The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sirazul Islam

About 28 lakh ultra-poor women have become self-reliant by participating in various development programmes initiated by TMSS, the fourth largest non-government organization in the country. "Changing the lot of women is our main goal. To achieve this aim, we have successfully freed 28 lakh distressed women from extreme poverty by implementing 54 programmes across the country,;' Dr Hosne Ara Begum, Executive Director and founder of TMSS, told this correspondent.

"We are now working hard to improve the condition and status of women of 27 lakh families to achieve the millennium development goal (MDG), she added. Fatema Begum of Thengamara village under Bogra Sadar upazila launched the NGO in 1980 with 376 women beggars through depositing their handfuls of rice. In 1982, Hosne Ara took the responsibility of the organization which infused inspiration into the beggars.

In last 27 years, the network of the organization has been expanded to 18,000 villages of 266 upazilas in 63 districts under the dynamic leadership of Dr Hosne Ara and it has been able to gather 29 lakh women under its umbrella. TMSS's lively presence in cottage industries, health, education, microcredit, fishery, agriculture, human resources development, afforestation and solar power has encouraged many NGOs in the country.

Dr Hosne Ara, who became woman from man through sex change, said, "I had promised that if I could return to normal life after. operation I will dedicate myself to the welfare of women and I have kept my promise." As a partner of many projects and initiatives of national and international organizations, she said, TMSS is playing an important role in protecting women rights, checking woman and child trafficking and national nutrition activities to achieve the MDG.

Dr Hosne Ara, who is an Ashoka fellow, said TMSS in cooperation with Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) is carrying out microcredit programme at 6,198 villages under 147 upazilas of 31 districts. "So far we have provided loans of over Taka 1600 crore to 27.76 lakh beneficiaries," she added. She said TMSS is also working for the development of poultry and livestock industry and implementing coordinated HEM model comprising health, education and microcredit through its 650 offices. There are a number of dairy and poultry farms in different districts run by TMSS, she said. To continue the trend of sustainable development, Dr Rosne Ara said, TMSS is providing formal and non-formal education, religious and life-based education at the grassroots level.

Besides expanding healthcare service through 64 sub-clinics and satellite clinics across the country, TMSS is also taking part in family planning, regularly, she said." TMSS has given medicare to about 60,000 people under the mother and childcare, family planning nutrition sanitation and EPI programmes, secondary and referral service regularly, she said. "TMSS has give medicare to about 60,000 people under the mother and children, family planning and EPI Programmes. "Dr Hosne Ara said her organization has set up technical institute, vocational training centre, medical technology institute and medical institute of research and technology to create skilled manpower in the country. Moreover, the establishment of TMSS medical college and TMSS nursing college is awaiting government approval, she added.

She said TMSS is contributing a lot to eliminate 'monga' (seasonal famine) from the country's northern region by expanding agriculture activities and creating employment.

Dr Rosne Ara, who won a number of national awards, said they could not reach their expected goal in terms of empowerment of distressed women as they cannot face all sorts of situation like males. "We would continue our efforts till the goal is achieved," she said.