The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff reporter

The speakers at a seminar in the city yesterday said the individuals should promote the concept of "Self-Help" for the sake of their own existence and improving their life style.

Self-Help Promotion Network, an NGO, organised the seminar titled "Sharing Experience to Reduce Poverty With Self-Help Promotion" at the ICDDRB auditorium.

Speaking on the occasion Professor Mozaffar Ahmed, Chairman of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said, development of any sort could not be achieved without self help. Everyone should be active for the betterment of one's own lot through innovative ideas and plans, he added.

He also laid stress on the improvement of ecology for community development.

Khairul Kabir, Directorate General Of Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), said, self-help is the only way to bring about a real change in the lives of individuals and the community. Education facilities must be spread out to the masses for exploiting their talents. The NGOs should conduct campaign programme to create awareness among the people about the benefits and achievements self-help, he noted.

He also urged the NGO's workers to influence the policy makers of the government to incorporate the self-help principles in the development agenda.

Dr Abbas Bhuyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustee of Self Help Network; Alien Cuvelier, Inter Cooperation delegate; Dr Shaik A Daiyan, Acting country director of plan Bangladesh, among others, were present at the seminar.

The Self-Help Promotion Network started its journey in 2001 at the initiatives of some national and international development organisations. These are Plan Bangladesh, ICDDRB, German Red Cross, and UNDP. Later Inter Cooperation, Commilla BARD, The Hunger Project Bangladesh came forward to promote the concept of self-help for sustainable development. Currently around 236 development organisations are associated with the self-help regional network.