Post on 07-Nov-2020
PROGRESS REPORT
VOLUME - I
STRENGTHENING WOMEN’S ABILITY FOR
PRODUCTIVE NEW OPPORTUNITIES (SWAPNO II)
SUBMITTED TO
SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (Sida)
REPORTING PERIOD
SEPTEMBER 2019 – FEBRURAY 2020
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 1
S W A P N O A T A G L A N C E
Outcome 1 Outcome 2 Outcome 3 Outcome 4 Outcome 5
Increased
income and
assets by
expanding
options
Enhanced human
capabilities for
exercising
choices
Strengthened
resilience to shocks
including disasters
and climate change
Enhanced
financial
inclusion for
equitable
opportunities
Improved policies and
mechanisms for
sustaining SWAPNO’s
benefits
1A 6192 eligible
women, as an
entry point,
receive wage
employment
through public
works scheme
1B 5000
graduates run
successful IGAs
with appropriate
training and
support services
1C 400
apprentices are
trained and
employed in
potential local
SMEs
1D 800 women
are trained and
employed in
priority industries
in the private
sector
2A 6192 women
develop seven key
life skills
2B 6192 women
have improved
nutrition through
campaign and
additional support
2C 6192 women
can access local
justice systems
through
partnerships with
government
agencies and
human rights
organizations
2D 6192 women
can access health
care through
partnerships with
government and
NGO
3A SWAPNO women
and communities have
enhanced disaster
coping mechanisms
3B Improved
coordination among
Disaster Management
Committee (DMC) and
relevant Standing
Committees (SC) at UP
level
3C Adaptive livelihoods
promoted through
partnerships to mitigate
climate change
3D Priority public
assets are climate-
proofed through
maintenance
3E Resilient livelihoods
and Operation and
Maintenance (O&M) of
climate resilient public
assets are monitored
4A Improved
access to and use
digital financial
services
4B Strengthened
evidence-based
policymaking for
social security
delivery system of
micro-insurance
4C Micro-
insurance
products
introduced to
enhance shock
absorbing
capacities of
beneficiaries
5A Strengthened
evidence-based
advocacy and research
for developing
SWAPNO model for
national scale-up
5B Strengthened
capacity of LGIs
through need-based
capacity building and
best practices for
efficiently managing
social transfer projects
5C Strengthened anti-
fraud system for greater
accountability through
capacity building of
local government on
project operation
manual and internal
control framework as
well as having a
grievance redressal
hotline in place
Contact Person Kajal Chatterjee, National Project Manager
Phone : + 88 01730014032, Email : kajal.chatterjee@undp.org
Programme Title Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities
Implementing Partners Local Government Division, UNDP
Total approved Budget USD 7.51 Million (including fund from Marico)
Bangladesh Government USD 3.2 Million
UNDP USD 0.5 Million
SIDA USD 3.5 Million
MARICO USD 0.31 Million
Target Beneficiaries 6192 vulnerable women (new 3564 and continued 2592)
Geogrphycal Coverage Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Jamalpur districts
Outcome and Activities
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 2
Acronyms and Abbreviations
ADC
ADM
AVCB
AWP
BCC
BCCTF
BDT
BIDS
BSRM
CCA
CDMP
CFF
CG
CMF
COEL
CRA
CSO
DAE
DC
DMC
DPP
DRR
ESDO
FDRWC
FYP
G2P
GED
GO
GoB
GUK
HDRC
HR
IGA
IPs
JPMF
KMC
LDC
LGD
LGI
LGSP
LoGIC
M&E
Assistant Deputy Commissioner
Additional District Magistrate
Activating Village Court Bangladesh
Annual Work Plan
Behavioural Change Communication
Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund
Bangladeshi Taka
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies
Bangladesh Steel Re-Rolling Mills
Climate Change Adaptation
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme
Climate Fiscal Framework
Community Group
Community Mobilization Facilitator
Centre of Excellence for Leather Skill Bangladesh Ltd.
Community Risk Assessments
Civil Society Organization
Department of Agriculture Extension
District Commissioner
Disaster Management Committee
Development Project Proforma
Disaster Risk Reduction
Eco-Social Development Organization
Family Dispute Resolution, Women and Children Welfare
Five-Year Plan
Government-to-Person
General Economics Division
Government Order
Government of Bangladesh
Gono Unnayan Kendra
Human Development Research Centre
Human Resource
Income Generating Activities
Implementing Partners
Joint Programme Monitoring Framework
Knowledge Management Consultants ltd.
Least Development Countries
Local Government Division
Local Government Institution
Local Government Strengthening Project
Local Government Initiative on Climate change
Monitoring and Evaluation
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 3
MIS
MoLGRD&C
MoDMR
MoWCA
MoU
MOS
MPTF
NGO
NIM
NPD
NSSS
OM
PC
PIC
PMU
PO
PSC
ProMPT
REOPA
RMP
RO
ROSCA
RRF
SDG
SME
SWAPNO
Sida
SC
ToR
TNA
ToT
UDCC
UNDAF
UNDP
UNO
UP
USD
VAW
VCA
Management Information System
Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and
Cooperative
Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief
Ministry of Women and Children Affairs
Memorandum of Understanding
Market Opportunity Survey
Multi Partner Trust Fund
Non-Government Organization
National Implementation Modality
National Project Director
National Social Security Strategy
Operational Manual
Project Coordinator
Project Implementation Committee
Project Management Unit
Project Officer
Project Steering Committee
Promoting Participatory Training
Rural Employment Opportunities for Public Assets
Rural Maintenance Program
Regional Office
Rotating of Savings and Credit Associations
Results & Resources Framework
Sustainable Development Goal
Small and Medium Enterprise
Strengthening women’s ability for Productive new opportunities
Swedish International Development Authority
Standing Committee
Terms of Reference
Training Needs Assessment
Training of Trainers
Union Development Coordination Committee
United Nations Development Assistance Framework
United Nations Development Programme
Upazila Nirbahi Officer
Union Parishad
United States Dollar
Violence Against Women
Village Court Assistant
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 4
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ 5
CHAPTER I: BACKGROUND ................................................................................................. 7
CHAPTER II: PROJECT INCEPTION....................................................................................11
CHAPTER III: ACTIVITY PROGRESS ..................................................................................14
Outcome 1: Increased Income and Assets by Expanding Choices ........................................14
Outcome 2: Enhanced Human Capabilities for Exercising Choices .......................................17
Outcome 3: Strengthened Resilience to Shocks Including Disasters and Climate Change ....19
Outcome 4: Enhanced Financial Inclusion for Equitable Opportunities ..................................21
Outcome 5: Improved Policies and Mechanisms for Sustaining Benefits ...............................22
CHAPTER IV: PROJECT MONITORING AND MIS ...............................................................27
CHAPTER V: CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNT ............................................................29
ANNEXURE ..........................................................................................................................30
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 5
Executive Summary
UNDP and Swedish International Development Agency signed a cost sharing agreement
in August 2019 after a yearlong negotiation and revision of the SWAPNO II project
proposal. The project implementation began in September 2019 with staff deployment
and action plan development for the entire project period (27 months). Gradually other
activities were also rolled out in the districts. The first six-monthly progress report covers
all activities undertaken from September 2019 to February 2020. This report compiles
and analyses the progress of planned outputs and activities under each outcome for the
first year in accordance with the project proposal. The project has five specific outcomes
with sets of outputs and activities. This narrative report focuses on the activities and
results achieved in the inception period since it is too early to report on any significant
changes made in beneficiaries’ lives, or to ascertain outcome level progress.
In accordance with the action plan, the project undertook various activities by maintaining
UNDP and Sida procedures to successfully achieve the outputs laid out in the Results &
Resources Framework (RRF). The project successfully organised inception workshops
at district level with different stakeholders from the Local Government Division (LGD),
District and Upazila level government officials, UP representatives, local opinion leaders
and project staff. Three new project offices were established in three new districts –
Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha – whereas Kurigram continued with the existing
office set-up. Once the partner NGOs came on board and completed their staff
recruitment, the project organized orientation training in order to enable them to fully
understand SWAPNO II implementation modalities.
The most challenging task for the project was to select 3,564 eligible beneficiaries from
99 unions. Although the project planned to work in 100 new Union Parishads (UPs), the
Sadar union of Hatibandha Upazila under Lalmonirhat district was declared as
municipality after signing the agreement with Sida; therefore, left out of the project.
Despite mounting political pressure and ill motives of some UP representatives, the
project successfully completed the recruitment process in accordance with the selection
criteria with support of the district and Upazila level government officials and community
and religious leaders. According to SWAPNO MIS data, 47% beneficiaries are widowed,
27% are abandoned, 18% are divorced and 8% have a disabled husband.
Another significant achievement of the project is to get 3564 corporate SIM cards free of
cost from Grameen Phone with BDT 200 free talk time with each SIM card. In order to
ensure 100% digital payment from the beginning of the project, SWAPNO II also procured
and distributed 3,564 Symphony brand mobile handsets (button phone) to all newly
recruited beneficiaries. The project also signed a contract with bKash to transfer wages
through mobile wallet.
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 6
In Kurigram, the beneficiaries were given renewed support to enhance access to market,
government and non-government service delivery organisations and start an all-out
nutrition campaign to overcome micronutrient deficiencies. A street drama has been
developed, a professional group is being hired to perform at Union Parishad level. A set
of Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) materials has been developed to further
strengthen the campaign, involving educational institutions and local youths.
Although the original plan was to continue support of the second cycle beneficiaries (2592
from 72 unions) in Kurigram, some beneficiaries from the first cycle who graduated from
the project in 2017 also approached the project to be included in the support mechanism.
Therefore, in Kurigram, interested beneficiaries of the first cycle were also brought into
the Rotating Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs). In Kurigram BDT 32,785,600
(USD 0.386 million) are generated as savings by 2396 women beneficiaries. Re-
organisation of ROSCA groups is still under process in Kurigram and will be completed
by March 2020. In Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Jamalpur districts ROSCA group
formation has started and is expected to be completed in April 2020.
Selected women beneficiaries (3,564) got public works-based employment from January
12, 2020. The UPs, through ward level meetings, selected important public assets,
prepared a yearly plan for the beneficiaries and involved the Standing Committee on
Family Dispute Resolution, Women and Children welfare to supervise the project. The
beneficiaries have already completed 146,124 person days of public works. The
government has already released BDT 805,452,000 (USD 9.65 million) to pay beneficiary
wages for 15 months.
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 7
CHAPTER I: BACKGROUND
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities - SWAPNO II is a public-
works and social transfer-based poverty graduation project targeting ultra-poor rural
women who are widowed, divorced, abandoned or left with a disabled husband. The
project not only aims at lifting poor women out of poverty but also assists them to get
higher income and contribute to household income in a sustainable way at the end of the
project period. While the first part is relatively easy due to high wage income, the second
part of the sustainability of project outcomes requires additional interventions. SWAPNO,
following global best practices, complements public works with mandatory and voluntary
savings, training on life skills & livelihoods and linkages for women to get jobs in local
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and private sector companies in the formal and
informal sectors. All these interventions ultimately have been contributing to household
income in a sustainable manner.
Evolution of SWAPNO: The project (SWAPNO) builds on UNDP’s experience with the
Rural Employment Opportunities for Public Assets (REOPA) project intervention, which
was implemented by the Local Government Division (LGD) of MoLGRD&C from 2007 to
2011. Informed by the successes of the REOPA project, the SWAPNO project was
designed as a follow-on programme in partnership with LGD, comprising public works
safety net employment of extremely poor women in the most vulnerable districts.
SWAPNO’s 1st cycle was implemented in two districts – climate-vulnerable Satkhira in the
coastal belt and Kurigram in Bangladesh’s poorest area – reaching out to 4,464 female-
headed households. However, the concept was first piloted in 1983 with origins in the
Rural Maintenance Program (RMP) of CARE, from 1983 to 2006, which provided year-
round employment to a total of 42,000 poor women.
Brief about SWAPNO 1st and 2nd cycle: The end-line assessment of SWAPNO 2nd
Cycle (BIDS, 2019) found some major results. First: in respect of all major indicators of
economic well-being, the SWAPNO beneficiaries graduating from the cycle 2017-19
outperformed the control group households. The beneficiaries, on average, have 78%
higher per capita income, 58% higher per capita consumption expenditure and two times
higher non-land assets than that observed for the control group. Second: as regards
benefits of the SWAPNO project in terms of dietary diversity, 64.5% have a median or
above dietary diversity, which is double that of the control group with 32.35%. Third: the
survey stated a much lower prevalence of underweight children in the treatment group;
37% as against 51% in the baseline situation. Similar trends emerge in case of child
stunting. And fourth, the economic situation of the former beneficiaries has remained
better compared to control group households even after graduation from the project, and
this is reassuring for lasting benefits of the SWAPNO project.
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 8
The partnership between SIDA and SWAPNO: SIDA agreed to partner with SWAPNO
because of the unique features of the SWAPNO poverty graduation model. SWAPNO
demonstrated 96% correct beneficiary targeting by engaging UPs and communities and
in collaboration with multi-stakeholders - GoB, UNDP, private sector companies like
BSRM, Marico, Ecofab Ltd, Bank Asia in the previous phases. These features lead
SWAPNO to develop a next-generation poverty alleviation approach through a
transformative graduation model which is very much in line with the Swedish Result
Strategy for Bangladesh 2014 to 2020. The new model created opportunities for
SWAPNO beneficiaries to develop the vocational skills which relate to current industry
needs. Swedish aid is enabling hard core poor and vulnerable women beneficiaries
initially to gain access to public works based employment and then to access the current
formal skilled labour market. Selected beneficiaries are targeted for life skills and
livelihood skills development training; these training modules have been planned based
on Market Opportunity Survey (MOS) and Training Needs Assessment (TNA) findings.
SWAPNO has been aligned with the LoGIC project to combat natural and manmade
disasters through interventions. Some examples are micro-insurance, climate-smart
agriculture and enhanced financial inclusion to the most vulnerable women, which are
interventions recognized in the Swedish aid strategy that also envisions to practice
democratic governance.
SWAPNO has been contributing to eight
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as
stated below:
• Goal 1: No Poverty
• Goal 2: Zero Hunger
• Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
• Goal 5: Gender Equality
• Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic
Growth
• Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
• Goal 13: Climate Action and
• Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Major objectives of the project: In 2018,
Bangladesh became qualified for the prospect of graduation from United Nations’ Least
Developed Country (LDC) status by 2024. However, factors like vulnerable employment,
declining agriculture growth and interlinked climate and disaster risks are undermining
Bangladesh’s progress. Women are facing the brunt of the impacts of these complex
challenges. At the same time, existing structural inequalities such as biased gender
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 9
relations, inadequate legal provisions and weak governance are further complicating
Bangladesh’s progress on women’s empowerment. Poverty is also driving these gender-
based discriminations, aggravating multidimensional poverty of women.
The prevailing situation has created scope for a gender-responsive social protection
system in line with Bangladesh’s National Social Security Strategy (NSSS); among other
priorities, NSSS aims to support women to “graduate” from extreme poverty. NSSS
envisages that women will access regular and predictable transfers from the Government
while tapping into opportunities to engage in productive employment in the labour market.
SWAPNO has been recognized by the NSSS as one of the best scalable poverty-
graduation approaches that can meet the NSSS objectives.
SWAPNO has five outcomes to be achieved in this phase which are stated below:
• Outcome 1: Increased income and assets by expanding choices;
• Outcome 2: Enhanced human capabilities for exercising choices;
• Outcome 3: Strengthened resilience to shocks including disasters and climate
change;
• Outcome 4: Enhanced financial inclusion for equitable opportunities
• Outcome 5: Improved policies and mechanisms for sustaining SWAPNO’s benefits
Socio-economic Transformative Model-Innovation of SWAPNO: During this reporting
period, SWAPNO II, termed as “Socio-Economic Transformative Model”, has started with
some new features (referred to below) along with the previous SWAPNO graduation
approach:
• Wage employment for 15 months for social protection;
• Life skills training for social empowerment;
• Livelihood development training for sustainable livelihoods;
• Vocational skills training and formal sector employment;
• Financial inclusion to access credit and effective e-payment (G2P - Treasury to
Beneficiary);
• Awareness-raising on micro-nutrient deficiency, balanced diet & nutritional
campaign module development;
• Distribution of disaster tolerant vegetable seeds/ tree saplings as adaptive
livelihoods;
• Strengthen shock-absorbing capacity to build resilience to climate vulnerabilities;
Introducing micro-insurance for health, livestock and crop insurance to enhance
shock-absorbing capacities of beneficiaries;
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 10
Geographical coverage: SWAPNO
intervention areas targeted in 4 Districts for
172 unions: Kurigram (73), Lalmonirhat
(37), Gaibandha (17) and Jamalpur (45).
Women are targeted to be employed in
public works with the engagement of
maintaining and rehabilitating rural earthen
roads and other key public assets. Over the
project period, totally 3,600 women are
targeted for employment in public works
and 6,192 women targeted to be trained in
income generating activities and livelihoods
development (refer Annex I for District and
upazila wise beneficiary coverage status).
The targeted women are ultra-poor and
living in rural areas.
Fig-1: SWAPNO Project Area
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 11
CHAPTER II: PROJECT INCEPTION
Contract signing with SIDA: On August 05, 2019, the UNDP and Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) signed the agreement for SWAPNO project to
empower vulnerable women. Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Sweden Mr. Anders
Öhrström and Resident Representative of UNDP Mr. Sudipto Mukerjee signed the
agreement and the first funding from SIDA was received in September 2019. The project
has accomplished partnership development with NGOs, beneficiaries’ selection and
hiring the project staff by the first three months of the project.
Fig -2 Contract signing between SIDA and UNDP
Government approval: In order to implement SWAPNO II activities flawlessly, the Local
Government Division (LGD) issued a Government Order (GO) along with the Operational
Manual (OM) to the Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) to
inform listed UPs about their roles and responsibilities in project implementation. In turn,
the Deputy Commissioners instructed the UPs and introduced the implementing NGOs.
The DC, in collaboration with project staff and the partner NGO, organized an inception
workshop in each respective district, where officials from District and Upazila
administration, representatives of Union Parishads along with UP Secretaries, service
delivery departments, financial institutions and civil society representatives attended. The
National Project Director (NPD) attended all the workshops and highlighted the
importance of correct beneficiary targeting and socio-economic empowerment of women
to curb multidimensional poverty. The NPD also highlighted digital wage payment to
ensure financial inclusion and transparency in financial transactions. Since the NGO
ESDO has been the implementing partner in Kurigram since 2015, the support services
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 12
designed for Kurigram beneficiaries has become very effective due to their long
association with the beneficiaries. ESDO has also extended financial and technical
support to beneficiaries that want to extend their small enterprises.
Selection of Implementing Partners: The UNDP procurement unit selected
implementing partner NGOs through a rigorous and transparent selection process. The
entire process took around four months to complete. It took longer than expected, since
in response to the first call, UNDP received applications for Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha
districts while no application was received for Jamalpur. From the first call Gono Unnayan
Kendra (GUK) and Eco-Social Development Organisation (ESDO) were selected for
Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat districts respectively. UNDP had to go for re-tendering for
Jamalpur and Kurigram districts to ensure a competitive process and value for money. In
the end ESDO won the contracts for both Kurigram and Jamalpur.
Project staff recruitment: In accordance with the project proposal, UNDP recruited and
re-designated project personnel through a competitive selection process. The NGOs also
conducted staff recruitment at district level. All staff are now on board and contributing to
project implementation.
District project office set-up: After contract signing, three new district offices were set
up, while Kurigram continued with existing office facilities. Address and contact numbers
of district offices are shown in annex 2.
Staff orientation: After the recruitment, partner NGO staff were given orientation by
SWAPNO district and headquarter team
members. The orientation covered: goal &
objectives of the project, roles &
responsibilities of different stakeholders,
Project Coordinator (PC), Project Officers
(POs) and Union Workers. Emphasis was
given on correct beneficiary targeting and
the steps needed to be followed by the UP
during the selection process. At the end of
this orientation session, project staff
reached a common understanding of the
implementation modalities of SWAPNO II,
which clearly resulted in selection of public assets suited for disaster risk reduction and
correct beneficiary targeting.
Fig 3: Staff Orientation at District Level
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 13
Partnership with Marico: SWAPNO received private sector funding in the earlier phases
from BSRM and Marico
Bangladesh. After reviewing
BIDS study findings, Marico
renewed their commitment to
support SWAPNO II in
developing market value chain
for the beneficiaries and
support of formal sector
employment. The agreement
was signed on 17 February
2020. Mr. Sudipto Mukerjee,
Resident Representative of
UNDP, and Ashish Goupal,
Managing Director of Marico Bangladesh signed the Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) for a value of 0.31 million USD.
Project Implementation Committee Meeting: The 6th Project Implementation
Committee (PIC) meeting was held
on 22 January 2020 at the
SWAPNO office in Dhaka. The
meeting was chaired by the
National Project Director with
participation of relevant high-level
GoB officials and district
colleagues, including project
representatives. The Ministry of
Local Govt. principally agreed to
submit the next phase of this project
named ‘SWAPNO Plus’ to the
Project Steering Committee.
Fig 4: Contract between Marico and UNDP
Fig 5: Project Implementation Committee Meeting
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 14
CHAPTER III: ACTIVITY PROGRESS
Outcome 1: Increased Income and Assets by Expanding Choices
Outcome 1 focuses on SWAPNO’s public works-based poverty graduation approach.
The emphasis is on “future employability”. Women will leverage wage employment
through public-works with training on market-based skills and access to productive
employment to support themselves out of poverty. To contribute to this outcome,
significant progress has been made on various activities under the first year targeted
output which is mentioned below:
Output statement (Year I): 3564 women selected and employed in public works
During this reporting period,
SWAPNO II achieved the target as
per the Results and Resources
Framework (RRF). The project
assisted the UPs and community
to select 3,564 women – who are
widowed, abandoned, divorced,
separated or have a husband with
disability who is unable to earn
and maintain the family – through
mass awareness and publicity,
primary selection through open
lottery and individual house visits,
(refer figure 6 for beneficiary
status). The Union Parishad led
the selection process in close
collaboration with the Implementing Partners (IPs) along with community representatives
and leaders. The UPs have signed a contract with women groups where beneficiary rights
and entitlements, payment mechanism and beneficiary responsibilities are clearly
mentioned. The project also planned to promote group “pulled savings” through Rotating
Savings and Credit Associations (ROSCAs). Details of the activities implemented in this
reporting period, which contribute to achieve the output stated above, are given below.
Activity: Selection and recruitment of the project beneficiaries: Totally 3,564
beneficiaries are selected in Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Jamalpur. The selection
process was led by the Union Parishad with close facilitation of partner NGOs and the
community. The process was facilitated by the following steps:
• Orientation to UP and SC on beneficiary selection and recruitment process;
Abandoned27%
Divorced18%
Married (Disabled Husband)
8%
Widow47%
Abandoned
Divorced
Married (DisabledHusband)
Widow
Fig 6: Marital Status of Beneficiaries
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 15
• Consultation meeting with the
elected representatives and
local/community leaders at ward
level to finalize selection date,
time and venue;
• Mass campaign and
advertisement to enrol the
beneficiaries;
• Beneficiary selection through a
lottery;
• Household visit to cross-check
for final selection and UP
approval.
Activity: Account opening to pay wages: UNDP procured 3,564 mobile phone
handsets (button phone) for newly
recruited beneficiaries in three
districts through a competitive
process,. The phone sets with SIM
cards have already been
distributed among the
beneficiaries on the day (12
January 2020) they have started
the public works. Collaboration
with Grameen Phone has been
developed to get corporate SIM for
the beneficiaries. The MoU with
bKash has been extended and
signed on 28 February 2020 to pay
beneficiary wages through mobile wallet.
Activity: Initiate compulsory savings: In accordance with government policy: One-
fourth of fortnightly wages (at the rate of BDT 50 per day) will be kept in an escrow
account. This amount will be paid out at the end of the tenure as a “graduation” bonus
for expanding livelihoods or household asset base.
Activity: Promote group savings (ROSCA): SWAPNO-II women in the new districts will
form (Rotating Savings and Credit Associations) ROSCAs to contribute an agreed
savings amount and give it to one of the members in rotation to expand livelihoods or buy
assets. Formation of 297 ROSCA groups is under process, which is expected to be
completed by March, 2020. However, Kurigram is maintaining their existing ROSCA
savings and generated BDT 32,785,600 from 2396 women beneficiaries.
Fig 8: Distribution of Mobile phone to SWAPNO beneficiaries
Fig 7: Beneficiary Selection process
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 16
Activity: Market Opportunity Survey (MOS) and Training Needs Assessment (TNA):
UNDP hired two independent consultants to conduct Market Opportunity Survey (MOS)
and Training Needs Assessment (TNA). The MOS is completed and the report is attached
herewith. MOS was conducted in Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Jamalpur districts on the
following criteria:
➢ Demand for the products and services in the local market and outside area
➢ Skills required to run the trade
➢ Fund and resources (equipment, time and space) required
➢ Opportunity and scope for marketing of products by the women.
➢ General risk assessment for perishable and slow items and seasonal impact.
➢ Profitability of the products and yearly turnover.
Through the MOS, 44 trades are identified by the respondents which are suitable for the
beneficiaries. The trades are clustered into three categories, i.e. high priority (above
50%); average priority (from 50% to 25%) and less priority trades (below 25%). Majority
of the women preferred poultry and tailoring as their first choice, since poultry products
are in high demand in the community, local market, at district and national levels.
Similarly, demand for tailoring is high at community level and local market. Rural women
believe “one size does not fit all”, thus prefer to order customized dresses from the local
women tailors whom they can easily communicate with in trust and confidence.
Table 1: List of trades identified in MOS
Potential Trades
identified by FGD
participants
Lalmonirhat (12) Gaibandha (6) Jamalpur (15) Total (33) Percent
(%)
High preferred trades
Poultry rearing 12 6 13 31 94
Tailoring 10 6 14 30 91
Grocery shop 9 6 13 28 85
Cow rearing 12 0 13 25 76
Tea stall 9 5 11 25 76
Vegetable cultivation 5 6 13 24 73
Goat rearing 7 6 6 19 58
Moderately preferred trades
Betel leaf shop 7 1 8 16 48
Cloth business 5 4 6 15 45
Cosmetics shop 1 1 13 15 45
Egg selling 2 4 9 15 45
Cow fattening 5 6 1 12 36
Nokshikatha 0 2 10 12 36
Nursery cultivation 4 2 5 11 33
Fish culture 0 1 11 11 33
Handicraft 2 0 7 9 27
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 17
Since the beneficiaries came on board on 12 of January 2020, the consultant started TNA
at the end of January. The consultant is halfway through with his field survey and is
expected to submit the report in the second week of April. The project will use both MOS
and TNA reports to design skills training and plan for formal sector employment areas.
Activity: Linkage development with service providers and existing government
institutions The project has already established contact with government service
providers such as Livestock, Fisheries, Agriculture, Horticulture, Directorate of Youth
Development and the District Vocational Training Institutes. They were also contacted by
the MOS and TNA consultants in order to get their commitment on all-out support to the
beneficiaries. Experiences from Kurigram were also used to get cooperation from the
Upazila and District level service providers. Since the DC is in charge of SWAPNO II at
district level, cooperation from all sectors is expected to come without any challenge.
Activity: Collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and industry association
(Leather sector, Agro-food processing Sector, and RMG) SWAPNO is working to
create enabling environment at the district level to provide vocational training and
employment of women beneficiaries through local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
and in the formal sector. Since the joining of an Enterprise and Employment Development
Specialist, he has started talking to different industries, such as leather, agro-food
processors and garments. The project is well aware about the diminishing prospect of the
garments industries in Bangladesh and is trying to expand linkages with sustainable
industries. In the leather sector, the project has initiated a bilateral discussion with Apex
and Centre of Excellence for Leather Skill Bangladesh Limited (COEL) for skills training
and job placement issues. A clear picture will emerge in a couple of months, particularly
after completion of life-skills training.
Activity: Support women to cope with the workplace environment: As per learning
from previous experience about the workplace environment, the project has been working
on reviewing the existing module to ensure a decent workplace environment for rural
women.
Outcome 2: Enhanced Human Capabilities for Exercising Choices
Outcome 2 focuses on enhancing conditions that promote women’s empowerment.
SWAPNO has been working for improving wellbeing and removing existing barriers of
women; as a result the women can gradually act on their decisions for graduating out of
poverty. The project has been working with the Government, Local Government
Institutions and Implementing partners. Under this outcome, the project has been
focusing on: a) develop the women’s key life skills, b) improve nutrition by running a
campaign and providing necessary inputs and c) build access to local justice systems to
tackle VAW. Following progress has been made so far:
Output statement (year I): 3564 of women trained in life skills (in 3 districts)
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 18
Under this output, various activities have been implemented. Important activities
accomplished under this output are development of training materials and conducting
ToT focusing a) leadership development, b) primary healthcare and nutrition, c) rights and
entitlements, d) financial literacy, e) climate change and disaster risk reduction, f) gender
and development and g) basic business development. Explanation is given below:
Activity: ToT on Life skills Training: Under supervision the Project Coordinator (PC)
the Union workers and POs will
impart life-skills training. After
reviewing all 7 life-skills training
modules, all NGO staff were
given Training of Trainers (ToT)
for five days. In this residential
training, the participants
learned facilitation techniques
along with contents of the
modules. Extensive mock
facilitation was organized to
enhance their facilitation skills
and learn to keep beneficiary motivation high throughout the training period. Name and
duration of the seven life skills modules are given below:
Table 2: List of seven life skills
Course name Duration (Days)
Leadership development 1
Primary health and nutrition 2
Gender development 1
Rights and entitlements 2
Climate change and disaster risk reduction 2
Self-learning and easy accounting 2
Basic principles of small business development 3
Meanwhile, trough open advertisement, UNDP has employed a consultancy firm
(consortium of Promoting Participatory Training-ProMPT and Knowledge Management
Consultants (KMC) Ltd. to effectively organise life-skills training, provide food and
logistics support to the participants and maintain training quality. ProMPT-KMC
consortium will submit a detailed implementation schedule by 20th of March 2020 in
consultation with the district colleagues, Partner NGOs and district administration.
Activity: Develop Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) materials: BCC
materials were developed to boost a nutrition campaign, particularly on homestead
Fig 9: ToT on Life Skills Training
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 19
gardening, vitamin A, importance of food and nutrition, supplementary food for 6-23
months old children, Iodized salt, care for pregnant and lactating mother, and adolescent
health and behaviour. The package also includes constitutional rights of women in
Bangladesh and their right of access to different service delivery organisations.
Activity: Revision of Training Module on Primary Health Care and Nutrition: In
partnership with local health service providers and the National Nutrition Programme
(NNP) of Ministry of Health and Family Planning, significant revision of content and
activities were made to address recommendations of the BIDS end-line survey. The
module was pretested in Kurigram. ESDO has conducted training for 100 beneficiaries in
four batches in Kurigram. From March 2020 onwards, a district wide campaign will begin
in Kurigram, while Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Jamalpur will join from May 2020.
Outcome 3: Strengthened Resilience to Shocks Including Disasters and Climate
Change
Outcome 3 focuses on building resilience of the women and their communities to shocks.
Specifically, it will align with the LoGIC project to establish and maintain coordination
mechanisms, disaster risk reduction action plans and protect key public assets. The
approach will be implemented in Kurigram and replicated in Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and
Jamalpur. Coordination will be smooth since LGD is executing agency for both projects
and UPs have been implementing the projects. Several advancements were made under
different outputs stated at a glance below:
Output statement (year I): 99 UPs in 3 districts selecting priority public assets for natural
disaster protection, assets damaged by disasters and other public assets benefitting poor
local communities through community consultations and beginning to maintain/
rehabilitate them;
Output statement (year I): 3,564 workers in public asset schemes;
Output statement (year I):1,080,000 workdays created in public works schemes;
Activities implemented to achieve the outputs are stated below:
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 20
Activity: Selecting priority public assets for natural disaster protection: In order to
select community demanded and
disaster adoptive public assets,
SWAPNO II enabled UPs to organise
ward level meetings in all unions.
After collecting ward level lists, the
Union Parishads finalised 7403 public
assets. District wise distribution of
public assets are shown in figure 11.
Based on the list the UP-Standing
Committee on Family Dispute
Resolution, Women and Children
Welfare (FDRW&C) prepared
yearlong maintenance/ repair plan for
the women beneficiaries. Separate registers are kept with the groups to enable UP SC
on FDRW&CA to monitor on a regular basis. The community people are also informed
about the public works in advance so that they also can check work quality. Since 12
January 2020, totally 146,124 person days of public works are completed in 99 unions.
It is revealed from MIS that
Earthen Road Maintenance
is the top priority for the UPs
to keep roads accessible
round the year. Second
choice is to raise fields of
educational, religious and
community institutions to
stay above flood level, while
third option is slope
maintenance of herringbone
bond roads. Some unions
also selected tree plantation
alongside embankments or
public roads as climate change adaptive interventions.
Activity: Partnership with Activating Village Court and LoGIC Project:
Kurigram Regional Office (RO) has taken the lead to establish effective working
relationship with Activating Village Court in Bangladesh (AVCB) to create access to local
justice systems for the women beneficiaries facing violence in family, society and at work.
The RO has also started exchanging data on Violence Against Women (VAW) with the
district administration and district office of MoWCA.
Fig: 10 Inauguration of Public works program
Fig 11: Public works category
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
Earthen Road Maintenance
Field Raising
Herringbone Road Maintenance
Tree plantation
Lalmonirhat Jamalpur Gaibandha
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 21
The RO organised a meeting with AVCB and LoGIC to share joint activities planned in
SWAPNO II and how best the stakeholders can work together to harness reciprocal
benefits for the beneficiaries. Following decisions were taken in the meeting:
• From now on, the Community Mobilization Facilitator (CMF) of LoGIC Project
and Village Court Assistant (VCA) of AVCB-II Project will attend the monthly
group meetings of SWAPNO project and work together at Union Parishad level;
• Discussion on Violence Against Women (VAW) and demerits of early marriage
will be discussed at community level;
• Issues related to climate change adaptation will be discussed to sensitize the
Union Parishad and community people on a regular basis;
• All UNDP implemented projects will join hands in the nutrition campaign which
will involve communities, religious and educational institutions. All the projects
will disseminate date, time and place of street drama shows in advance to get
a good crowd.
Outcome 4: Enhanced Financial Inclusion for Equitable Opportunities
Output statement (year I): 6,192 women have active digital financial accounts (in 4
districts);
Output statement (year I): 6,192 women are aware about the services and opportunities
of Digital Financial Services (in 4 districts);
Output statement (year I): Financial behavioural change study on women pertaining
financial inclusion
In accordance with the decision of the PIC meeting, the project in partnership with bKash
- the largest mobile money platform in Bangladesh - has already opened beneficiary
accounts to receive wages in the first week of March 2020. The project provided
Symphony brand mobile phones, while Grameen Phone provided free SIM cards.
The study on G2P was dropped in consultation with Sida, since there is ample evidence
of G2P and financial behaviour changes in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Ministry of
Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA). The budget will be reallocated in agreement with
Sida.
The Birla Institute of Management, India is hired by UNDP through international tendering
to carry out the micro-insurance study along with a pilot of micro-insurance products best
suited for the beneficiaries. The study began in the last week of February 2020 and is
expected to be completed in June. LGD is also very keen to see the outcome and wants
to be the pioneer to include micro insurance in the areas of health, livestock and small
business.
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 22
Outcome 5: Improved Policies and Mechanisms for Sustaining Benefits
Outcome 5 focuses on improving policies and strengthening local government capacity
for sustaining SWAPNO’s impacts. Specifically, it will promote efficient and transparent
processes that are key for implementing Outcomes 1-4. It will also support evidence-
based research for promoting SWAPNO’s approach. Different activities already initiated
and running under this outcome and set of outputs are as below:
Output statement (year I): Inception workshops held in 3 project districts
Output statement (year I): Operational Manual revised and approved
Output statement (year I): Internal Control Framework revised and approved
Output statement (year I): 99 UPs and 11 Upazilas in 3 districts received project induction
training
Activity: District level inception workshops: In order to disseminate the project
objectives, operational procedures, beneficiary selection and wage payment procedures
and roles and responsibilities of the district and Upazila level officials, district level
workshops were organized in
Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat and
Gaibandha districts. The DC and
DDLG coordinated the
workshop and invited a wide
range of stakeholders to ensure
similar understanding. All UP
Chairmen and UP Secretaries
were also invited to the
workshop. About 150
participants including Civil
Surgeon, Deputy Director
(Agriculture), Deputy Director (Social Services), Deputy Director (Youth Development),
Deputy Director (Women Affairs), District Livestock Officer, District Fisheries Officer,
Additional District Magistrate (ADM), ADC (General), Upazila Chairman, UNO, Assistant
Commissioners, freedom fighters, bank managers, Union Parishad Chairman, Union
Parishad Secretary, journalists, UNDP officials, Partner NGOs representatives and other
local NGOs and civil society representatives of each district were present at the inception
workshop.
Mr. Md. Emdad Ullah Mian, Additional Secretary, LGED and the National Project Director,
SWAPNO and Mr. Kajal Chatterjee, National Project Manager, SWAPNO jointly
conducted the district inception workshops and shared the pathway of graduation from
Fig 12: District level Inception Workshop
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 23
extreme poverty of the destitute and vulnerable women by creating productive
employment, enhancing employability and skills.
Activity: Orientation session with Union Parishad: In order to create ownership,
ensure community demanded public asset selection and right targeting of beneficiaries,
all the UPs were given orientation on implementation methodology of SWAPNO II. The
District colleagues along with PC of partner NGOs conducted the sessions. District wise
attendance was as follows: Jamalpur 450; Lalmonirhat 303; Gaibandha 153.
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 24
KURIGRAM CONTINUES THE ACTIVITES OF SWAPNO (Third cycle – At a glance)
In this reporting period, in Kurigram District, ESDO has accomplished Public works
maintenance follow-up, Nutrition Campaign, Cooking Demonstration, IGA-wise Group
formation, Primary Selection for RMG Training Participants, Cluster meeting, etc. Major
activities accomplished in this reporting period are the following:
Activity Life skills and livelihoods training follow-up: As per follow-up plan, ESDO
developed a comprehensive guideline on livelihood training follow-up among 216 women
beneficiaries’ small groups within 72 Unions in Kurigram. Union Facilitators/Group
Leaders facilitated the courses according to the follow-up guideline.
Activity IGA Visits by SWAPNO Project Staff: Project staff visited the beneficiaries
door to door to follow up the income generating activities undertaken by beneficiaries.
90% of 1st and 2nd cycle beneficiaries have started different types of IGAs using the
ROSCA savings and their own savings. Every participant is trying to find out two or more
sustainable IGAs for increasing regular income.
Activity Nutrition Awareness Campaign 2020: During this reporting period, ESDO has
taken the following initiatives to conduct the nutrition awareness campaign 2020:
➢ School based essay competition and debate.
➢ School based “Health and Nutrition awareness team/group”
➢ Community level popular drama show
➢ Community clinic and Community Group (CG) visit
➢ Coordination meeting with CG and SC (FDRW&CW)
➢ Courtyard meetings
➢ Participated in Union Development Coordination Committee (UDCC) meeting with
nutrition issues.
➢ BCC sessions and
➢ Cooking demonstrations.
Activity Staff orientation on nutrition campaign: Before organizing the campaign,
ESDO organized staff orientation on 17th and 18th December, 2019. The program was
facilitated by District Manager, SWAPNO-UNDP, Financial Monitoring Associate,
SWAPNO-UNDP and Project Coordinator, SWAPNO-UNDP. All participants have
explained the nutrition awareness campaign guideline/module.
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 25
Activity Cooking demonstrations:
Rural mothers and sisters do their
daily cooking in the traditional way,
such as overcooking the food,
washing vegetables after cutting and
handling food items in an unhygienic
way. As a result, the food quality and
nutrition deteriorates. ESDO has
taken a step towards raising the
awareness of the rural people about
ideal cooking education/
demonstration. Each Union Parishad had an ideal cooking demonstration with women,
adolescent girls and aged women present. Totally 72 cooking demonstrations were
conducted. Number of participants is stated in figure 13.
Activity Community clinic and Community Group (CG) visit: This is the first time
initiative was taken to visit the Community Based Health Care Centre to assist service
providers in a nutrition campaign. In this connection, each Union Facilitator visits one
community clinic in each Union every month. They provide support to pregnant women
and lactating mothers in taking nutritious food. Union Facilitators have visited 216
Community Clinics. A total of 57,006 women received support from Community Clinics;
among those 4,683 were pregnant women and 4,613 were breast feeding mothers.
Activity Participate with the UP-Standing Committee (FDR&WCA): There are thirteen
Standing Committees in the Union Parishad that assist in running the Union Parishad.
The SWAPNO project has been working with a standing committee named Family
Disputes Resolution and Women and Children Affairs (FDR&WC). According to Union
Parishad Act-2009, each standing committee should have a meeting taking decisions on
their respective issues. During the reporting period, Union Facilitators took part in the UP
standing committee (Family Disputes Resolution and Women and Children Affairs
(FDR&WC) meeting. Out of 431 Union Parishad members, 375 participated in the
meeting in this reporting period.
Activity Courtyard meeting with community people including SWAPNO women
beneficiaries: The SWAPNO project has community groups that worked with SWAPNO
women beneficiaries and have been playing a vital role to organize courtyard meetings
at their communities. About 216 groups in 72 Union Parishad completed 216 courtyard
meetings. Meeting agenda was
• Importance of nutritious food;
• Low cost food, high level nutrition;
• Consequence of child marriage;
3264
446
665
712
5087
0 2000 4000 6000
WOMEN
ADOLESCE…
CHILDREN
OTHERS
TOTAL
Fig 13: Number of Participants participating in cooking
demonstration
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 26
• Personal health and hygiene.
Table 3: Participants’ attendance in the courtyard meetings
Sl
Name of
Union
Parishad
Participants
SWAPNO women
beneficiaries
Community women
and girls
Others Total
1 72 8352 241 216 8806
Activity SIDA’s visit to SWAPNO project: On 9 & 10th December, 2019 a team from
Sida headed by Ms. Christine Johansson,
Head of Development, Ingela Juthberg from
Sida-HQ visited SWAPNO project to observe
the activities. The team visited a local
chanuchur (local snacks) factory operated by
SWAPNO beneficiaries, observed cooking
demonstration session, visited a beauty
parlour and talked to some project
beneficiaries. They also witnessed a folk
song street drama ‘Nutrition for All’ at
Dashiachara, Phulbari Upazila, Kurigram.
Fig 14: SIDA's visit to SWAPNO Project
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 27
CHAPTER IV: PROJECT MONITORING AND MIS
Baseline update: The baseline survey for the 3rd cycle started on 18th February 2020.
Human Development Research Centre (HDRC), an independent consulting firm,
conducts the survey. The survey sample is determined to cover 884 beneficiaries. HDRC
will submit the draft baseline report by March 2020 and the report will be finalized by April
2020.
Communication and Advocacy: The
second annual social security conference
was organized by the Cabinet Division to
review NSSS implementation status on 5th
December 2019. The Chief Guest was Dr.
Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, MP, Hon’ble
Speaker, Bangladesh Parliament where
SWAPNO was declared as the best social
safety net project of the government. Mr.
Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, Additional
Secretary, Local Government Division and
National Project Director, SWAPNO
Project highlighted SWAPNO as a gender
sensitive graduation model with 96%
correct beneficiary targeting, digital wage payment and sustainable livelihoods
development.
The conference also hosted a knowledge fair where all the 25 government ministries
involved in implementing Social Protection in Bangladesh were assigned respective
booths to showcase their current activities. SWAPNO project was presented in the LGD
booth, where the Chief Guest, Ms. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, along with other
government dignitaries visited the SWAPNO stall.
Video documentaries: 3 video documentaries were developed on nutrition, cooking
demonstration and beneficiary selection processes. These documentaries will be used to
create mass awareness. The project is in the process of identifying a good media house
to develop a documentary on SWAPNO II highlighting how the project is being considered
as the best suited social safety net for hardcore poor women groups by addressing
multidimensional poverty.
Social media and SWAPNO website: Blog posts on significant news, events, meetings
are consistently being updated on social media. The communication team collects
information from district officials and updates those in both social media and the
SWAPNO website. Apart from electronic media, the communication team also releases
news items and successful case stories in print media regularly.
Fig 15: Mr. Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian discussed about the project at 2nd Annual Social Security
Conference
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 28
Bi-annual workshop with donors and media - The project is planning to arrange a bi-
annual workshop with project stakeholders to showcase results on BIDS study findings
and lessons learnt.
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 29
CHAPTER V: CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNT
The project has faced some challenges during the reporting period. However, the project
could overcome all of them by facilitating different actions and strategic connections.
➢ Hiring NGOs on time was an impeding factor to start field operation in time. In the
first call none of the interested NGOs could successfully apply for Kurigram and
Jamalpur due to difficulties in accessing online bidding platform. Re-
advertisement, shortlisting and evaluation of NGOs was completed in November
and their staff recruitment was completed in December 2019.
➢ Delayed NGO hiring also impacted on beneficiary selection. SWAPNO planned to
start the employment cycle in November 2019, but it started on 12 January 2020.
➢ Since the government has updated their online financial platform, which is more
complex than the previous version, the Finance Ministry took a month to release
beneficiaries’ wages.
➢ Moreover, transfer of the NPD Mr. Emdad Ullah Khan from LGD to the Cabinet
Division in December 2019 almost halted all financial activities until the new NPD
Mohammad. Mukleshur Rahman joined in February 2020.
In order to expedite field implementation and ensure correct beneficiary selection, the
project closely liaised with LGD, DCs and DDLGs to put pressure on wilful UP
Chairpersons to follow selection criteria. The District colleagues also used media as a
third watchful eye. The freedom fighters attending the district inception workshop were
also vigilant during beneficiary selection.
Key Learnings:
• Ownership building is key to obtain community and UP commitment in doing a
good job. Since the project has an objective of developing UP capacity, engaging
UP representatives in all the activities resulted in whole-hearted cooperation in
most of the UPs. Formation of beneficiary selection committees also worked well
since the elected representatives care about electoral opinions, thus refrained from
wrongdoing.
• SWAPNO was heavily counting on beneficiary employment in the garments
industries. With the evolution of a fourth industrial revolution, along with global
economic recession, employment opportunities in the sector are bound to be hit.
The project has been working to re-strategize formal sector employment by
identifying new promising sectors.
• SWAPNO always maintains a waiting list to replace dropouts. In Jamalpur few
dropout cases were quickly filled in to maintain normalcy at UP levels.
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 30
ANNEXURE
Table I: District and upazila wise beneficiary coverage:
SI.No Name of District Name of Upazila No. of Union No. of
Beneficiaries
1
Jamalpur
Bokshiganj 07 252
2 Dewangonj 08 288
3 Islampur 12 432
4 Melandha 11 396
5 Madarganj 07 252
6
Lalmonirhat
Lalmonirhat Sadar 09 324
7 Kaliganj 08 288
8 Hatibandha 12 432
9 Patgram 08 288
10 Gaibandha
Saghata 10 360
11 Fulchari 7 252
Total New Beneficiaries 99 3,564
12
Kurigram
Kurigram Sadar 08 288
13 Nagesswary 14 504
14 Bhurungamari 10 360
15 Ulipur 13 468
16 Rajarhat 7 252
17 Chilmari 6 216
18 Fulbari 6 216
19 Rowmari 5 180
20 Rajibpur 3 108
Total Old Beneficiaries 72 2,592
Total Beneficiaries 171 6,156
Strengthening Women’s Ability for Productive New Opportunities 31
Annex -2: Address and contact number of SWAPNO II Field Office
SL Name and Designation Office Address Contract Number & Email
1 MD. AHMADUL KABIR AKON Regional Coordinator
House #: 86 Hospitalpara, Kurigram
Mobile: 01730336795, 01714118094 Email: ahmadul.akon@undp.org
2 MD. MAHMOOD HOSSAIN District Manager (Jamalpur)
Kacharaipara, Battola, Jamalpur
Mobile: 01730336797, 01616080888 Email: mahmood.hossain@undp.org
3
MOHAMMUDUL HOQUE MUKUL Financial Monitoring Associate (Lalmonirhat)
Taluk Khutamara, ESDO-ETRC, Banvasamore, Lalmonirhat
Mobile: 01302161952, 01639551148 Email: mohammudul.hoque@undp.org
4 MD. ZAHIDUL HAQUE Financial Monitoring Associate (Gaibandha)
Gono Unnayan Kendra (GUK), Nasratpur, Gaibandha
Mobile: 01709309775 Email: zahidul.haque@undp.org
5 MD AMIR ALI Financial Monitoring Associate (Jamalpur)
Kacharaipara, Battola, Jamalpur
Mobile: 01715175949 Email: amir.ali@undp.org
6 MOHAMMAD MASUM MIAH Financial Monitoring Associate (Kurigram)
House #: 86 Hospitalpara, Kurigram
Mobile: 01714385758 Email: mohammad.miah@undp.org
Annex -3: Interim Financial Report:
Interim Fin. Report
(Sep'19-Feb'20).pdf
SIDA Budgetwise
Expenditure.pdf
Annex -4: Market Opportunity Survey Report:
2nd_MOS FINAL
REPORT (26..02.2020).pdf