To demonstrate interventions taken up by LCD-South Asia Office and the impact of their work, we are regularly tracking the case story of “Esar Uddin and his family”. This family has been identified by a SARO supported programme in Bangladesh.

LCD-SARO has partnered with Centre for Disability in Development (CDD), a disability organisation in Bangladesh, to implement a programme on Inclusive Education and Employment Rights of persons with disabilities. CDD has chosen local partners to support them in implementation of this programme; one among them is Gono Unnayan Kendra (GUK), a community development organisation working in remote, backward and disaster prone areas of Gaibandha district.

Esar Uddin lives in Pulbondhi village of Gaibandha with his wife and two daughters, Ranu, 15 and Laboni, 9. In the last two issues, we mentioned how Ranu and Laboni were making progress with support from GUK staff. Laboni, who is visually impaired, was trained on orientation and mobility, and given a white cane to assist her. Ranu was encouraged to participate in household chores to help her in behaviour modification.

The Disability Rehabilitation Worker (DRW) from GUK continues to visit the family every week and train Laboni in Braille. Laboni has already learnt basic concepts of Braille and is now practicing using a Braille slate and stylus. Next month, she would be enrolled into Moddhya Para Government Primary School. Following, interaction with GUK staff and training on Inclusive Education, the school management is ready to accept Laboni. However, the school is located far away and Esar Uddin cannot afford to pay for Laboni's transport. To resolve this issue, GUK staff have spoken to the Government Social Services Officer, who has assured the family that he would secure a disability stipend for Laboni by the time she joins the school.

During interaction with GUK staff, Laboni mentioned that she found the white cane quite helpful. She could now visit her neighbours and move around in the village on her own. But, she requested support from them in training her to locate objects like soap, comb etc. around the house. On probing further, the staff found that, her family members used these items and left them wherever convenient, as a result, Laboni could not locate them. The DRW discussed this issue with her parents, who readily agreed to keep things in their designated areas, so Laboni could find them.

Laboni was also taken to a meeting held by the children's club promoted by GUK. She learned about their activities and expressed her desire to join the club. As per the club rules, she would be made a member after her enrollment into a school.

Ranu, who is intellectually disabled, has gained sufficient skills to do daily chores. She is able to cut vegetables and fish under her mother's supervision. Watching Laboni learn to read and write using Braille, Ranu too expressed a wish to study. As, Ranu is past the school-enrollment age, the DRW has started teaching her at home. She has now begun to recognise alphabets.

Following discussion with her family, GUK staff decided to send Ranu for vocational training. However, the training centre was located 9-10km away. Ranu's parents cannot afford to pay for her travel nor can they spare time to accompany her. Therefore, GUK has decided to wait for couple of months, by which time their own training centre would be functional. Ranu would then be enrolled and trained in the centre.

Esar Uddin and his wife, Mini Begum, try to follow the advice and suggestions given by GUK staff and actively participate in the development of their daughters. Mini Begum participated in many disability awareness programmes including the rally held on 'International Day for Persons with Disabilities' by GUK. Even the community members are more supportive towards the family.

In the last three months, the GUK team has put Esar Uddin's family onto the road to success. The whole family now looks forward to further positive changes. 

Contributed by
Ms Anjum Nahid Chowdhury
On Behalf of
Gana Unnayan Kendra (GUK)
Gaibandha, Bangladesh.