R4D Bangladesh

Can Basic Entrepreneurship Transform the Economic Lives of the Poor?

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:31 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Bandiera, O.; Burgess, R.; Narayan Das; Gulesci, S.; Imran Rasul; Munshi Sulaiman. Can Basic Entrepreneurship Transform the Economic Lives of the Poor? (2013) 53 pp. [STICERD Economic Organisation and Public Policy Discussion Papers, paper no EOPP 43]

Summary: The world’s poorest people lack capital and skills and toil for others in occupations that others shun. Using a large-scale and long-term randomized control trial in Bangladesh this paper demonstrates that sizable transfers of assets and skills enable the poorest women to shift out of agricultural labor and into running small businesses. This shift, which persists and strengthens after assistance is withdrawn, leads to a 38% increase in earnings. Inculcating basic entrepreneurship, where severely disadvantaged women take on occupations which were the preserve of non-poor women, is shown to be a powerful means of transforming the economic lives of the poor.

Market Development Project: Findings from the Producer and Service Provider Baseline Surveys

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:58 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: McIntosh, R.A.; Rashid, S.Z.; Alam, M.; Kumar, S.C.; Akash, H.A. Market Development Project: Findings from the Producer and Service Provider Baseline Surveys. (2013) 38 pp.

Summary: The CLP and iDE are implementing a market development project using a Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach. This project is a natural extension of the CLP’s long-established asset transfer programme. It aims to increase the wellbeing of people on the chars through a wide, interconnected range of interventions in the local livestock sector. In order for the CLP to assess the impact of the project and monitor its progress, and for future market development projects to learn from the approach taken by the programme, it is necessary for the project to be supported by a robust monitoring and evaluation system. The methodology and findings are detailed in this report

A study to assess the outcomes of the CLP on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:48 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Cordier, L.; Kenward, S.; Zahangir, A. A study to assess the outcomes of the CLP on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. (2013) 24 pp.

Summary: The CLP recognises the importance of addressing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) on the chars. The CLP provides essential infrastructure to char dwellers to ensure access to clean water and adequate sanitation, and raises awareness about health and hygiene. Improving access to WASH is essential as it has an overarching impact and contributes to a number of the programme’s main outcomes, including food security, nutrition and improved livelihoods.

A recent study led by the Innovation, Monitoring and Learning (IML) division revealed that the CLP was having a mixed impact on WASH. Further research was conduced in October 2012 to further assess the CLP’s WASH outcomes. This report documents the findings of the research.

Report on the 8th Lesson Learning Workshop "Gender Mainstreaming and Application of Digital Technology"

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:17 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Anon. Report on the 8th Lesson Learning Workshop "Gender Mainstreaming and Application of Digital Technology". (2013) 19 pp.

Summary: The eighth lesson learning workshop had a combined theme of “Gender Mainstreaming and Application of Digital Technology” and was hosted by Oxfam at Bangladesh Development Society in Barishal on 4-6 February 2013. Gender is central to Oxfam’s REE-CALL project, and in recent months Shiree has conducted a gender audit as part of a more in-depth gender mainstreaming initiative. The Oxfam Lesson Learning Workshop was therefore seen as the ideal place to present the findings from this audit, and have a wider discussion about gendered issues within the Shiree programme as a whole and how interventions could be improved by viewing activities through a “gender lens”. The CMS2 roll-out was the inspiration for the second theme which was centred on the application of digital technology, with M-Power presenting the CMS2 visualisation. Participating NGOs were also invited to present their own digital innovations. The opportunity was also taken for short presentations on the Manifesto for the Extreme Poor and changes to the shiree research process. The event brought together all Scale Fund NGOs, iDE and SCI’s TANISHA project from the Innovation Fund, as well as Shiree representatives.

The effects of ill health on the livelihoods of extremely poor Adivasis in Bangladesh. Shiree Working Paper

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:06 GMT

Production Year: 2013

Citation: Zakir Hossain, S. The effects of ill health on the livelihoods of extremely poor Adivasis in Bangladesh. Shiree Working Paper. Shiree, Dhaka, Bangladesh (2013) 24 pp.

Summary: This paper presents findings from a study of the effects of ill health on selected extremely poor ethnic minority Adivasi groups (sometimes referred to as tribal groups) in the northwestern Barind region of Bangladesh. It outlines causes of ill health and explores how these are linked to poverty or marginalization. It also explores how problems of ill health and poverty are exacerbated by poor access to health services for extremely poor Adivasis who often live in remote areas and have limited access to information about health services. The findings support arguments for better health provision for extremely poor Adivasi people in Bangladesh, and for more inclusive and effective health services tailored to their linguistic, cultural, locational and livelihood circumstances. The findings support the view that both the provision of inexpensive and effective health services, and measures to help people protect their livelihoods when coping with illness, are vital for the reduction of extreme poverty in Bangladesh.

Exploring the impact of community solidarity building approach in addressing social discrimination. Shiree Working Paper No. 13

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:51 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Mizanur Rahman, M.; Saifuddin Ahmed; Abdul Bari, S.M. Exploring the impact of community solidarity building approach in addressing social discrimination. Shiree Working Paper No. 13. Shiree, Dhaka, Bangladesh (2012) 26 pp.

Summary: CARE-Bangladesh are implementing a project titled 'Social and Economic Transformation of the Ultra-poor‟ (SETU) in the north-western part of Bangladesh assisted by SHIREE and funded by DFID. SETU believes that changes in the poverty situation are not a standalone matter; rather they require a combination of social inclusion, economic empowerment, pro-poor governance, and learning and influencing that works to graduate extreme poor households out of poverty. This paper aims to explore how SETU is building community solidarity in its working areas and how this solidarity is addressing social discriminations at the community levels.

Helpdesk Report: Barriers to Learning

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:40 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Holley, C.; Featherstone, I. Helpdesk Report: Barriers to Learning. Human Development Resource Centre, UK (2012) 29 pp.

Summary: Query: Why are there poor quality student learning outcomes, even though enrolment is high? What is the global research that sheds light on the problem of children who are in school but not learning? Do traditional inputs such as classrooms, textbooks, cascading teacher training and others create the enabling learning environment needed?

Summary: Despite increasing numbers of children being enrolled in school, their learning outcomes are often of poor quality. This report looks at the issues and research on poor quality student learning outcomes and what inputs can create the enabling learning environment needed to address this. The report begins with a brief section on the context of the education system in Bangladesh. A key global evidence paper is then presented which provides an overview of many of the issues related to poor learning outcomes in developing countries.

Impact of municipal billing systems on revenue collection

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 07:29 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Sumedh Rao. Impact of municipal billing systems on revenue collection Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, (2012) 9 pp.

Summary: Query: Identify literature regarding the impact of municipal billing systems on revenue collection.

Key findings: Billing processes play a critical role in revenue for a number of public sector organisations, including municipalities. In the delivery of public services, for example, billing drives cash flow and is the key source of information for customers using these services. This helpdesk report shows that in many countries, reforming billing processes, coupled with strengthening collection processes, has improved revenue collection. Most of the evidence about the role of billing in revenue collection comes from the water sector.

Some experts argue that billing systems based on consumption are more likely to be paid by individual users. In the water sector, this could take the form of universal adoption of water metering or spot-billing. Other measures to improve revenue collection include computerising customer databases and billing systems. Eliminating human handling from all billing processes has been seen to prevent fraud and billing errors, and some advocate pre-payment as a means of increasing collections.

A number of case studies illustrate the improvement of revenues through better billing and collection processes; most of these are from the water sector. The case studies presented in this helpdesk report are from Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, India, Kenya, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Thailand and Uganda.

Review of the Education Pilot of Chars Livelihoods Programme (CLP)

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:22 GMT

Production Year: 2012

Citation: Anon. Review of the Education Pilot of Chars Livelihoods Programme (CLP). (2012) 34 pp.

Summary: The Chars Livelihoods Programme (CLP) works with extremely poor households living on islands of north western Bangladesh, and aims to improve the livelihoods of over one million people. The Education pilot is a small component within CLP, its aim being to set up Learning Centres, in un-schooled areas of the chars where the CLP is working. One full cycle of primary schooling was planned in 2007 and will be completed in late 2012. The Report summarises the findings of the two member team that sought to assess the effectiveness of the Pilot and to suggest how the lessons on the pilot can be shared with other providers of primary schooling in remote areas of Bangladesh.

Manifesto for the Extreme Poor

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:30 GMT

The Economic Empowerment of the Poorest Programme (EEP) is working in Bangladesh to help understand extreme poverty and develop effective strategies for empowerment and economic growth.