Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited (DBBL), a joint venture commercial bank between Bangladeshi parties and the Dutch company FMO, recently announced to bear the bulk of the costs of the construction of the Children’s Village Haluaghat. In recognition of this generous commitment the children’s village will be named Ekmattra-Dutch-Bangla Bank Academy.

On August 17, 2010 Ekmattra and DBBL will officially celebrate the start of construction on the Children’s Village Haluaghat. On this occasion DBBL’s chief executive officer will hand over the first check in front of a high-profile audience including Bangladesh’s State Minister for Cultural Affairs Promod Mankin, the governor of the Haluaghat Upazila and the Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh. More than 1000 people have been invited to Haluaghat for this milestone event. The program will start at noon and end around 2.30 p.m. local time.

The whole event will be filmed and photographed. We will report about the event and the details of Ekamttra’s agreement with DBBL shortly.

Dhaka's population in million people

Bangladesh’s capital grows at an enormous speed, especially as a consequence of the migration from rural areas that can be observed since the 1960s. The result is an increasingly overburdened infrastructure. Power breakdowns and water supply failures are frequent. At almost all times of the day, routes shorter than five kilometers mean a driving time of about 45 to 90 minutes because of the extreme traffic density. We experienced this again today. It had been our goal to have as many meetings as possible. At the end of the day, due to the traffic and the resulting delays, we had only managed to have two.

Meeting with architect Iqbal Habib

Our first meeting was with Iqbal Habib from the renowned Bangladeshi architecture firm VITTI Sthapati Brinda Ltd. and his colleagues. As senior architect, Mr Habib created the layout for the Children’s Village Haluaghat. In a long talk, he explained us his philosophy, answered our questions and shared his visions regarding sustainability and the fusion between modern architecture and traditional customary engineering. We also discussed the progress of the river works, which are financed by Germans. The first step is to fortify the river against the impending monsoon. The second step will be to build three dams to collect water that can be used at the children’s village. Finally, the reservoirs will be connected to sanitation, the bakery, farming facilities and the laundry.

Our second appointment today led us to psychologist Dr. Mehtab Khanam, professor at the University of Dhaka and, as a former employee of the human rights organization Ain O Shalish Kendro, experienced in dealing with the specific psychological problems of street children in Bangladesh. In a previous conversation with Ekmattra, we had agreed that it was high time that a professional child psychologist got involved in the project. The majority of the children currently living in Ekmattra’s rehabilitation centre in Dhaka had a hard past. Some are the children of prostitutes and had to watch their mothers have sex with various men. Others were victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse. Yet others had addiction problems at a young age. The experiences of the Ekmattra children are both complex and individual. We want to help the children in our care process these experiences and guide them into a future in which they have made peace with their past and can determine their lives themselves. This requires time and, above all, expertise. We are convinced that the monitoring by an experienced child psychologist is essential to guarantee such expertise and, by this, the healthy development of the children. After some research, we came across Ms Khanam, who spontaneously agreed to meeting us and listened to our cause. We were accompanied to the meeting by Hiroki Watanabe, one of the founding chairpersons of Ekmattra. Hiroki gave a thorough report on the history and purpose of his organisation. Then we talked about our plans for the Children ’s Village Haluaghat and explained why we regard professional psychological care as absolutely necessary. Ms Khanam was impressed by the present achievements and expressed her general interest in supporting our project in the long term. In the near future, further meetings will be held between Maqsuda, representatives of Ekmattra and Ms Khanam to discuss possible cooperation in more detail.

Approximately 180 km north of the capital of Dhaka with its 14 million inhabitants, not far from the Indian border, lies Haluaghat, one of the most fertile regions of the country. This northern region of Bangladesh is relatively safe from natural catastrophes, which is one of the reasons Ekmattra chose this area a couple years ago to look for a suitable building site for its planned children’s village. And they found just the right place. Two sides of the one hectare large piece of land are enclosed by two separate streams, which swell to small rivers during the monsoon season.

Donations from Germany

We travelled to Bangladesh with a total of 3100 Euros to directly take part in the funding of the dam project. The money was acquired through the profit generated by the beneficiary concert “Bengali Blast” and generous private donations. To prevent erosion, the banks of the streams are being fortified and plants are applied. Furthermore, dams will be erected to ensure a stable supply of water in times of shortage for the sanitary facilities and irrigation of the fields.

The riverbed before (left) & after (right)

Accomplishments

Since the purchase of the property a lot has changed in the serenity of Haluaghat. The first crops were planted, a well was dug, two big ponds were excavated and cottages were constructed. The local workers, together with professionals like architects, surveyors and Ekmattra employees, are a guarantee for the success of the children’s village. The local residents are provided with work, which makes it possible for them to identify with the “project Children’s Village” and they are learning new skills at the same time, which they later will be able to use in their own village – all of which are eco-friendly and require minimal expenses.

First Impressions

Workcamp with local students

We were very impressed as we arrived in Haluaghat for the first time after a four-hour drive. A lot has changed since last year. Beside a small cottage, which was present the year before, two new buildings were erected. They are mainly used as a sleeping opportunity after a hard day of labor.

On the first day of our stay in Haluaghat we were brought up-to-date about recent developments. This was done by the responsible architect of the renowned architectural bureau VITTI and two of his employees. The surveyor marked the spots on the perimeter where the different buildings of the children’s village will be erected, which enabled us to get a realistic impression of the dimensions the future village will actually have for the first time.

In the afternoon 20 students from the surrounding schools gathered on the property to receive instructions on the upcoming workcamp.

Workcamp

Maqsuda, Cathleen & Marc working with local students on the irrigation system of the Children's Village Haluaghat

The workcamp took place a week later. Armed with hatchets and baskets we set to work under the hot midday sun in 20 minute shifts. A big challenge lay ahead of us: We had to lower a part of the riverbed to create a steady downward slope. As it turned out, we had underestimated the task. Our initial excitement to finally “work hands on” decreased rapidly as temperatures rose. Even the students, who were participating in one of the legendary workcamps, were hardly able to return to their home villages after dinner. Still, everyone felt a deep sense of satisfaction at the end of the day. We hardly felt the heat that night – we were too tired from this exhausting, yet fulfilling day.

We were woken up the next morning by loud noises. It was the first signs of the upcoming monsoon, which hit the metal sheet roof of our cottage with thundering force. Shortly after that we could hear voices coming from outside and, upon opening our cottage’s door, witnessed a spectacle none of us will forget too soon. Everyone had left their sleeping places and was excelling in a ceremony between raindance and liberated gestures, the climax of which was the leap into the warm, rainwater-filled mud pit. The stream’s current had increased and so it was decided to postpone the work of the day.

Pupils at a class for street children held by Ekmattra

Our partner organization Ekmattra operates a school for street children at a community house in Mirpur in the north-west of Dhaka, providing an education to those children living on the street or in slums, who wouldn’t have had this opportunity otherwise. These children are taught three times a week by experienced volunteer teachers in fundamental cultural techniques – reading, writing and basic math. These classes are supplemented with courses in common knowledge, sexual education and manners. We had the opportunity to visit a class consisting of ten students in Mirpur today with our local volunteer Saifur Rahman and his wife Senjuti accompanying us. After a new letter of the Bengali alphabet was introduced to the students, they took up a traditional dance and sang Bangladeshi songs for us. After some encouragement from the kids we gave them a rendition of the German children’s song “Alle meine Entchen”. Our Bangladeshi friends were clearly amused by this and were reluctant to let us leave by the end of the lesson. We left deeply moved by the unbroken joy and overwhelming energy of these children who have struggled to survive since the day they were born.

Ekmattra teacher, Cathleen, Marc, Khukie, Senjuti & Saifur

The teacher explained to us that the children who take part regularly in Ekmattra’s classes are directed through a sophisticated program, at the end of which a talk is held with the child and its parents (if existent) to consider an admission to the organization’s rehabilitation center.

Dinner at Ekmattra's office

For the parents, in particular the mothers, of these children, Ekmattra is currently developing an advanced education program, which shall provide explanations on rights and development possibilities. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to attend a talk on this subject between some Ekmattra employees and mothers after visiting the class. This enabled us to get first-hand information about living conditions and problems of the parents.

Later that night we concluded our day in Mirpur by having dinner with the Ekmattra employees at their office and discussed our future collaboration.

Dhaka, 11 June 2010

Since 2004, Ekmattra has been running a rehabilitation centre for Dhaka’s street children in the city’s Northwestern district of Mirpur. On weekdays, the children attend the local school together with other children from the area. In addition to a householder who provides around-the-clock care for the children, there is a cook and two other employees and contact persons for the children. The shared meals, excursions and the solving of minor conflicts convey visitors an intimate and friendly atmosphere.

Shumon & Cathleen

It was weekend, so we arrived at Ekmattras rehabilitation center surrounded by 24 children. After each child introduced him/herself in English, stating his/her name, age, hobbies and dream job, the group was divided into two. Each participant in group A was supposed to choose a place that has a special meaning for him/her, take pictures of it and say a few sentences about it. Meanwhile, with great enthusiasm, the participants in Group B were drawing pictures for the donors from Germany. In a second round, the groups swapped.

Rainer, Maqsuda & Cathleen on a walk with the Ekmattra kids

The kids’ highlight of the day was obviously the opening of the large gifts suitcase. Each child could choose a stuffed animal. The joy in their eyes was unmistakable. The Haribo gold bears were also very popular. After sharing lunch, we signed the center’s guest book.

In the evening, we had to say goodbye to the children. We assured them that we would come back and, as happy as the encounter had been, it was with heavy hearts that we left the children at the centre.

Sorry, this entry is only available in German.

Charity Party "Bengali Blast"

On the 25th of February 2010 a charity concert for the children’s village Haluaghat in Bangladesh was held in the Billyblues at the Ziegler under the name “Bengali Blast“. The rock and alternative-rock bands performing were 1, 2,… JETZT! from Heidelberg, Eat That Frog from Stuttgart and Die Kunstbanausen from Adelmannsfelden. The 90 guests and three sponsors present donated more than 1000 Euros, thus making the event a complete success for the street children in Bangladesh’s capitol of Dhaka. “We are very happy that the guests as well as the bands, some of which had to travel quite a distance to get here, had a great time at the Party and are overwhelmed by the willingness to support from the Heidelberg residents,” says Maqsuda Afroz, project executive and Ph.D. student at the Heidelberg Institute of Theoretical Physics.

Pictures of the event can be found here.

St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh

When we step forward from the jetty in the Saint Martin Island, we were looking for a luggage carrier. We had a heavy suitcase with us. To my surprise I discovered that 5/6 kids were trying to grab our suitcase. All of them wanted to carry our suitcase from the jetty to a rickshaw van. One of them was so little that my dad decided to pick him. That small kid was hardly 5 years old, very thin and weak. When I asked dad why he had chosen such a tiny kid, he replied: “All other kids are fighting among themselves for carrying the luggage, eventually they will obtain their customer one by one. But this kid is not strong enough to compete with others. I don’t want to encourage this kid for begging by giving him money for nothing.”

I was watching other kids. The small kids pulled the huge heavy baggage over their head. The weights were at least 4 or 5 times more than their weight. I was wondering how our tiny luggage carrier will bear it, he might crack his backbone. Then I saw my dad transferring the suitcase from the staircase of our ship to the jetty and pulled it halfway. Dad told the little kid to walk beside our suitcase. After crossing two thirds of the small bridge connected with the jetty, dad let the little kid hold the long handle of the suitcase so that the kid can grab the suitcase easily. Other people didn’t let their luggage be dragged; the wheels or the string of the suitcase might break!

At the end of the bridge dad picked up the suitcase and placed it safely inside the rickshaw van. The deal was for 20 Taka as far as I can remember. The deprived kid captured my dad’s mind in such a way that he gave 50 Taka to him. The little kid was so happy that he couldn’t stop smiling. Then the kid was asking when we would leave from St. Martin so he could carry our luggage next time.

Most of the people in the ship were bargaining with those kids. It may sound odd but this is a common practice here. Why would someone give his extra blood-sweat money to others out of pity? If they express any sympathy towards them, then what about the other millions of misfortune kids-beggar-hardcore poor people here? So better leave them for the government or to their fate.

Everybody has his own justification. Again, some may think in another way.

“I may not change million people’s life but why not put a little smile on a little face for a moment.”

Flyer "Bengali Blast"

Heidelberg, 31 January 2010

As night falls on Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, more than 200,000 children do not go home to a warm and cozy bed. Instead they roam the streets of the city, often barefooted and scantily clad, looking for a safe shelter to sleep.

Located in South Asia, Bangladesh is one of the poorest nations in the world with a GDP per capita of about 525 USD (2009). One of the most exposed and excluded groups of Bangladesh’s society are the street children, whose number the government estimates at around 380.000, 55% of which live in the capital of Dhaka. Approximately every second of these children (49%) is under the age of ten.

Cities in Bangladesh are overburdened with slums, shanty towns and street shacks, all of which are home to thousands of children. The growing poverty in rural areas and resulting migration into the cities is still causing a rapid incline in the number of people living in slums and on the street. Rural unemployment, missing living space, river erosion, natural catastrophes, family conflicts and a dysfunctional legal system force families living in rural areas to abandon their homes with the hope of betterment of their situation in an urban environment. This trend adds to the deterioration of traditional systems of family and society and leads to a growing number of children suffering neglect and abuse in these urban areas.

A group of young individuals living in Heidelberg are convinced that education is essential to break through the cycle of poverty.”Because only if they learn to understand the world and become self-sufficient do they have a chance to a fulfilled and independent life”, says Rainer Ebert, one of the project executives. The group, comprised of students, doctorates and employees, in association with the Dhaka-based organization Ekmattra, therefore strives to build a children’s village for Bangladesh’s street children in the north of the country. According to the Heidelberg doctorate Maqsuda Afroz, who has worked for Ekmattra in Bangladesh for years, the children’s village Haluaghat is supposed to provide a living space for the children in which they can prepare for a self-determined life. They will be supplied with shelter and basic medical services as well as a proper education.

Within the scope of the German donation campaign for the Kinderdorf Haluaghat presentations on the street children’s problematic situation in Dhaka, charity concerts, movie screenings, exhibitions and an exchange program with Bangladesh are planned. The first charity concert is taking place under the title “Bengali Blast” on the 25th February 2010 at the Billyblues im Ziegler (Bergheimer Str. 1b, Heidelberg). The rock and alternative-rock bands performing are 1, 2,… JETZT! from Heidelberg, Eat That Frog from Stuttgart and Die Kunstbanausen from Adelmannsfelden. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at the box office for eight Euros. The fee includes one welcome shot. All revenues from the ticket sale will directly benefit the Kinderdorf Haluaghat. Furthermore there will be the possibility to donate during the event.

Kamalapur Railway Station

After pushing my way away from the hustling and bustling crowd I entered the grand gate of the Kamalapur railway station. The terminal was almost abandoned. I placed my travel bags on one of the fixed benches and settled myself right beside it. Why was it empty? Oh well, I was too sluggish to take out my calculator sized mobile phone from my tight jeans pocket. I looked around and searched for the “Big Ben” of Kamalapur. But sigh! I forgot this was Bangladesh! And the Big Ben can only be in London. Anyways, I forced it out and realized that I was one and a half hours early. What do I do then? Oh yeah! Observe the daily life of the street children dwelling in the station. Here are some of my clinical observations which I would love to share with everyone.

Most of the kids there are trained to be experts in begging. Their motto is “Maximum donation with minimum effort”. So their main source of income is to run from one passenger to another for alms. Their efficiency, I tell you, is just unbelievable! Alright, a four year old kid was the first one to approach me. Half burnt with no hair on one side, his innocent voice of asking was just too irresistible. I refused instantly to check what he does next. He waited for five seconds and suddenly ran away to the next incoming passenger the moment his eyes caught him.

After some time, a train from a terminal behind was being parked. The children were enjoying the slow free of cost (wonderland) train ride, two of them were trying to stop the momentous train pulling it backwards. I wish they knew physics!

Street children are never bored! I guarantee you total nonstop entertainment. One condition though: Only if you concentrate solely on their activities. At times I get so focused on them that even when a hawker offers me a Kit Kat or Lay’s I feel exasperated. If you miss one second of their action, you miss the movie!

The future wannabe Ethiopian style Bangladeshi sprinters run, jog, or even compete on either ends of the 200 meter long terminal to win the “Ultimate Dry Cake” that was littered seconds ago by someone!

The best part: A pair of innovators were having a competition of peeing on the empty rail track. It seemed that whoever pees in a straight line wins!

A two year old architect was drawing “something” on the floor of the terminal with a pebble of red brick. His brother, a bit older, was running towards him with two papers in his hands. Probably using them as wings and dreaming of flying one day, but he seemed to enjoy the air resistance for the time being!

Alright, the most amazing part: If one day the electric board of the station gets out of order (it can happen anytime), the street kids will be the only one helping us with the train schedule (the government officers sleep most of the time). But still the kids have good brains of memorizing!

Now on a more serious note: The teenagers were different. Their activities were more matured, but some really dangerous. They were in basically two groups I encountered. One of them was the working class. I mean, working hard picking up leftover and plastics. They usually become the Coolies (luggage carriers) in the future; the other group was basically the rejected class, relaxing on one side of the station with puffs of weed and what not, all day and night.

Well, finally the whistle blew and there came the best train of Bangladesh. I closed my notebook and stepped into the train. Even though the street kids weren’t allowed to enter, they enjoyed making funny faces on the reflecting glasses of the train. I thought: “That was one breath-taking experience and the one and a half hours were worth it!”

Dhaka at night

Tahsin Mahmud, 2 December 2009

I jumped out from the bus and walked back home. I could not even think of taking a rickshaw on the way as I was running out of cash. I probably had a ten taka note and some two taka notes in my pocket. I desperately needed to go back home as fast as I could as it was already dusk in Dhaka city. Well, it is absolutely unsafe walking down streets when night approaches. And if caught by any robbers or street gang, I could be even tortured and embarrassed for just having two taka notes… I fast-walked towards a dark alley, when suddenly someone poked me from the back. Initially I was staggered and my first thought was to run away from the world! But I was brave enough to look back to see a small girl staring at me.

The girl was around eight years old. She was almost half naked, barefooted, wearing torn and dirty trousers and nothing else! I could not imagine how she was surviving at that time when the temperature dropped to almost 18 degrees… She was holding a crushed bottled which was ripped off from the top. Her dark face was filled with pimples and scars. The street lamp reflected her red and dry hair. “When was the last time she took a shower?”, I thought. She had very innocent eyes that never blinked till I stopped staring at her. “Ahh! It’s the same old street girl who would probably be asking for money.” I turned away and walked. She kept on poking and grabbing my hands.

“Sir, please give me some money! I didn’t have any food since morning. My mother and brother are hungry, too! Please, Sir,” she said, with a sweet and convincing voice. I was used to these sorts of encounters and knew what would happen in the end. I ignored her a few times but she would not let me go! I almost walked a mile and she followed all this time! I thought once, she probably was freezing! Being generous once again to them, I took out my ten taka note and gave it to her. Even before bending down to give it, she jumped up and snatched it away from me. She smiled! And took a few steps backwards. She stuck her tongue out at me and started laughing. She took out a bunch of ten taka notes from nowhere! “Oh my God, she had more money than me!” I was a bit angry in the beginning but was smiling at the way she made her plan! She saluted me with her limped hands and ran back. I thought: “She could be a good negotiator in the future!”

This is the spirit and the level of intelligence of street children here in Dhaka! They are simple human beings like us but they are guided to the wrong path since their birth! All of them are talented in their own ways but they never get the opportunity to show it to the world of dreams and ambitions.