Background
Efforts for Rural Advancement (ERA) is a development, humanitarian, non-profit, non government organization (NGO) established in July 1997 with a group of local social development workers. It has been implementing integrated development activities in the district of Sunamganj, the northern eastern part of Bangladesh. The head office ERA is located in the district headquarters of Sunamganj.
The district of Sunamganj is located at the northeastern part of Bangladesh under Sylhet division. It is located in the bank of river the Surma. India bound the North border, Sylhet district is located in the East, Habigonj & Kishorgonj district is on the South and Netrokona district is on the west.
Sunamganj district is the one of the low-lying, disaster and poverty prone area in Bangladesh. Natural disasters like flash flood, heavy rain, sometimes earthquake is a common phenomenon in the district. River and soil erosions are one of the major disasters and natural water flow is disrupted due to siltation of river and cannel. Flash flood damages crops just before the harvesting period and it is a normal phenomenon. Different water bodies bound most of the Upazilas, communication is very difficult. In the rainy season, country boat becomes the only mode of transport. During the dry season people have to walk and ride on boat (only main river way) to cross miles of distances. More than half of the year most of the areas goes under water during the rainy season.
95% of the total population are poor and among them 48% population are living under extreme poverty line and they area landless. Government services are very poor especially in education, health and employment generation. Literate rate is very below, high drop put rate from primary school, unemployment rate is very high, maternal and child mortally is comparatively very high any other district of Bangladesh. Safe water and sanitation is a burning issue in the low-lying areas.
Basic rights of poor people are violated due to poverty and lack of awareness. They are also exploited by water-lord (lease of haor). The livelihood situations of women are the most vulnerable due to very limited scope of involvement in IGAs and they have no power in decision making process in a family. Religious binding is another barrier of women empowerment.
ERA dedicated to reduction of suffering of the underprivileged people and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty.
Vision
ERA envisages a poverty-free sustainable socio-economic equitable productive society.
Mission
The mission of ERA is to create a society where disadvantaged individuals are united and organized, with their basic rights fulfilled. The organization strives to provide environmental and gender-friendly sustainable livelihood options, comfortable housing, and ensure disaster preparedness to meet the continuous needs of the marginalized populations.
Goal
The ultimate goal of the ERA is to assist the vulnerable and disadvantaged people to develop them socially and economically their greater organization through mobilizing their skills and available local resources for the improvement of the sustainable living standard and equal social rights.
Objectives
- To mobilize and organize rural poor women and men.
- To establish deprived people’s rights on local resources.
- To improve the health and nutrition status through providing health education and ensure health rights through access to local health services and raise awareness to prevent HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.
- To generate income and employment through providing livelihood skill development training and micro finance.
- To reduce illiteracy through non-formal and adult education.
- To reduce disaster risk through life skill development, protection of mound and emergency response.
- To improve the environment condition at haor region (low lying area) through providing education on the sustainable environment, household waste management and tree plantation and open water fisheries management etc.
Values of the organization:
- Transparency
- Accountably
- Participation
- Gender equity
- Mutual respect
Core program of ERA
1. Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response (DRRER)
2. Quality Education, Governance and Empowerment (QEGE)
3. Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock (AFL)
4. Health, Nutrition and Family Welfare (HNFW)