Our New Project: Collective Farm  for  Rural Poor Women        

Background:

In the year 2008, RES has now planned for multiple projects. The organization has already given 40 cows to poor women in Bangladesh and now RES is thinking about another new project: Collective Cow Raising. Previously we provided only bull cows for meat purposes. Now we plan to buy 50 female cows which will produce milk and calf. It will be beneficial in two ways – generating daily basis income through selling milk and having another new calf. Production of milk will also benefits the country helping in nutrition as children in Bangladesh suffer severely due malnutrition. Fifty cows will be raised collectively with direct monitoring and take caring by the organization. An infrastructure will be build and cow milking firm will be established. Fifty poor families will be selected who will receive benefits either monthly or quarterly from the basis of 50 percent profit sharing with the organization. Other 50% profit will be reinvested within the collective firm which will help to add new poor women to receive the benefits.

RES has planned to sell milk directly to consumers as only pure milk source in the country. It will overpass middleman who normally takes most of the profits through buying cheaper milk from the milk producer and selling with high profit to consumers. Organization will set milk selling points in the nearby city and later on will supply to other big cities. In a later stage organization will initiate some other projects such as production of bio-gas and energy. Bio-gas and fertilizer can be produced from the cow dung. This bio-gas will be used in the firm instead of using normal electricity. Extra gas can also be supplied to nearby household usage and sell to others.

Later on organization may use milk to produce milk products such as butter, yogurt, powder milk and other products. The project will also create some employment opportunities within the villages. Women will be employed for daily cleaning works and other firm works. Poor women will be selected based on defined criteria. They will be given a card which will indicate their membership and receive money continuously. Although there is a provision to provide little money for elderly poor in Bangladesh, in reality there is none or ignorable governmental benefit received by poor in Bangladesh. This project will provide continuous help for poor and needy families. The project will support their lives and help their children for education and provide medical facilities.

Objectives of the Project:

(1) To improve women’s economic conditions.

(2) To improve women’s social conditions.

(3) To create employment opportunities among women and men.

(4) To help their children attending school and provide health facilities.

Selection Criteria of Poor Families:

Primarily 50 poor families from the Village of Charharipur, District of Mymensingh will be selected for based on the following criteria. However, management can select few families other than this village if such need arise. The project subsequently will be expended in poor families in other villages. The criteria are:

1.       No land for cultivation

2.       Disabled and have no means of survival

3.       Divorced and have no means of survival

4.       No opportunities for income

5.       Extreme difficulties of survival with children

Additional criteria can be added or existed criteria can be amended.

Expected Outcomes:

Fifteen cows will produce minimum 30 litters of milk everyday. Each litter of milk could be sold for minimum 25 taka: 30x25=750 tk daily. Monthly we can generate: 750x30= 22,500 tk. Out of this money 10,000 tk will go for expenditure including cow food, salaries of workers and management staff: 22,500-10,000= 12,500. We will have net profit of 12,500 tk. Fifty percent of this will be distributed on monthly basis to 15 poor women. Rest 50% of the money will be reinvested for further expansion of the project which consequently will increase the recipients of women in the village.

The project will lead to community development. It will provide continuous financial support for poor families. It will generate other business opportunities such as bio-gas and natural fertilizer. The project will create employment opportunities for village women and men.

We will monitor the women who are members of the firm whether they send their children to the school. We will also make sure that their new born babies get free immunization injection which will ensure healthy children.

Project Monitoring and Evaluation:

The project monitoring and evaluation system will be comprehensive. The implementation committee will generate quarterly reports tracking physical and financial progress and key result framework indicators. In addition, RES will use an independent evaluator to provide process monitoring reports on monthly and quarterly basis in order to bring field level operational issues into management attention.

If you would like to get the complete project proposal and wish to contribute to the project please contact: Majharul@hotmail.com or Majharul.talukder@unisa.edu.au