Filed under: Uncategorized
By Samihah Azim
Some of the participants from the video contest
8th Annual Fundraising Dinner
Filed under: Bangladesh, Children, Community, Donate!, ECHO, Education, Food, Orphans, Shelter | Tags: Bangladesh, Donation, Education, Orphans
By Naoshin Haque
There are an astounding 250,000 to 400,000 children living on the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, according to a study done by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Looking at a typical day in the lives of these homeless children is a big reminder of how much we tend to take for granted in our own day to day lives. Children such as Yusuf, 14, and Smaile, 10, start their mornings at 4AM, after sleeping on hard wooden planks, and soon after begin their search for empty bottles, which they will try to sell after filling them with fresh water. Later in the day, they go to the harbor in search of more work, consisting of carrying bags and boxes. Even after working 6 hours or more, they earn less than $1USD and normally must resort to begging for meals at local cafes.
There does seem to be a silver lining to this cloud though, as Yusuf and Smaile will soon permanently move to a center supported by UNICEF, where they can eat, sleep, and receive informal education, as well as vocational training. However, not all children living in the slums of Dhaka are so lucky – many continue to remain homeless and without an education. To help mitigate this problem, ECHO has recently partnered with GiveLight Foundation to build an orphanage for 50 orphan girls.
Already, half an acre of land in Savar, an area near Dhaka, has been generously donated by a family in Bangladesh for the construction of the orphanage, slated to begin this spring. ECHO’s mission has always been to not only help children in the short term, but to also help them in the long term by providing them with the tools to become self-sufficient members of society. Therefore, this orphanage will not just provide food and shelter, but will also provide education for these girls through an on site school. Together with your help, we can make this orphanage a reality sooner, so please, give the gift of housing and education by making a donation today.
*Photo Credit: Casey McCarthy of UNICEF*
Filed under: Bangladesh, Donate!, ECHO, Emergency Relief, Fundraiser, Health Care, Orphans | Tags: Donation, Earthquake, Haiti
By Samihah Azim
With the worst earthquake in two centuries devastating the developing nation of Haiti, it’s important to remember that long after the immediate impact of a natural disaster, after most people’s minds have moved on to other calamities and crises around the world, help (particularly financial and redevelopment assistance), is still desperately needed. Take, for example, the tsunami that hit Indonesia and South East Asia or the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Even years after both tragedies occurred, there’s still a need for redevelopment assistance – there are schools and other infrastructure that need to be rebuilt as well as a local economy that needs assistance.
A couple of years ago, a cyclone devastated the south-western coast of Bangladesh. In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, there was an outpouring of aid and support from the international community. However, looking at Bangladesh now, there’s still a lot that needs to get done but won’t either because of financial constraints, or limited resources. This is why it is so important to keep in mind the long-term financial need for areas of the world struck by natural disasters. Often, it is long after a devastating calamity has struck and long after people’s minds have moved on, that these areas need the most assistance. The area hit by the cyclone in Bangladesh still needs assistance whether in a financial form, or in the form of schools, hospitals, and orphanages. This is what ECHO strives to do – not just provide aid immediately after a natural disaster, but to continue to provide aid even after the international community, with their generous support and donations, has left.
When donating to Haiti, remember that although there is an immediate financial need for support and aid, there will be, perhaps, an even greater need in the years to come. Try donating to organizations that focus on long-term redevelopment; these organizations will aid the communities devastated by horrific natural disasters for years to come – long after most people have left, and the need for rebuilding and jump starting the local economy are still there.
*Photo Credit: Flickr User Harpagornis*
Filed under: Arsenic-free Water, Bangladesh, Children, Community, Donate!, ECHO, Education, Emergency Relief, Entrepreneurship, Health Care, Mothers, Orphans, Sanitation, Scholarships, Social Media, Society
The year 2009 was an eventful and productive one for ECHO. We undertook projects worth $150,000USD in the areas of education, skills development, healthcare, and emergency relief. In education, we provided scholarships to 250 high school, college, and university students for various areas of study, including medicine, engineering, and agriculture. While all of these students are extremely bright, they are so poor that they would have been unable to continue their education without the scholarships provided by ECHO. The number of such students in Bangladesh unfortunately exceeds several millions. We urge each of the students receiving ECHO scholarships to help at least 5 other disadvantaged students, if they are capable of doing so, once they are established. If we can multiply our efforts in this way, the goal of “no child left behind” can be materialized.
Our skills development project differentiates ECHO from other nonprofit organizations working in this region. This year we provided skills training in computer, electrical, and mobile servicing, dressmaking, driving, refrigeration, and knitting to 545 students in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rangpur, and Jessore. These skills are very important for a developing country like Bangladesh. One-fourth of these students have already received employment. Several of them have even started their own business. In knitting, there was an astonishing employment rate of 100%. There was also a lot of enthusiasm for computer training and mobile servicing, with almost 300 students enrolled in these two areas. To help the students graduating from these areas, we have established a mobile servicing center in Chittagong. We are monitoring the students in different skill areas very closely to identify the time it takes to get employed and the rate of employment. These statistics will allow us to allocate more resources to the areas with higher employment rates in the year 2010.
Under healthcare, ECHO established the Satellite Health Center for mothers and children in Mirpur, Dhaka, which provided medical treatment and medicine to 9,000 people. This center is located in the poorest neighborhood of Dhaka. These services are possible with just one full-time doctor and one nurse. In addition to this, in the center. In addition, ECHO has installed 10 tube-wells and 50 toilets in Lohalia.
ECHO is also pleased to collaborate with the GiveLight Foundation to establish an orphanage for 50 girls in the outskirts of Dhaka. This orphanage will have many facilities, including a school. The plans for the architecture of the orphanage are currently in progress.
Last but not least, ECHO is proud to have the involvement of a large number of students and young professionals through the use of social media this year. Be sure to join our Facebook Fan and Facebook Causes pages, as well as visit this blog, to keep up with all of ECHO’s activities. These social media tools have been essential in increasing awareness about the hardships of others in developing countries around the world.
One of our major goals for the upcoming year is to establish ECHO-Bangladesh. We have already initiated ECHO registration in Bangladesh. Through this organization, we hope to ensure smooth and effective planning and management of all of our projects.
With the holiday season and New Year’s right around the corner, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our donors and well-wishers, on behalf of ECHO’s Board of Directors, Advisors, and Project Managers. None of these projects would have been possible without all of your generous support.
Sohel Imtiaz
President, ECHO
www.echo-us.org
Filed under: Bangladesh, Children, Community, Donate!, ECHO, Food, Inspiration, Orphans
By Dian Alyan
My visit to Bangladesh this past April was a life changing experience. I went with a desire to see how life really is for some of the neediest people in the world. When I first arrived in Dhaka, I felt as if I were part of the movie “Slumdog Millionaire.” Fortunately, I had a dear Bangladeshi friend, whose family welcomed me in their home in Ghulsan, a posh neighborhood where I stayed during my five day visit. However, not too far from that neighborhood, I was assaulted by endless signs of extreme poverty: women and children in torn clothes sleeping on the sidewalks, beggars at every street light, and cardboard boxes turned into temporary shelters.
During my stay, I visited a slum close to Dhaka, where there were at least 50 families in line waiting to see me. I was scared, uncomfortable, and not sure if I should proceed, but was reassured by my friends who arranged the visit that it was safe. As I started distributing donation money, given by many of my generous friends, I wondered what would happen to these people the next day. I was amazed that they managed to smile, despite the fact that their entire livelihood relied on the kindness of random strangers.
I also had the opportunity to visit the Darus Sunat orphanage in Khaligong where 300 boys were only able to eat 2 meals a day and had to share 3 bathrooms. GiveLight, my non-profit humanitarian organization based in Sunnyvale, California, is now sponsoring the 3rd meal of the day and building 10 bathrooms for these orphan boys. I also was able to visit an orphanage in Myemensingh, run by a generous ophthalmologist, Dr. Saleh. On the way to his orphanage, he took me to his Eye Clinic that he opened to serve the needy for free. There, I met 10 blind girls who lived in a little house behind the clinic. They sang songs for me in English and Bengali, and I was unable to stop the tears from streaming down my eyes as I realized how little I valued my eyesight.
When we finally arrived at his orphanage, about 4 hours later, I was thoroughly exhausted. The scorching heat and humidity made me keep saying, “khoub gorom,” which means “really hot” in Bengali. However, I felt refreshed after meeting the boys and girls who lived at the orphanage. I gave them some advice and was so thankful I was able to spend such a beautiful afternoon there with them! Toward the end of my visit, we enjoyed lunch and jilebis together-koub mauja! (“Koub mauja” means “very tasty” in Bengali.)
Soon after, I met with some of the ECHO project managers, and we decided to become partners in an effort to build an orphanage for 50 girls. I was shocked when an extremely generous family in Dhaka, Bangladesh offered to donate half an acre of land in Savar for this cause. Our work will begin very soon, with our goal to have the groundbreaking ceremony in the spring of 2010.
Although I only stayed in Bangladesh for 5 days, I had seen enough human suffering to compel me to start doing work there. I am committed to making this project a success. From my experience of building an orphanage in Aceh, Indonesia, I’ve learned that we only need 3 ingredients for success: 1) sincerity of intention, 2) willingness to work hard, and 3) reliance on a higher power. I trust that the funds will come and that you will all join me, as we strive to preserve the honorable and important duty of caring for orphans.
Filed under: Arsenic-free Water, Bangladesh, Children, Donate!, ECHO, Education, Emergency Relief, Health Care, Hygiene, Life, Sanitation, Society, Women
By Zia Karim
The primary focus of ECHO is to make a positive difference in the lives of the poor and needy people in developing countries, particularly Bangladesh. We have established three projects under the umbrella project of Healthcare and Emergency Relief. These projects include providing healthcare for mothers and their children, arsenic-free drinking water and sanitation facilities, and emergency relief during natural disasters.
In order to provide underprivileged mothers and their children with preventative and curative care, ECHO established the Satellite Health Center in Pallabi, Mirpur, Bangladesh. Additionally, the center provides health and nutrition education, HIV/AIDS awareness, and pre and postnatal care. In fact, in 2007, a UNICEF study found that only 51% and 18% of women receive pre and postnatal care, respectively, in Bangladesh. This study also showed that 41% of children under the age of 5 are underweight and that there is a 0.061% mortality rate for children in this age group. Thus, the need for a Healthcare and Emergency Relief project is imperative to helping out the economically disadvantaged in Bangladesh.
To improve these statistics and the overall healthcare in Bangladesh, ECHO’s Satellite Heath Center not only provides services to treat illnesses, but also provides diagnostic services, including ultrasonograms and routine blood, urine and stool tests. Patients are also provided with free medicine and Vitamin A supplements. All of these services are possible with just one doctor, one lab technician, one nurse, and one field worker. Because of the generosity of our donors, we have been able to greatly increase the number of beneficiaries of this project over the years. In the year 2005-2006, ECHO was able to provide healthcare for 1,050 mothers and 1,600 children. Just 3 years later, we raised that number to 4,564 mothers and 3,995 children. During this same time period, the amount of free medicine distributed by ECHO increased from a value of $1,691USD to $4,093USD.
One of the beneficiaries of the Satellite Health Center is Mrs. Nurun Nahar and her family. Mrs. Nahar’s husband, Mr. Mohammad Kalam, recently lost his job as a municipal guard. With their only source of income coming from designing saris, Mrs. Nahar and her family of four could not bear the cost of healthcare, and turned to ECHO for free treatment and medicine. Mrs. Jahanara Begum and her husband, Mr. Abul Hussein, own a small shop selling various types of seasonal fruits. Had it not been for the generosity of our donors, they too would have been unable to afford the luxuries (yet basic human right) of healthcare from their small income.
The Satellite Health Center also runs a Cataract Eye Surgery center in Rangpur. Through the generous contributions of one Bay Area family, this center is able to provide surgeries to over 200 poor elderly patients annually.
According to the 2007 study done by UNICEF, only 32% of the population in Bangladesh had improved sanitation facilities. ECHO felt the need to work towards improving this situation. So in the 2008-2009 project year, we provided 50 toilets used by many local residents in Potuakhali, Bangladesh, as well as providing orientation and training programs to create sanitation awareness. We also provided safe arsenic-free drinking water through the installation of 10 deep tube wells. The cost of these projects was a combined total of about $13,000USD – less than the price of a new Honda Civic!
To provide emergency relief for the victims of the 2007 SIDR cyclone, ECHO donated over $25,000USD for the rehabilitation of displaced people, and to repair 5 schools, establish 15 shelters, and over 10 toilets.
ECHO’s future goals for its Healthcare and Emergency Relief projects include expanding mother and child care units, increasing the awareness of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh, and increasing the number of cataract eye surgeries. It is only through the donations of our generous donors that this will be possible.
Filed under: Bangladesh, Community, Donate!, ECHO, Education, Inspiration, Scholarships, Society
By Rowza Rumma
Ever since I left Bangladesh to attend Stanford University, I have wanted to work on improving the literacy rate among children and youth back home. To help this dream become a reality, I helped found a student organization on campus called Right to Education for All Children (REACH). Within one year of establishing our organization, we were able to raise money in an effort to support the William and Mary Taylor School (WMTS) in Savar, Bangladesh, dedicated to teaching children, particularly disabled children, in an inclusive environment. In addition, we expanded our efforts to Githurai, Nairobi, Kenya where we worked to support the Ananda Marga Primary School (AMPS). Our effort to help these inspiring projects were halted to a stop when we were unable to find support from local non-profit organizations to network with our community partners in Bangladesh and Kenya. It was then that ECHO stepped in to provide us with a much needed shoulder to lean upon.
I first learned about ECHO when I was invited to attend ECHO’s 6th Annual Fundraising Iftar in 2008. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Bay Area based organization that specialized in doing humanitarian work in Bangladesh, including work in my major area of interest: education. ECHO did not limit its outreach to just raising funds. They were also very active in actually creating significant change through innovative projects. It was inspiring to see them mobilizing the Bangladeshi-American youth to become socially active and address issues faced by the needy in Bangladesh. It was humbling to watch a high school student raise funds to support cataract surgeries for the poor.
While attending the fundraiser, I had the opportunity to speak to some of the project managers, particularly Director Mr. Shaheen Sayeed, head of ECHO’s Stipend Program. He and the rest of the ECHO team worked with the REACH team to ensure that the funds raised actually reached WMTS and AMPS. REACH raised a total of $1,200USD, which was to be equally divided between the two schools. At WMTS, the $600USD were used to cover all costs for two months, including books, supplies, food, clothing, medication, and special seating for a student suffering from cerebral palsy. The remaining $600USD were used to cover the cost of rebuilding the ceiling and windows at AMPS. ECHO had also offered to provide the medium for disbursing our humble funds to the beneficiaries. Had it not been for our collaboration with ECHO, the latter would have remained as nothing but projected costs for the two institutions. Though I was not socially active while growing up in Bangladesh, I look forward to future involvement with ECHO and hope to someday empower Bangladesh enough that it will not have to look upon others for support and sustenance.
Filed under: Bangladesh, Community, Donate!, ECHO, Education, Inspiration, Scholarships, Society
By Shaheen Sayeed
From its inception in 2003, ECHO has been supporting many economically disadvantaged students in Bangladesh through its stipend program. A small amount of money is enough to cover the expenses of tuition and room and board of a student studying in any public university in Bangladesh. Over the last couple of years, I have been directly involved in the scholarship projects that have been made possible by our generous donors. On behalf of ECHO, I would like thank all of our donors and volunteers for their support.
Every year, a few thousand highly qualified students apply for ECHO scholarships through our sister organization, Muslim Aid Bangladesh. This year, we were able to provide high school, college, and university scholarships to 250 students. I have had the opportunity to speak to some of the scholarship recipients who provided us with contact phone numbers. Unfortunately, not all of the students have contact numbers, as it is hard for many of them to even eat two nutritious meals a day, let alone have other amenities. About 90% of the stipend recipients come from families earning less than $5USD a day. While this statistic is heart-wrenching, these students are still incredibly ambitious and with a little assistance, they too can have the opportunity to achieve their academic goals.
As the director of the stipend program, I wanted to verify that the allocated funds actually reached the students. This prompted me to call some of the recipients and their guardians to get their feedback. One such recipient was Mr. Abdur Rashid, a 9th grade student from the southern district of Cox’s Bazar. It was inspiring to see someone who lived in a remote area of Bangladesh, far away from the capital, receiving a stipend. Mr. Rashid lost his mother and lives with his uncle who finds it hard to make ends meet and provide for his own family. While speaking to Mr. Rashid’s uncle, he told me that he was extremely grateful for the $75USD stipend his nephew had received to cover his academic costs for an entire year in that part of rural Bangladesh.
Furthermore, Mr. Salim-ul Alam, an undergraduate student in Information and Communications at Islamic University in the district of Kushtia, informed me that he was at the top of his class of 40 students. I, and certainly the rest of the ECHO team, wish him the best in his future endeavors after he graduates next year.
Another incredibly bright student I had the pleasure of speaking with was Ms. Ananya Sharmin, a vision-impaired undergraduate student at Eden Mohilla College in Dhaka, Bangladesh. With the help of the ECHO stipend for the last few years, Ms. Sharmin has maintained the top rank in her class for Islamic Studies, despite her physical limitations. It is incredibly heart-warming to see that ECHO’s humble scholarship is making such a huge difference in her life.
Though I have had the opportunity to speak to many other students, what struck out to me most, were comments from Ms. Humayra Rashid, a third year architecture student from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). ECHO’s stipend of $130USD was enough to cover the cost of 2 meals a day at a dorm in BUET for one whole year. It is amazing how such a small donation can go so far to help a student in almost any government school in Bangladesh.
Ms. Rashid, our only scholarship recipient available through email, said the following regarding her progress:
“Thanks [to] ECHO for the scholarship-I will buy some of my necessary books. The original books are so expensive here that I couldn’t afford it.
Here is [the] good news that I wanted to share with you-I have won the Berger Travel Grant Award ’09 this year. It is an award for the students of Architecture given by Berger Paints Ltd. Students travel, survey and study on different topics in different places with the award money. We are a group of three and our topic is ‘Living Green: Study on the Energy Efficient Buildings in India.’”
With all the feedback we have received from high school, college, and university scholarship recipients, it is certain in our minds that if we continue to support these students with a modest stipend, they will have the resources to obtain a diploma, become self-reliant, and establish themselves as valuable members of society. A stipend as small as $200USD can cover much of the tuition and housing costs for a student attending a public university in Bangladesh. Considering the opportunities and advantages we’re presented with everyday, we should not abandon those that are deserving, but financially challenged. We can do this together. Please join us in this noble effort and donate generously.
Filed under: Bangladesh, Community, Donate!, ECHO, Entrepreneurship, Events, Food, Fundraiser, Health Care, Iftar, Ramadan, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Media
By Samihah Azim
On Sunday, August 30, 2009, ECHO held its 7th Annual Iftar Fundraiser at Chandni Restaurant in Newark, California, from 5pm to 9pm. With about 450 guests in attendance, we raised approximately $37,000 by the end of the night. Guests started streaming in around 5pm, anticipating the exciting program for the night (and the food!). Our very own Blog Coordinator and Stanford grad student, Naoshin Haque, MC’d the fundraiser starting off with introductions around 5:55. Dr. Molla Fazlul Haque (with no relation to Naoshin Haque), gave a quick speech before our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Mohamad Rajabally, took the stage at 6:05pm. As president and founder of the North American Islamic Shelter for the Abused (NISA), an organization focused on eliminating domestic violence, Dr. Rajabally focused on the importance of giving back to the community, particularly during Ramadan. As an organization, giving back to the community is at the core of ECHO’s mission. Right after Dr. Rajabally’s speech, our very own President, Dr. Sohel Imtiaz, took the stage to give a quick talk before the night transitioned over to speeches on ECHO’s projects.
Dr. Rajabally on stage, with MC Naoshin Haque sitting at the right.
Dr. Khalid Azim giving his speech on the Skill Development Project
Dr. Khalid Azim took the stage to give a heartfelt speech on the Skill Development Centers funded by ECHO. The purpose of these centers, as mentioned by Dr. Azim, is to equip the poor and disadvantaged with technical and trade skills so that they may utilize these skills to earn their own income. Some of the beneficiaries of these centers have actually opened up their own viable business, thus proving that entrepreneurship is not just a Silicon Valley phenomenon!
I, myself, took the stage right after to speak about ECHO’s social media strategy, and the enormous benefit we’ve had in utilizing social media (particularly Facebook and this blog) to not only raise money online, but to keep in touch with our donors and supporters as well as maintaining a presence online. Following my speech, Dr. Zia Karim gave a speech on ECHO’s Health Care and Emergency Relief project. If any of you are familiar with Bangladesh’s topography and seasonal weather, you’ll understand the importance of emergency relief, particularly when those monstrous cyclones visit Bangladesh leaving nothing but disaster and displacement. To continue on the theme of Health Care, Aniya Chowdhury, freshman at Santa Clara University, spoke about her Eye Cataract Project and the gift of sight. With eye cataract surgeries priced around $3,000 in the United States, this surgery would be considered an extravagant luxury in Bangladesh where it afflicts a number of poor and economically disadvantaged people.
My speech on ECHO's social media strategy
Ms. Dian Alyan's taking the stage to talk about her project on orphanages
Mr. Shaheen Sayeed at center
Volunteers working the registration table
Volunteers hard at work at registration
Snapshot of ECHO's iftar attendees.
One of the kids' tables
If you were unable to attend the event, but would still like to donate, please follow the link titled, “Donate!” on the left.
*Photo credit: Tasnuva Khan
*Photo post-processing: Samihah Azim
