PRDP-2 Second Study Forum was held on 03 August 2006 at BRDB head office conference room inviting speakers from our sister project, Local Development Coordination Project (LDCP) of LGED. Mr. Mokbul Hossain, PD of LDCP and also RD-24 of LGED, and Mrs. Anowera Begum, Coordinating Officer, briefed about their project performance and future programs. Most of BRDB's Senior officer as well assome representatives of development organizations attended and exchanged views of common interest, particularly women empowerment in LDCP. Mr. Abdus Samad Mullick, Director General of BRDB presided over the forum.
Japanese Mission Visit PRDP-2 Sites
Mr. Sato Kan's mission observed PRDP-2 activities at three project sites in their hectic trip from 17 to 26 August. This mission was comprised of Mr. Sato Kan, Senior resercher of IDE (Institute of Developing Economies, Tokyo) and the chairperson of PRDP-2 Advisory Commmittee at JICA Tokyo head quarters; Dr. Hamamoto Atsushi, a sociologist under JSPS program; and Ms. Tatsumi Kazuko, lecturer of Yamaguchi University. In Meherpur (18-20 August) they met different villagers as well as two Japanese reserchars who were conducting survey in PRDP-2 villages,PRDP-2 staff and JOCV members, displaying to us their vivid art of conducting interviews to local people. In Tangail (20-22 August) they attended the day-long second staff quarterly meeting, Nagbari UCCM, opening of Balla swing training class and meeting with JOCVs. In Titash (23 August) the mission spent a busy day by visiting various VC schemes, particularly sanitation, notice boards erecting,etc
Tree Fair Kick off
In the month of August, PRDP-2 sponsored three union "Brikkho Mela" that were organized by Kokdahara (5-7 August), Narandia (7-9 August) and Birbashinda (10-12 August) unions in Kalihati upazila in collaboration with Department of Agricultural Extension. "Tree can save our nature, and save us from disaster. We can improve our rural economy by planting more trees", Mr. Bashir Uddin Ahmed, DC of Tangail district, encouraged the audience at the Kokdahara opening ceremony.
Each fair ground was packed with 15-25 stalls selling different tree saplings, local handicrafts and books on trees and others. Local silpis were invited to entertain villagers every night. All the staff of PRDP-2 from LMC (Dhaka), LMTC (Tangail) and Kalihati office enjoyed exchanging with thousands of villagers who flocked at the respective venues. Sales proceeds of tree saplings and others were reported to be 20 to 30 lakh taka, respectively.
A"Mohila Dal" formed
"Bangra Union, Kalihati launched a four-month long sewing training on 22 March 2006 under the initiative of Mr. Riaz Uddin, the UP Chairman. 39 village women, from 16 to 35 years old, are participating in the course being held at the UPC. "Some of these skilled trainees who complete the course successfully may take needlework as a profession, and improve their livelihood by earning cash", hopes the Chairman. He uses the UPC (Union Parishad Complex) as the training venue not only for making the training "visible" to village people, but also for setting up standards of using the building.
Of the three instructors, two are local professionals being paid by UP, and another is a formal sewing trainer of BRDB's WTI (Women Training Institute, now our Link Model Training Center) who guides the course as a volunteer. Three sewing machines being used are of Bangra Union, and 10 others are provided by WTI. A JOCV volunteer as well as UDO/O of Bangra Union keep close watch on the program."
PRDP's PR and Training Video Shooting in Progress
JICA Bangladesh Office is producing one video story for public relations (PR) and three more training videos for VC formation, MB formation and VC schemes on contract with a local video producer, SW Multimedia Company, Banani. Field locations and shooting were in full swing in Kaliahti in the month of August, and scheduled to be completed in late September based on professionally prepared scenarios. New products will appear in the middle of November.
Village Studies by Japanese StudentsHeld
"Two Japanese students conducted village studies over several weeks for their Master's thesis in the PRDP-2 villages in Meherpur. One is Ms. Mizoe Keiko, JICA officer and currently on study leave to Michigan State University in USA, and the other is Mr. Ohnishi Kei'ichiro, graduate student of Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies of Kobe University, Japan.
Ms. Mizoe commuted to her villages from Meherpur Sadar, and conducted a number of interviews with villagers to collect information on the effect of community leaders' communication channels both in public and private on information sharing and decision making at the community level and satisfaction of community members in the resultant community development. Ohnishi was an ex-JOCV working at one of the goat farms in this region in 2002-03, and this time tried to analyze clues to improve and streamlining veterinary services in public, NGOs and private sectors.
Second Quarterly Review Meeting Held
Second quarterly review meeting of PRDP-2 was held on 21 August 2006 at LMTC, Tangail. Most of the staff assembled here from LMC and three field offices. URDOs, UDOs/Os and some research staff reported their field activities and problems. Kalihati office proposed a revised organogram and work-shares between UDO/Os and research staff. LMTC, Tangail invited all the participants to propose training plans that reflect interest and needs of project stakeholders. Chief Advisor suggested ideas on possible "soft VC schemes" on the basis of brainstorming held among UDO/Os in the previous month. "Let villagers speak out more about their problems and solutions", was the suggestion to all the participants from Mr. Sato, who happened to be observing the meeting and who is chairperson of PRDP-2 Advisory Committee, JICA Tokyo headquarters. In the closing session Project Director advised the field level officers to do their task more actively and consciously to realize annual project plan of operation.
Impression of PRDP-2 in Last Five Months
I joined PRDP-2 in April 2006 to support smooth implementation of the project in the field offices. I have worked closely with the BRDB counterparts (C/Ps) and JICA-employed researchers in three project offices of Kailhati, Meherpur Sadar, and Titash.
There are many staffs working with high working ethics in the field offices. Under the supervision of Upazila Rural Development Officer (URDO) and Assistant Rural Development Officer (ARDO) in each project office, young Union Development Officers and Organizers (UDO/Os) have been expanding Link Model in the union level. UDO/Os' major daily activities are to prepare for and conduct Union Coordination Committee Meetings (UCCM) regularly, to link Nation Building Department (NBD) workers with other stakeholders, and to establish new Village Committees (VCs) and assist VC to implement VC schemes. Beside, JICA-employed staff have collected necessary project data and information in the field, and provide other supports for UDO/Os in their project implementation.
I am leaving soon. Through my five months stay I became a part of the team. I am very proud of our staffs. Our staffs would keep working energetically to achieve the goal of PRDP-2 to extend the function and the system of Link Model in the project area. I always look forward to hearing progress of PRDP-2.
I had a great time to work with you all. Thank you very much and good luck. (Sasaki Rieko, Expert in Rural Development/Participatory Development).
PRDP-2 Second Study Forum was held on 03 August 2006 at BRDB head office conference room inviting speakers from our sister project, Local Development Coordination Project (LDCP) of LGED. Mr. Mokbul Hossain, PD of LDCP and also RD-24 of LGED, and Mrs. Anowera Begum, Coordinating Officer, briefed about their project performance and future programs. Most of BRDB's Senior officer as well assome representatives of development organizations attended and exchanged views of common interest, particularly women empowerment in LDCP. Mr. Abdus Samad Mullick, Director General of BRDB presided over the forum. 
Mr. Sato Kan's mission observed PRDP-2 activities at three project sites in their hectic trip from 17 to 26 August. This mission was comprised of Mr. Sato Kan, Senior resercher of IDE (Institute of Developing Economies, Tokyo) and the chairperson of PRDP-2 Advisory Commmittee at JICA Tokyo head quarters; Dr. Hamamoto Atsushi, a sociologist under JSPS program; and Ms. Tatsumi Kazuko, lecturer of Yamaguchi University. In Meherpur (18-20 August) they met different villagers as well as two Japanese reserchars who were conducting survey in PRDP-2 villages,PRDP-2 staff and JOCV members, displaying to us their vivid art of conducting interviews to local people. In Tangail (20-22 August) they attended the day-long second staff quarterly meeting, Nagbari UCCM, opening of Balla swing training class and meeting with JOCVs. In Titash (23 August) the mission spent a busy day by visiting various VC schemes, particularly sanitation, notice boards erecting,etc 
In the month of August, PRDP-2 sponsored three union "Brikkho Mela" that were organized by Kokdahara (5-7 August), Narandia (7-9 August) and Birbashinda (10-12 August) unions in Kalihati upazila in collaboration with Department of Agricultural Extension. "Tree can save our nature, and save us from disaster. We can improve our rural economy by planting more trees", Mr. Bashir Uddin Ahmed, DC of Tangail district, encouraged the audience at the Kokdahara opening ceremony. 
"Bangra Union, Kalihati launched a four-month long sewing training on 22 March 2006 under the initiative of Mr. Riaz Uddin, the UP Chairman. 39 village women, from 16 to 35 years old, are participating in the course being held at the UPC. "Some of these skilled trainees who complete the course successfully may take needlework as a profession, and improve their livelihood by earning cash", hopes the Chairman. He uses the UPC (Union Parishad Complex) as the training venue not only for making the training "visible" to village people, but also for setting up standards of using the building.
JICA Bangladesh Office is producing one video story for public relations (PR) and three more training videos for VC formation, MB formation and VC schemes on contract with a local video producer, SW Multimedia Company, Banani. Field locations and shooting were in full swing in Kaliahti in the month of August, and scheduled to be completed in late September based on professionally prepared scenarios. New products will appear in the middle of November. 
