1. Background

Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO) started its journey in 1988 with a noble vision to stand in solidarity with the poor and marginalized. Being a peoples' centered organization, ESDO envisioned for a society which will be free from inequality and injustice, a society where no child will cry from hunger and no life will be ruined by poverty. Over two decades of relentless efforts to make this happen, ESDO has embraced new grounds and opened up new horizons to help the disadvantaged and vulnerable people to bring meaningful and lasting changes in their lives. During this long span, ESDO has adapted with the changing situation and provided the most time-bound services especially for the poor and disadvantaged.  A community focused and people centered approach has been adapted by ESDO while consideration was given to the national policy and millennium development Goal (MDG) as its guiding principle.

ESDO is one of the most dynamic organizations expanding its development interventions across 107 upazilas under 23 districts of Bangladesh covering over 6.5 million poor and vulnerable people.

2. Executive Summery

 Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO) continuous its mended for holistic development of rural populations in the areas of livelihood, skill development, health, education,  water and sanitation, nutrition, mother and child health care services, kitchen gardening, growth monitoring, immunizations, arsenic mitigation and the developing needs of marginalized people of Bangladesh from its inception 1988. At the same time ESDO has been continuing micro credit, social development, food security, disaster management, agricultural development, livestock, fisheries, water resources management, hazardous child labour reduction, counter trafficking intervention, human rights, adult education, child education, skill development activities for ensuring equitable society free from poverty in ESDOs working area.

ESDO managed mentioned programs in 692 slums, 857 unions, 107 upazilas and 23 districts of Bangladesh, directly reaching more than 6.5 million poor and vulnerable people. Different need-based programs are aimed to enhancing the capabilities of deprived people in terms of social development, disaster facina, food security, agriculture, gender, nutrition, micro finance, health, environment, rights and governance, education and human development, and with empowering them to solve the problems that affect their lives and to cooperate with each other to resisting oppression and exploitation. The undertaking of such self-initiated and autonomous actions is an important achievement in a context where the deprived people are dependent for their livelihood and social security. 

For last two decade, ESDO has been serving with untiring efforts to bring forth and optimum development situation in Bangladesh. During this long span of time ESDO has been intent to adapt with the changing situation and provide the most time-fitting services especially for the poor and disadvantaged. The comprehensive software & hardware support package has been dedicated to ensure, skill development activities ,social development, food security, disaster management, agricultural development, livestock, fisheries, water resources management, micro credit ,hazardous child labour reduction, counter trafficking intervention, human rights, adult education, child education, health and nutrition, hygienic sanitation and personal hygiene for the grassroots people while focusing on community motivation and empowerment of people. A community focused and people centered approach has been adapted by ESDO while considering the national policy and millennium development Goal (MDG) as its guiding principle.

For the sake of bringing sustainable food security, skill development, livelihood development, ESDO provides demand-driven and bottom-up services, instead of supply-driven and top-down services, ensuring community participation in every step from planning, through decision-making to implementation and monitoring and follow-up as well as cost sharing by community people. Maintaining this process ESDO has succeeded in creating a sense of ownership of the programmes among the community. This approach has contributed greatly to the sustainability of the program success.

ESDO has made advocacy programmes having major components like gender awareness and women rights, social mobilization, legal aid services, hazardous child labour reduction movement, disaster management, social assistance to Adibashis and extreme minorities, counter trafficking  etc. along with various promotional activities.

ESDO Training & Resources Centre (ETRC) provided various types of training courses considering the category and capability of the recipients. During the period, 203572 Beneficiaries received different types of training. ETRC is well equipped with all sorts of facilities such as OHP, Multimedia, Projector, Sound System and many modules. A group of well experienced and dedicated trainer providing continuous services to the beneficiaries through ETRC’s own training plan. Due to changing context of the development sectors as well as the emergent need to build the capacity of the development workers in facing the new challenges in the development field, ESDO provided different types of trainings to its staff at country and abroad level. As the outcome of the staff development initiative, the staff that received training and participated in the development process became competent and skilled in their concern working area. They became capable in relation to effective programme planning, implementation, programme and organizational management and contributed effectively in solving problems relating to their professional responsibilities. 

ESDO initiate formation of groups through a systematic empowerment of the people of a certain area to achieve the set goal. Under micro finance programme, up to June 2014 a total of 8665 groups has been formed comprising 109658 Members. A total of Tk. 7830615000.00 was disbursed during this period.

ESDO has long realized that fact that only credit services cannot bring a sustainable change towards improved lifestyle among the beneficiaries. Therefore, it started different integrated development package.

ESDO started its agricultural development programme with and aim towards contributing to self-sufficiency of the country in agriculture sector through production of more crops using appropriate methods, technologies and apparatus. During this period, 44133 farmers constituting 1252 groups were enrolled. Among them, 44133 farmers received different types of training and 33844 farmers were benefited from the supply of inputs and technical assistance. A total amount of 777107000.00 Tk. Was disbursed as loan among 33844 farmers considering their categories.

To make the village women financially sound, ESDO started poultry & livestock programme from the very beginning. In this regard, Tk. 1442920900.00 was disbursed among 11576 beneficiaries. ESDO has also providing technical assistance quality breed and marketing linkage. Moreover, a total of 850000 poultry birds and about 156000 cattle were vaccinated during the period.

ESDO started its education programme back in 1988 by providing formal and non-formal education along with vocational training to improve their knowledge and skills under DNFE, ILO, Manusher Jonno, Oxfam, Directorate of Labour and Plan-Bangladesh. In this connection, ESDO awarded as a Best Non-Government Organization in Non-Formal Education at 1996 by Government of Bangladesh.

ESDO has been working since its inception on raising awareness on different social and legal issues amongst the organized groups with the support of SDF, WFP, IOM, PKSF, CARE, HEKS-Switzerland, WFP and different donors.

Considering the health implications and requirement of good nutritional status, ESDO set forth its health, nutrition and environmental development programme. ESDO provided various types of reproductive, child and general health services by operating a total of 100 satellite and static clinics through Health Pilot Programme (HPO), Community Managed Health Care Initiative (CMHCI), ESDO Community Hospital (ECH) and Hazardous Child Labour Reduction Movement (HCLRM). Through these projects ESDO is contributing towards improving the health and nutrition status of the people within the intervention areas through NMR / MMR reduction, family planning, immunization, TBA training, distribution of Vitamin A capsule, Primary health care services, WATSAN, health education etc. Under these projects, 81,000 community people have so far been benefited. Being aware about the risk factors during delivery and pregnancy, 98% delivery cases were done safely by ESDO’s qualified persons. Besides, more than 62% delivery was done by ESDO’s trained TBAs. On the other hand, a total of 210000 under one year were immunized under ESDO’s health intervention. As regards to family planning services, ESDO provided various types of clinical and non-clinical services to its beneficiaries. ESDO provided various types of safe water, sanitation and hygiene education services under the projects Advancing Sustainable Environmental Health (ASEH), Arsenic Mitigation Programme, Sanitation, Hygiene and Water Supply Project. Through these projects, ESDO is contributing towards improving the safe water, sanitation and hygiene education of the people within the intervention areas. Under these projects, a total of 3705275 community people have so far been benefited. About the safe water and sanitation, 163090 no. of tube-well screen for arsenic mitigation 17682 no. of tube-well installation 60320 no. of sanitary latrine installation and more than 90% people aware about hygiene education.

ESDO has been conducting Community Nutrition Initiative (CNI) and SHOUHARDO with the support of World Food Programme (WFP) and CARE/ USAID. The activities according to objective were highly satisfactory and significant change has been occurred. A good number of children were covered by the growth monitoring & promotion activity through regular follow-up, supervision & monitoring. A huge number of underweight newborn infants have been substantially improved from the status of severe malnutrition.

ESDO regularly conduct three types of planning for project activities. These are: (i) Strategic Plan (ii) Business Plan (iii) Yearly Plan.

ESDO facilities monitoring considering it as an essential tools for its programme management to measure the effectiveness of ESDO programmes both on quantitative and qualitative aspects. The effective facilitation of regular monitoring also enables the ESDO management take necessary correctively measures on its programme interventions at the right time. ESDO’s all project activities are monitored monthly and quarterly basis by the respective project supervisors besides this ESDO has a group of experienced monitor team under the guidance of team leader. The monitor team has monitored the project activities quarterly and submits report to the Executive Director as well as in monthly coordination meeting. According to the monitoring findings, the ESDO management undertook action to improve the planned activities.

For ensuring qualitative and quantities programme ESDO’s all project activities periodically and regularly audited by ESDO’s Internal Audit Team. A professional group regularly audited ESDO’s entire project under the direct supervision of Executive Director. As per audit findings, the concern sectoral coordinators ensure to meet-up their lacking or shortfall within require period.

ESDO regularly evaluated ESDO’s programmes and projects through different period. Mid-term evaluation and final evaluation is mandatory for each programme.

ESDO has its own transparent financial system as well as comply with donor’s requirement. ESDO maintain both accruals, cash basis accounting, and follow the double entry accounting system. Keeping accounts both way manually and by software also.

Weekly, monthly and Quarterly reporting systems are established. ESDO is able to produce and provide report to the donor as per their requirements.

ESDO believes that efficient staff is a significant parameter of organizational strength. ESDO consider them as the most valuable resources. 5170 staff has been working with ESDO, among them 1670 are male and 3500 are female. Of the total staff 109 are working in the central office and the rest 5061 are working under the regional and branch offices.   

3. Vision

We seek an equitable society free from all discriminations.

4. Mission

 Reduction in income poverty and human poverty of the people in ESDOs working area through undertaking massive  intregrated development program for the poor and marginalized community through  service delivary and rights based approach.income generation  literacy programme  nutrition and health programme  human rights and good governance programme giving proper importance to environmental protection and regeneration. ESDO firmly believes and is actively involved in promoting human rights, dignity and gender equality through people's social, economic, political and human capacity building. Women in general and children are the core and central focus of its activities. Strengthening the organizational capacity carries importance to ensure quality of its services. Extending its services to the ultra poor is its main manifesto.

5. Establishment: 3rd April 1988

6. Legal Status

• Registered with the Department of Social Service in 1988, Registration No. DSS/440/88
• Registered with the NGO Affairs Bureau in 1993, Registration No. 694/93 (Renewed-2012)
• Registered with the Miicro-credit Regulatory Authority, No: MRA-0000204
• Tax Identification Number TIN)-597328140198/Circle-90(Companies)
• Vat Number: Area Code: 60302, Registration No: 6131020432
• Registered with the Department of Family Planning in 2000, Registration No.  A-149/2000
• Licensed with Directorate of Health Services (for Hospital), License No. 1983 

7. Networking

Child Labour Elimination Action Network (CLEAN),   CAMPE, ECDN, IEF, ADAB, CDF, Educate the Children International, Global Microcredit Summit-USA, Food Security Cluster-Bangladesh, CSA for SUN, BD, Market Development Forum (MDF).

8. Development Partners

World Food Programme (WFP), WFP-IFPRI, UNICEF, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),  European Union/Directorate of Women Affairs-GOB, European Union/CARE-Bangladesh, Mac Arther Foundation/CARE-Bangladesh, PLAN-International Bangladesh, Save the Children, CARE-Bangladesh/USAID, HEKS-Switzerland, DFID-Maxwell Stamp/PLC, Max Foundation-Netherland, Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), Bangladesh NGO Foundation, Local Government Engineering Department-GOB, Directorate of Health-GOB, Water Aid-Bangladesh, Directorate of Women Affairs-GOB, Directorate of Primary Education-GOB, Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh, Steps Towards Development (STD), Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme(CDMP).

9. Governance

A General Body governs ESDO. General Body elects a 7-member Executive Committee (EC). EC provides policy guidelines. The Member Secretary of the EC guides the team/staff members in order to accomplish the day to day activities, as Executive Director of the organization. As member secretary of the organization, Executive Directior organize monthly meeting and all agendas including problems of the participants which are collected from field level are discussed in the meeting and the executive committee take decision on behalf of organization and send to the field. In this process two way techniques (Bottom to up and Up to Bottom) are maintaining in decision making.   Beside ESDO organizes Annual General Meeting in each financial year, where all member of general body attend the meeting. As the executive committee is accountable to the general body so in this meeting all agenda of the year are discussed. All sectoral head on behalf of the executive director present their yearly progress and provide answer to the general body if required. Yearly budget also review and budget for next year is approved in the AGM. In ESDO’s AGM there are various stakeholders invited like public representative, member of civil society, media man, officer of the social welfare, member of the beneficiaries group, Go NGO personnel, staff etc.                               

10. Present Structure:

                        General Body                          :           18 members    

                        Executive Committee (EC)      :           7 members

11. Participants selection criteria

•        Poor & disadvantaged people, especially women and children.

•        Who earn livelihood by selling manual Labour.

•        Extreme Minority, Ethnic group and Indigenous people. 
  

12. Recognition:

•        ESDO awarded by Govt. of Peoples Republic of Bangladesh as a “Best Organization in Non-Formal Education Sector-1997”.

•        ESDO awarded by Citibank N.A. (USA) as a “Best Microfinance Institution of the year-2006”.

13. ESDO’s Working Area

14. Management system

Financial Management system

ESDO has its own transparent financial system as well as comply with donors requirements. ESDO maintain both accruals, cash basis accounting, and follow the double entry accounting system.  Keeping accounts both way manually and by software.

Reporting system

Weekly, monthly and quarterly reporting systems in on-going practice. ESDO has regularly published Annual Report. 

Monitoring

The monitoring team monitored the project activities quarterly basis and according to the monitoring findings ESDO management undertake action to improve the planned activities.

Internal Audit

 For ensuring transparent and accountable operation, Independant Internal Audit Team has been working with the mandate of quality program.

Evaluation

ESDO regularly evaluated ESDO’s programs and projects through different time-frame. Mid-term evaluation and Final evaluation is mandatory for each and every program.

15. Existing Staff Status of ESDO

ESDO has started its journey in 1988 in Thakurgaon district and now it has expanded its offices in 23 districts and a total of 5170 staff are working on permanent and project basis. Among them 1870 male and 3300  female are serving in ESDO.  

16. Summary of ESDO’s Area coverage, staff and budget 

• Regional / Branch Offices: 291
• Total households covered: 12, 64,136
• Total population covered: 65,20,680
• District Covered: 23 districts
• Upazila Coverage: 107 Upazila
• Total Staff: 5170
• Male-1670   Female-3500
• Male Female Ratio:
• Annual Budget (2014-2015): BDT. 503244589.76

17. Ongoing Programs

                     i.            Disaster Management and Climate Change  Adaptation Programme

                   ii.            Health, Hygiene, Nutrition and Sanitation Programme

                  iii.            Food Security Programme

                 iv.            Rights and Governance Programme

                  v.            Agricultural Development Programme

                 vi.            Education Programme

               vii.            Microfinance Programme

              viii.            ESDO Special Initiative

i. Disaster Management and Climate Change Adaptation Programme

ii. Health, Hygiene and Nutrition Programme

iii. Food Security Programme

iv. Rights and Governance Programme

v. Agricultural Development Programme

vi. Education Programme

vii. Micro Finance Programme