has developed a set of comprehensive guidelines and training modules on different ways to build using a variety of materials and equipment; how to create water and sanitation facilities such as rainwater harvesting systems; and project management tips such as making estimates, managing labor and time, controlling waste and quality. Habitat trains existing building workers as well as community leaders and Habitat home partners who want to learn to build and repair their own homes in an effective and sustainable manner.
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Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh
Water, Sanitation and Health
Annual Report 2010
Our Work
Our Volunteers Habitat for Humanity is well known for the tangible, “handson” construction experience it offers tens of thousands of volunteers every year from around the world. The experience is a l w a y s rewarding and it provides volunteers with the opportunity to spend time with local families who are directly benefiting from Habitat’s work.
Annual Report 2010
Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh
In FY2010, 11 local teams and 12 international “Global Village” t e a m s journeyed to the beautiful rural communities of Bangladesh to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh. Local teams included students from the American International School Dhaka and Grace International School; embassy staff from the Australian High Commission and the US Embassy in Dhaka; and corporate volunteers fro construction company Delta Brac Housing. 12
Amongst the international “Global Village” volunteers, HFH Bangladesh received five separate teams from long-time supporter the Shanghai American School; several other youth teams from Japan, Korea, Singapore and Saudi Arabia; a couple of adult teams from the the UK and the US; and a first-time visit from the University of Galway, Ireland (photo middle left). In celebration of two notable days of observance, HFH Bangladesh held an “Open Build” event in December 2009 to mark the United Nation’s International Volunteer Day and a “Women’s Build” in March 2010 to celebrate International Women’s Day (photo bottom right). Both events attracted enthusiastic local and expatriate city dwellers who travelled from Dhaka to nearby rural satellites for a day of lifting, laying, mixing and building. With volunteerism being at the forefront of Habitat’s work, HFH Bangladesh extends its thanks to all past, present and future volunteers in joining us in the fight against poverty housing.
A place to care Since the construction of their new Habitat home in Savar, close to Bangladesh‟s capital Dhaka, Rashida Begum and her husband Atiar Rahman now have the space to keep a cow. Atiar is a construction worker, and Rashida takes care of the cow alongside her household duties. Each day the cow is milked, the family keeps some of the milk for their own needs and is able to sell around two and half liters for extra income. At home, their daughter Julekha now has the space to study after school and their young sons Sun and Moon now have a safe place to play.
Above from left: Atiar Rahman; son Moon; Rashida Begum; daughter Julekha.
Our Families
Above: Atiar Rahman and family cow
A place for livelihood Rubina Akter, aged 28, lives with her husband and her son, her mother-in-law and her brother-inlaw‟s family, side-by-side in two Habitat homes. They share some communal areas where the children play, meals are prepared, and garden vegetables are grown. Rubina uses a corner of her Habitat home to sew blouses and clothes which she will later sell. Many Bangladeshi women achieve a sense of empowerment when they are able to contribute financially to the family. Agreements for Habitat loans and homes are often made with the women of the family, which helps to promote the woman‟s influence in household decision making.
Above: Rubina Akter (in the pink shawl) with her family members — mother-in-law, husband, sisters-in-law, son and nephew. Left: Rubina’s income generating handiwork.
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Our Future Plans Globally and locally, Habitat aims to achieve the following in 2011: 1. By 2011, Habitat will exponentially increase the number of families served annually. In Bangladesh, this will be achieved by improving operational methodologies, increasing organizational capacity to respond to disasters, and through working with new and existing partnerships. 2. By 2011, Habitat will attract new capital to the global affordable housing market. HFH Bangladesh aims to expand into public and private sectors in order to supply new capital to the affordable housing market in Bangladesh.
3. By 2011, Habitat will help lead the transformation of global systems and structures that impact affordable housing. In Bangladesh and around the world, this means prioritizing investment through research that demonstrates sustainability on all fronts, and mobilizing key individuals and institutions to implement policies and practices that produce affordable housing. 4. By 2011, Habitat and its partners will be diverse, motivated and high-performing. The final major goal of Habitat requires the diversification of leadership throughout the worldwide Habitat network, and focuses on Habitat becoming a more spiritually and professionally rewarding place to serve.
Annual Report 2010
Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh
How You Can Help In Bangladesh, home to 160 million people, the need is great. 4 out of every 10 people live below the national poverty line, reflecting the inability to meet basic human needs such as decent shelter. HFH Bangladesh invites to you help in the following ways: VOLUNTEER Join the teams of people of all ages and backgrounds who each year bring their energy and enthusiasm to HFH Bangladesh. Our tangible, hands-on construction experience offers the chance to be directly involved in the building of better lives for the people of Bangladesh. PARTNER HFH Bangladesh offers many opportunities of partnership in our work, our projects and our activities. International agencies, businesses, schools and embassies partner with Habitat to make decent homes a reality in Bangladesh. DONATE HFH Bangladesh accepts cash donations and gifts in-kind. To make a donation now, please visit habitatbangladesh.org
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Shelter from the Storm Leah Sanderson* – Mymensingh – April 2010 That night in Mymensingh, the rain fell hard. Winds swept through at over 100 kilometers per hour. In northern Bangladesh and parts of India, 100 people were reported dead and 100,000 homes were damaged or leveled. Yet Rashida and her husband Khokon did not hear a thing. Less than one month ago, Mason Khokon and his three assistants finished building the family‟s new Habitat home. “Our old house would have been completely destroyed. We did not know how strong the wind blew last night because of our new cement walls,” Md. Khokon said in amazement. Their younger daughter Suchi, aged 12, who is in class four, likes to study while sitting on the floor. However it wasn‟t previously comfortable sitting on the damp mud of the old house. Elder daughter Suki, 20, and her husband are visiting from Dhaka for Pohela Boishak – Bangladesh New Year‟s celebrations. It is the first time she has been to the new home. She is surprised and delighted. “In the old house we were always afraid, especially in the rainy season. Rain would get through the roof… it was an emergency to build this house,” Rashida says. The family heard of Habitat through their cousin, also a Habitat Homeowner, and then they were encouraged to take a loan by their neighbours. “When did you first hope for this home?” I asked. “We never hoped! We were not able to even imagine this, until Habitat,” they replied. Every year on Pohela Boishakh, it is said to storm, with this year being no exception. As Bangladesh heads dramatically into the rainy season, the urgency for secure, affordable shelter for all is becoming evermore apparent. *Leah Sanderson was an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development volunteer working with Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh in FY2010
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Report designed and edited by: Lydia Luo Mahmudul Hasan Published by: Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh February 2011 Copywright reserved for Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh.
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