Background:
Bangladesh is a small and densely populated country among the developing countries of the world. The geographical area of this country is 1,47,570 square kilometers and the current population is about 16 crore 62 lakhs. The average per capita income of the people of this country is 1190 US dollars. Malnutrition, malnutrition, diseases due to environmental pollution, arsenic poisoning, outbreak of iodine deficiency diseases, frequent vehicle accidents, drought-floods-tides-cyclones etc. are the causes of natural calamities and daily sufferings of the people of the country. Apart from this, due to the careless use or abuse of violent acid throwing, fire, bombing and other chemical inflammable substances, countless people are constantly being burned and dying due to lack of proper treatment or poor treatment or are living crippled and disabled. All these burn victims are living a dehumanized life of hunger, neglect and carelessness, becoming the scourge of the family due to lack of employment and opportunities.
Disability is not a curse or an incurable disease. Regardless of the cause of disability, most people with disabilities can lead a normal life if they receive proper treatment and regular care in time. The treatment, training and rehabilitation of disabled persons is not a result of their own will or action but is the result of birth or some accident. So it is not uncommon for such accidents to happen in everyone's life.
The causes of acid throwing, fire or other accidents to disability, be it any planned violent incident or accident, it is not possible to eliminate the problem completely, but by creating awareness and taking precautions, the number of such accidents can be reduced to a large extent. Any burn or disabled person can be cured by treatment if timely action is taken. Training can help people with disabilities to return to normal life, self-reliant, self-dependent and socially rehabilitated by creating opportunities for earning and self-employment by increasing their skills.
Aims and Objectives of Rehabilitation Programs for Burned and Disabled Persons
Ensuring prompt treatment of burn victims.
To estimate the number of burnt persons by surveying the operation area.
Formulation of priority list of burnt and disabled persons for the purpose of training and rehabilitation.
To provide skill based and income oriented training with the aim of creating employment opportunities for burnt and disabled persons. Taking coordinated activities with the help of local voluntary organizations if necessary.
Providing micro-credit assistance to affected persons or their families as interest-free loans for employment of burnt and disabled persons through skill based profession or any work in which the person is experienced and proficient.
To sensitize people about the causes and consequences of burns and disabilities through publicity, to encourage and motivate the formation of competent voluntary teams for careful evacuation and prompt treatment of burnt and disabled persons. Providing grants/ supporting materials in special cases as required.
Above all, making the people aware and warning about the causes of burns, taking quick measures to ensure quick treatment of people affected by acid throwing or other causes of burns, encouraging the victims to take skill training and providing financial loans for employment work with the aim of poverty alleviation are the development streams of these helpless people. The main aim and objective of this program is to ensure participation in national development by engaging with,
Services:
In the implementation of this program, the social services officers will take effective steps to maintain contact with the families of the burnt and disabled persons, give advice on the treatment of the victim, give courage to the patient and assure recovery and maintain mental balance and keep them free from anxiety. The Social Services Officer and Union Social Worker/Municipal Social Worker will provide necessary advice and assistance regarding admission and treatment to the burnt person in a local hospital on an urgent basis.
Microcredit: Burnt and disabled persons whose per capita average annual income is not above Tk 1,00,000 are given interest-free micro-credit from Tk 5,000 to Tk 50,000. After taking the loan, it has to be repaid in 20 equal installments with 5% service charge.
Medical Assistance: There is a provision of grant up to a maximum of Tk.20.000
Areas under implementation: This program is being implemented through all the upazilas (495), all the social service offices (80) in all the cities of Bangladesh and Tejgaon Circle office. Total 576 offices.
Service Recipient:
Low income disabled and disabled persons whose average annual per capita income is not above Tk.1,00,000.00.
Progress in implementation of rehabilitation programs for burnt and disabled persons
• First start of activities: 2002-2003 AD
• Number of covered unite: 576
• Total amount of allocation received: 103 crore 44 lakh 06 thousand 250 Tk.
• Total disbursement amount as micro credit: Tk. 95 crore 95 lakh 72 thousand 770
• Amount of principal amount realized: 82 crores 52 lakhs 32 thousand 580 Tk.
• Principal Recovery Rate: 86%
• Cumulative Reinvested Amount: Tk.135 Crore 27 Lakh 13 Thousand 766
• Cumulative Reinvestment Payback Rate: 85%
• Amount of total service charges collected: 8 crore 75 lakh 45 thousand 650 Tk.
• Amount of bank interest received: 4 crore 68 lakh 77 thousand 218 Tk.
• Amount of Personal Savings of Beneficiaries: 2 Crore 03 Lakh 51 Thousand 395 Tk.
• Total number of beneficiaries through microcredit from start: 1 lakh 91 thousand 130 families
• Number of current borrowers: 1 lakh 865 people.
Process of implementation of activities:
Households living below poverty line (with average annual per capita income not exceeding Tk. 1,00,000/-(one lakh)) burn and disabled are identified through field level household survey. Then, against the prescribed scheme, loans from Tk. 5,000/- to Tk. 50,000/- per person are provided. The loan amount is recovered in equal 20 installments with 5% service charge from 2 months after disbursement of the loan. At the national level, a 19-member National Steering Committee, a 13-member District Steering Committee, an 11-member Upazila Implementation Committee at the upazila level, and an 11-member Upazila Implementation Committee for urban and metropolitan areas have been formed to implement urban social service activities. The Microcredit Program Implementation Committee' provides support and advice in the implementation of the program.
Service Center:
495 upazila social service offices;
80 city social service offices.
Tejgaon circle office.
21 Hospital social service offices with burn units
Functions:
Burn and Disability Survey;
Enrollment of Persons with Disabilities
Vocational/social and health orientation
Application in prescribed form with scheme
Feasibility check of the scheme
Selection of suitable borrowers;
Providing interest free microcredit;
Areas of Citizens' Cooperation:
Repayment of loan amount with service charge of 5% in equal 20 installments or 1, 2 or 3 installments depending on the scheme from the third month after receiving the loan by the beneficiary;
Savings at regular fixed rates by the borrowers;
Adherence to all matters that members are made aware of through the program;
To assist the authorities in recovering the loan amount received by a beneficiary if it is not paid regularly;
To inform the competent authorities if any irregularities are observed in disbursement of loans.
Service Delivery Period:
Maximum 15 working days after the selection of suitable borrowers by the Program Implementation Committee.
Contact for service:
Upazila Social Service Officer, all upazilas;
Social Service Officer, All City Social Service Offices;
Social Service Officer, Hospital Social Service Office (including hospitals with bur
Planning and Implementation: Cabinet Division, A2I, BCC, DoICT and BASIS
Technical Assistance:
