ALARAFAH SAVINGS AND COMMERCE COMPANY LTD (ASCCL)
Introduction
In recent times, the financial progress can only be possible by affording the available capital and proper use of that 80% of the people of the country fail to survive the financial competition due to lack of capital despite their capacity and skill for the small capital or no capital traders, the accumulation of capital is not only difficult rather impossible considering the complexity of the banking and financial process. the only way one to overcome the barrier is to organize the educated, medium educated and jobless population through the co-operative by which the capital can be accumulated by distribution of share and collection of deposit leading to the establishment of small and medium scale industries like poultry farming, livestock farming, aquaculture and other profit generating ventures.
Following the objective, poverty alleviation can easily be possible by massive organization of the people through skilled management and affording the capital in easy terms. With a strong commitment to employment creation, poverty alleviation and financial emancipation as well as creating the investment opportunity in easy terms on co-operative basis to be conducted in the Banking system, Alarafah Savings And Commerce Company Ltd, Reg. No. C-105476, has been established with the approval of The Govt. of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
Aims and objectives
Achieving self sufficiency and poverty alleviation * Unity and mutual trust * Trust deposit and attractive profit * Honesty and quality service * Cooperation to build an smooth environment * Interest free Islamic investment * Easy term credit and easy repayment * Ensuring less service charge compared to other similar firms * Commitment to High quality service.
Future Plan
- Establish school, college and university
- Establish madrasah and orphanage
- Establish modern hospital
- Establish shopping mall
- Establish Electronics Company.
Mission and Vision
The mission and vision of this firm shall be:
Adoption and implementation of project by converging the socially penniless, small and medium entrepreneurs to the larger capital including providing facilities like private and public financial entities.
Providing small capital to the small traders or penniless, rehabilitating them and establishing revolving fund for occupation based employment.
Organize jobless educated youth and assist in trade and business by providing small investment.
Bring acceleration in national development and financial activities by smooth investment of deposit.
Characteristics of the Company
Promise of release for reliable savings, sound investment and guaranteed future, employment, poverty alleviation and economic redemption. A completely non-profit based profit organization. Sure investment’s secure destiny. To facilitate extensive employment through branch expansion. Directed by well-trained, skilled and talented marketing officer.
Investment projects:
Small and Medium Investment Project:
Housing Project, Fisheries Project, Transportation Project, Modern workshop project, advanced modern shopping mall project, Institute for modern education management, Flat, House, Car, Industrial factory.
Poultry farm, Dairy farm, Rice mill, Pharmacy, Hospital, Show-room.
In this course of events different stakeholder’s were engaged however intensity of engagement with target households were comparatively low; engagement with general members of ASCCL was done during annual general meeting; however there were appetite by the members to go for a follow up discussion which was also organized later. One of the limitations in this process was inability to accurately predict donor fund flow in next five years so this was done on the basis of last five years trend at ASCCL and other one was non engagement of an OD specialist who could lead to better organization and write up of entire document.
POVERTY
Bangladesh is a country of 160 million. Although Bangladesh is progressing on the road to reducing its poverty however still about 47 million people (31.5%) in Bangladesh remains under poverty. It is also now a common observation that despite economic recession at the west, Bangladesh economy has been growing at the rate of average 6 percent per annum for last ten years.
EXTREME POVERTY
Out of the above, 26 million remains in extreme poverty Bangladesh is also faced with the challenge of rising inequality.
There is a widespread concern that economic growth has not been shared fairly, and that the current crisis would further widen the gap between the rich and the poor. The inequality in income has increased from 0.451 in 2000 to 0.458 in 2010 with a rate of escalation by 0.16 per cent. Unequal pattern of growth has a weaker poverty alleviating effect and has also been shown to be harmful to growth. Moreover, inequality affects persistence of poverty. Apart from the above it is also observed that government spending for education and health care is reducing. Market driven philosophy is restricting to move for more universal access to social services. Above is bringing sufferings for the poor people and a slow rate of poverty reduction in Bangladesh. Besides the above, climate problems are also perpetuating poverty; this is evident from shortage of food production, pollution of water bodies, salinity of river and shallow water levels and shortage of sweet and clean water. These are especially evident Barisal and Khulna divisions in relation to frequency of disasters and environmental challenges that are more acutely faced by these regions. Apart from that vast majority of poor remain voiceless and powerless and hence from a political economy angle they are not able to influence the necessary political, economic and social gain in their favor.
URBANIZATION
Bangladesh is getting urbanized rapidly. As per predictions about fifty percent of the population will be living in urban areas by 2030. Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet are main engines of growth. There are 300 towns where population is between 50,000 to 300000. However service for the urban poor is neglected. No safety net service for the urban poor is available. Water and Sanitation service in urban poor settlement is in dismal conditions. No fecal sludge management service is in place. Bangladesh needs to consider strong support for basic services in secondary towns.
DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION
Population growth has been slowed down in last decade and this is specifically observed that population growth now is at 1.4% per annum. Estimated contraceptive prevalence rate is now 61% in Bangladesh (2011) besides that Total Fertility Rate is 2.3 children per woman. Above indicates that Bangladesh is moving towards a replacement level. (Total fertility rate at which women would have only enough children to replace themselves and their partner. The replacement fertility rate is roughly 2.1 births per woman for most industrialized nations). Bangladesh is also going to get advantage of larger section of young work force (16-64 years of age) in comparison to dependant population in the country (under 15 years of age). These demographic patterns will provide Bangladesh a “demography dividend” to reduce its poverty in an accelerated rate. It is also mentionable that average life expectancy has also reached the level of 69. An increased number of young work forces are entering the market out numbering the child age group.
HEALTH CARE
Bangladesh has achieved progress in reaching its population with basic primary health care; MMR is 1.9 per 1000 live births and IMR is 48 per 1000 live birth. National immunization rate is above 84 %. However extreme poor population both in urban and rural areas are not able to take advantage of the government run health systems and other service providers are limited in number and remain available only in cities and towns.
In Nutrition front basic challenge is BMI of women of child bearing age; about 25% of mothers are suffering from malnutrition and children (22%) are suffering from wasting and stunting. About 22%, of Bangladesh children is born with low birth weight which is highest in the world. These children are at risk of death or severe impairment of growth and development. (ICCDDR, B, State of Food Security in Bangladesh, 2010)
AGRICULTURE
Despite decline in Agriculture cultivable land Bangladesh has done considerably well and production of Rice, wheat and maize has been tremendously increased. Bangladesh has 8.44 million hectares of arable land as of 2010 (DAE). It was possible for Bangladesh farmers to use irrigation, mechanization and modern farming practices to produce more than 35 million tons of rice along with 0.1 million tons of wheat in 2011, sufficient to feed its 160 million people. As a result for the first time in its history it was possible for Bangladesh to refrain from food grain imports.
However in future, the growth in food production is likely to be slow down because of climatic and demographic changes and price unpredictability may engulf the nation in the coming years.
LITERACY
Overall literacy rate is 56.5% where men are 62% and female is 51 percent. Literacy rates are low in hard to reach remote and poverty pockets of Bangladesh such as urban slums, wet land areas, Chittagong Hill tracts and the coastal belt.
According to Education for All Global Monitoring Report of UNESCO (2011) in Bangladesh girl’s enrollment is higher than boys. For last twenty years girl’s education is free up to SSC. Above is bringing positive dividends for the country and society at large.
WATER SANITATION AND HYGIENE
Bangladesh is blessed with abundance of natural underground sweet water reserves, however country is still preparing itself to understand and quantify reserve of these precious resource; above is fundamental and critical to continue livelihoods in this densely populated country. Bangladesh has achieved universal access to safe drinking water supply; however Arsenic contamination of its ground water beyond permissible limit is badly affecting 20 million populations in the country.
Because of regular campaign and government initiative Sanitation coverage has increased and as per JMP open defecation has reduced from 40.3% in 2003 to 4 % in 2012. WASH sector financing gap is about 600 million USD (SDP GoB 2011-2025). Another major problem that has emerged is pollution of river and water bodies and contamination of underground aquifer by chemical and human fecal pollutants. Treatment of waste water is virtually nonexistent in the country and government is not showing any interest in decentralized fecal sludge management or treatment of waste water. Another emerging problem is there are 300 hundred secondary towns in Bangladesh and they shall be increasingly facing the problem of water supply and Sanitation and Bangladesh so far remains unprepared to meet above challenge.
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
Bangladesh has strongly progressed all this years in building its capacity and resilience of its population in connection with disaster risk reduction. In 1970 more than 300,000 people were killed by a cyclone that hit the country at that time. However during Sidr death toll was less than 3500 and during Aila it was little above than 100. In this year’s Bangladesh became a success story in relation to its preparedness to face natural disasters with less mortality of its vulnerable poor population.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Recent world environment report identified Bangladesh as most vulnerable country in relation to high frequency of natural disasters connected to climate change. It has been estimated that in comparison to 1750 concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by forty percent. Because of burning of fossil fuel (petrol, gas and coal) every year more than thirty billion Tons of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and chlorofluorocarbon) is entering the atmosphere. Absorption capacity of carbon dioxide by plants and oceans (specific gravity of saline water is high) has stretched to its peak and in future capacity to absorb carbon dioxide will not increase. Presence of access greenhouse gas remains responsible for global rise of temperature and related climate change problem that is affecting Bangladesh significantly. In relation to the above Bangladesh is faced with erratic rainfall and increase in number and intensity of different natural disasters. On the other many rivers at the coastal belt and shallow aquifer has become saline. Sixty percent of the worldwide deaths caused by cyclones in the last
20 years occurred in Bangladesh. Because of river erosion, cyclones and flood already Bangladesh is facing challenges of displaced people; they are either moving internally or migrating to neighboring countries in particular to India.
MICROFINANCE SECTOR
As per reference in current literature there are about 34 million micro credit clients in Bangladesh. There are numerous NGO organizations who are engaged in microfinance activities. However Grameen Bank, ASA and brac controls the major share of micro credit clients. There are panel data for a period of twenty years which reflects that participants of the program show consistent decline of their poverty level.
NGO SECTOR IN BANGLADESH
It should be noted that NGO activities in Bangladesh was started at the time of Bangladesh liberation war and basically was directed to support its population in war torn, famine effected country after liberation. Since then it travelled through relief, rehabilitation, development and to rights based approaches. Throughout this period Bangladesh witnessed growth of a strong NGO sector. As per NGO Affair’s Bureau statistics in 2011 there were 2000 registered NGO organizations working in Bangladesh. They are able to secure foreign assistance at different times; among them 200 were of foreign origin. About 400 organizations are active and performing regular activities. In fiscal year 2010-2011 NGO Affairs Bureau released 200 crore BDT in favor of such NGOs. However that role of NGO Sector is slowly declining and as per BBS NGO sectors influence in Bangladesh GDP is 1.8% (2011). Besides NGOs philosophy and modus operandi
over the years has been influenced by global institutions like UN, WB and bilateral donor agencies. Apart from that engagement in micro credit to remain sustainable appeared as one of the dominant trend in Bangladesh. Besides that there are NGOs who are supported from religious thinking’s and also some are related to funding from the Middle East; such NGOs are to continue and strengthen more conservative fundamental views on life in the society. There are allegations that in the name of NGOs some organizations are trying to support fundamentalist forces and also Rhohingiay’s. All this possibly prompted Bangladesh government to review and revise law on regulation of NGOs in Bangladesh and that is seen as step to restrict activities of NGOs in Bangladesh.
CHALLENGES
Inequality remains as a strong challenge for Bangladesh. All pertinent indicators show wide variation and rising inequality in Bangladesh. In coming years this will be a daunting task for Bangladesh to adopt policies, systems, procedures and allocate resources to reduce inequality.
It is critical to strengthen health systems to reach effectively and efficiently poorer section of the population specifically extreme poor in Bangladesh to reduce their vulnerabilities and pull them out of extreme poverty.
Voice and space of the marginalized are weak and a special efforts should be required by the state to encourage their visible participation in the functions of the economy and state.
To focus urgently on hard to reach and remote poverty pockets where people are constantly denied their access to rights and entitlements (safety nets)
To deal, with the problem of increased urbanization,problem of inadequate WASH services in major cities, secondary towns and hard to reach remote areas of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh also needs to focus its attention on training and capacity building of its emerging young work force to push them out of poverty.
It is obvious that improvement of livelihoods is of prime importance to pull Bangladesh poor population out of poverty. In connection with that demand for income generation and in relation to that supply of capital, business skills development and assistance in value chain is of critical importance. It has been observed that despite strong micro credit operation in Bangladesh market is not saturated; still one does observe visibility of money lenders and private lending societies who are doing business on high interest rates. In link with this Bangladesh needs to further focus on supply and availability of credit to the poor as well as continue support cash or asset transfers.
GENESIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF ASCCL
In mid-eighties some young professionals wanted to devote some of their time to support poor HHs living in urban slums of Dhaka. They thought and realized that they have to discharge some of their time in the benefit of disadvantaged HHs living in urban slums of Dhaka. As some of them were Medical doctors so idea was to start some free health clinics in slums on a weekly basis so that they can provide free prescriptions and free drug samples collected from pharmaceutical companies. This continued for few years and in 1988 Bangladesh did face a devastating flood that engulfed two thirds of the country and even major portion of Dhaka city the capital of Bangladesh went under flood water. People suffered major problems and miseries. In this background activists sat together and decided to start a flood relief activity discharging batch of medical team and also distribute some relief materials that were possible to collect from enthusiastic sympathetic citizens.
Since 2019 ASCCL started Community based Disaster Risk Reduction projects; this was a new discipline for ASCCL although for long organization has been long attached with relief and rehabilitation projects and programs. For last few years ASCCL has been intensely engaged with disaster risk reduction projects. Several staff was trained in this new discipline and training materials and hand books have been printed to strengthen organizational capacity and its institutional memory. Through such training, capacity building and documentation exercise it was possible for ASCCL to take such learning’s in the benefit of communities living in hard to reach remote rural places and strengthen disadvantaged communities understanding, engagement and capacities living in remote rural places.
Since its inception ASCCL always came forward to support marginalized depressed communities at the time of natural disasters. ASCCL was able to develop its own disaster fund that generally gives the organization scope to act immediately after the disaster. ASCCL also tries to raise fund to support communities who became victim of any natural disaster.
Since 2019 ASCCL has been implementing a non-formal education project. ASCCL was able to develop and print different education guide book and materials for the benefit of non-formal school students.
Staff capacity building and implementation of different training components at the community level is being directly supported by ASCCL training cell since 1997. Training cell imparts capacity building training on PRA, WASH, PHC, micro credit, DRR, monitoring, accounting, procurement etc. As a strategic choice ASCCL became engaged with problems of extreme poor HHs. In line with this for last several years ASCCL is implementing projects targeting extreme poor HHs.
IDENTITY OF ASCCL
VISION
ASCCL seeks a country of social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security. ASCCL aims to be a partner of choice within a worldwide movement dedicated to ending poverty.
MISSION
ASCCL aims at building strong community based organizations (CBOs) which will eventually be able to plan, prioritize and implement their own development programs through mobilization of the following combination of resources : -Family and community, Government ,Donor agencies and concerned civil society.
VALUES OBJECTIVES
ASCCL is commited to the following objectives to achieve its vision and misson Provide helth care (primary, secondary and tertiary care) and family welfare services to the rural and urban poor in general and in particular to women and children.To implement illiteracy eradication programme among the children and adults.Implement water supply, environmental sanitation facilities and hygiene education to the rural and urban poor and extreme poor in particular.
Exploit all potential options prevailing at the local level to generate gainful employment for the rural and urban poor, with special emphasis on expanding women’s participation in income-generating ventures.
Linking various production inputs, particularly disbursement of credit to the rural and urban poor for realizing the available employment-generation opportunities.
Contribute to improve the living conditions of the rural and urban poor, campaigning about their right for better livelihood opportunities.
Empowerment of community based institutions with visual leadership of women
and poor people.
Sensitize and strengthen the corporate sector, local government, local private service provider and the community in general about their role in the development process, facilitate and encourage collaborative arrangements.
Launching of awareness, relief and rehabilitation program among the victims in the wake of natural calamities and disasters.
Organization Principles
- Empowerment:Since its inception ASCCL believed that through its work it shall facilitate and strengthen
community work in such a way where community members will be able to plan, prioritize, implement and monitor their own development projects.
- Gender: ASCCL also believed that in this process over whelming participation and engagement of women from poor and extreme poor section of the society is of critical importance.
- Transparency: ASCCL believes that open and transparent exchange about any development project is of critical importance. This is the process to build confidence between organization andcommunities for delivering future successful outputs and outcomes and achieve sustainability.
4. Accountability: ASCCL believes that for its work organization is accountable to the poor community who are in poverty and extreme poverty; they are denied of their rights and entitlements; assistance in poverty alleviation is a fundamental constitutional obligation of ASCCL. Besides that ASCCL also feels that it is a registered entity recognized by the government.
In line with the above An accountability framework shall be operational that is inclusive of open information policy, complaints and response procedures and learning’s to continue and institutionalize with such practices at ASCCL.
- ASCCL also believes and reiterates that practice of secular humane democratic approaches and practices are of critical importance and will continue to reflect the above in functioning and management of the organization.
- Participation: ASCCL from the beginning believes in bottom up process and participation of target
- Communities in design, implementation and monitoring of its projects. Besides that internally decision making process shall remain participatory. In view of the above ASCCL shall facilitate engagement of staff and community members in making decisions about projects its implementation, follow up and monitoring.
- Diversity: ASCCL shall continue to reflect its focus on gender, ethnicity, cultural and religious multiplicity of Bangladesh society.
- Commitment: ASCCL believes that Bangladesh was borne through a glorious liberation struggle. Its architects aspired and dreamt about independent, secular, humane democratic egalitarian state and society that was coined in four basic principles inscribed in the National Constitution. ASCCL was established in line with above spirit and feels that organization shall be fully committed in implementing
its projects with utmost sincerity, openness, honesty, transparency and accountability in the benefit of poor people who are systematically and painfully denied of their rights and entitlements.
Organizational culture
In connection with the above ASCCL shall continue with the culture of participatory democratic practices to run and manage the organization. It shall continue to promote effectivity, efficiency, team work, gender sensitivity, capacity building and adherence to the spirit of an egalitarian society and secular practices in the organization.
ASCCL was managing a primary Health Program through community financing mechanisms in the form of client’s subscriptions. In following this approach it was increasingly observed that this is inviting tensions at the field and community members were not satisfied and motivated enough to pay for the health services. This was effecting recovery of credit installments at the field. Besides that at the decision making and policy levels there were increasing disagreements about PHC program management and financing modalities (blend with micro credit program). In the meanwhile MRA authority also came up with its rules and procedures and barred NGO organizations to charge above than 12.5% interest per annum. In view of that ASCCL discussed at length the health program implementation issue at its Executive committee meetings; and as financing for such large operation was not immediately available so it was decided to close the PHC program.
Executive Committee
In this bygone period Executive Committee became much more active in management of the organization. They went for few other strategic steps such as formation of projects subcommittee, reinforcement of the activities of internal audit subcommittee composed of EC and general body members etc.
As per strategic understanding it was decided to consolidate ASCCL’s micro credit program. It was observed that horizontal expansion brings risks and it should be better to concentrate in current ten districts where micro credit program is implemented and look at the scope and possibilities of vertical expansions. It was also decided to diversify loan products and also try to work to engage with extreme poor population in current working areas.
Internal dynamics
ASCCL in these years as per previous strategic direction continued to work in different hard to reach remote areas of Bangladesh this includes haor (wetland area), coastal belt and urban slums.
ASCCL choose to continue services to populations living in hard to reach remote areas. In the bygone period ASCCL was able to consolidate management strength, do product diversification, improve discipline and build equity of its micro credit operation significantly and thanks also goes to disaster free environment in past few years in the country.
In past few years ASCCL was able to concentrate its focus on extreme poverty, health, WASH, relief rehabilitation and disaster risk reduction projects. Now through shiree supported project ASCCL is covering 25,000 extreme poor households,. ASCCL was able to reach 10,000 extreme poor HHs; review of its first round beneficiaries (1600) by an independent consultant clearly reflects the effectiveness of ASCCL model in pulling HHs out of extreme poverty.
Besides this ASCCL was sensitive to the criticism that generally NGOs tries to pocket project fund for their own organizational benefit rather than the benefit of target HHs for whom such funds have been raised. In view of the above one of the specific characteristic of ASCCL project implementation is the principle to follow and apply eighty twenty ratio in project budgeting. These meant that ASCCL tried hard to deliver eighty percent budget of the project in the benefit of target HHs.
information flows about project content, implementation and available budget for the purpose. Before start of any project, ASCCL follows a strategy of disclosure. In this way ASCCL tries to organize a meeting engaging all stakeholders where full details of upcoming project are being shared. ASCCL was able to follow a strategy of bottom up to implement its projects. In following such strategy ASCCL continues to follow a transparent path of its project operation. ASCCL believes that in doing so it is possible to establish ownership of target communities on different projects implemented by ASCCL. ASCCL also continues to work closely with local Union Councils and UNO offices.
In starting a project ASCCL from the beginning believes in bottom up process and participation of target communities in design, implementation and monitoring of its projects. Besides that internally decision making process shall remain participatory. In view of the above ASCCL shall facilitate engagement of staff and community members in making decisions about projects its implementation, follow up and monitoring.
ASCCL believes that Bangladesh was borne through a glorious liberation struggle. Its architects aspired and dreamt about independent, secular, humane democratic egalitarian state and society that was coined in four basic principles inscribed in the National Constitution. ASCCL was established in line with above spirit and feels that organization shall be fully committed in implementing its projects with utmost sincerity, openness, honesty, transparency and accountability in the benefit of poor people who are systematically and painfully denied of their rights and entitlements.
ASCCL shall continue to reflect its focus on gender, ethnicity, cultural and religious multiplicity of Bangladesh society.
as practice goes for a dissemination meeting where all concerned stakeholders i.e. Union Council, Community Representatives, PIO of UNO office are invited.
Use of asset transfer tool in battle with Extreme Poverty
There are forty seven million people under poverty line and 26 million of them are in extreme poverty. As per sixth five year plan, Bangladesh government is committed to eradicate extreme poverty. ASCCL did implement projects having independent use of different antipoverty tools to alleviate extreme poverty. ASCCL approach has been based on its past experiences of implementation of other similar anti extreme poverty projects in Bangladesh and did outline a 24 months graduation period that shall facilitate exit of such households from extreme poverty. ASCCL model is composed of following elements: selection of bottom ten percent extreme poor target HHs based on specific criteria’s and focused on women, social empowerment, capacity increase, market linkage and equity formation, access to capital, basic services and safety net; In current approach ASCCL did combine all these instruments to scale the initiative and achieve a physically robust effect and attain a tangible result for the benefit of thirty thousand extreme poor in two phases.
After finishing first three years most of the output indicators (Food intake, employment, income, women participation and CBO strengthening) demonstrates strong positive outcomes, reflecting trends that characterizes movement of the project participants out of extreme poverty. Above does indicate that ASCCL model is working well.
ASCCL intends to continue its work in this line in next five years to come and join with government and other organizations to eliminate extreme poverty from Bangladesh in near future.
Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change
Disaster risk reduction is critically important for Bangladesh. ASCCL has started working in this discipline since 2008. Given the predictions and observations, frequency, intensity of disasters and change in climate are effecting and also further will affect negatively life and livelihoods of Bangladesh poor population.
In next five years’ time ASCCL shall popularize different types of agricultural methods to facilitate increase in food production and primarily encourage to move for adaptation measures such as plantation in ASCCL’s project areas.be trying to work simultaneously in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and development projects trying to bring a synergistic effect as far as possible. Besides that ASCCL shall try to facilitate its own institutional capacity through training
its own staff in disaster risk reduction discipline. Apart from that ASCCL shall continue to build capacity of target communities in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation measures. This shall be done taking steps to sensitize and aware target populations about climate change,
Voice and Space
In future ASCCL is proposing to specifically focus on democratic space and specially to work on voice and space of the poor and extreme poor populations in ASCCL working areas. Although ASCCL is strongly advocating for the space and voice of the marginalized however if this strategy is to be implemented a considerable volume and further programs orientation in this direction of staff will be required.
Implication For Organization
Implication for funding: in order to implement above described strategic direction and plan it will require allocation of fund in all projects and programs. Initially ASCCL will try to look at the scope and possibility of adjustments in ongoing projects and programs. In new projects ASCCL from the beginning believes in bottom up process and participation of target communities in design, implementation and monitoring of its projects. Besides that internally decision making process shall remain participatory. In view of the above ASCCL shall facilitate engagement of staff and community members in making decisions about projects its implementation, follow up and monitoring.
ASCCL shall continue to reflect its focus on gender, ethnicity, cultural and religious
Multiplicity of Bangladesh Society.
ASCCL believes that Bangladesh was borne through a glorious liberation struggle. Its architects aspired and dreamt about independent, secular, humane democratic egalitarian state and society that was coined in four basic principles inscribed in the National Constitution. ASCCL was established in line with above spirit and feels that organization shall be fully committed in implementing its projects with utmost sincerity, openness, honesty, transparency and accountability in the benefit of poor people who are systematically and painfully denied of their rights and entitlements. Will remain sensitive to cover the issue of extreme poverty as far as possible.
Gender dimensions
ASCCL will continue to focus on disadvantage poor and extreme poor women in implementing its projects and programs. Organization will focus on capacity and organization building process participated by poor women and strengthens their drive for their rights and entitlements thorough different projects and programs. Among its target population ASCCL will campaign to eliminate child marriage, dowry and other abuse of adolescent and young women.
ASCCL will continue to aware its staff about gender discriminations and importance of gender equality to achieve progress and development of Bangladesh state and society. Thus ASCCL will continue to keep its staff aware and motivated about logic of gender focus in its projects and programs. Apart from the above ASCCL will continue to encourage participation of women in different staff position at ASCCL. ASCCL will consider further strengthening of women participation at leadership positions at the executive leve ASCCL l. Besides ASCCL leadership will think and consider encourage women to come forward to become member of ASCCL general body. Besides, ASCCL will take necessary steps to increase participation of women in leadership position at ASCCL EC.
Follow up Steps Strategic Plan Implementation
As soon as strategic plan document is finalized and approved ASCCL management will take steps to develop an operation plan for next five years having adhered to strategic directions (team formation, orientation, new initiatives, fund raising, monitoring etc.). Above plan will be placed before EC and will take its approval for future implementation.
Evaluation
A midterm evaluation will be done after thirty months of implementation of the strategic plan. If necessary a correction of strategic course shall be done or any additional strategic measures shall be taken. At the end of five years strategic period a full evaluation shall be done and steps shall be taken to formulate new strategic plan for next five years period.
Identifying Problems and their Causes using Problem Tree Method
The participants were facilitated to find out the problems and causes of the problems using the
“Problem Tree” method and the findings were as follows:
Problems:-
• Child marriage
• Delivery facilities
• Education for children and adults
• Electricity
• Excessive humidity during summer
• Excessive rainfall
• Fire incidence
• Housing
• Income is low but expenditure is high
• Job placement
• Lack of hospital facility
• Lack of roads and communication
• Lack of sanitary latrines
• Lack of security
• Natural disasters
• Negligence
• No government help/support
• Price hike in the local market
• Problem of capital
• Safe drinking water
• Scarcity of cooking gas
• Slum eviction
• Diseases
• Strike
• High house rent
• Violence against women
• Absence of waste disposal facility
Causes of Problems:
• Strike and hartal hinder to reach work places
• During rain cannot run businesses
• Household level poverty create problem in business
• Social problem like women feel uncomfortable to work outside as husbands
and father-in-laws protest against women’s work outside
• Gender Inequality
• Market remains closed due to strike or hartal and so they lose income
• Because of Strike vegetables and raw materials becomes unusable
• Education expenses is high, so unable to send children to school
• Employment is not available in the factories, so serious unemployment problems
• Due to lack of capital business is not possible to expand
• Fire Service and Civil Defense service is not available in the locality
• Women and girls face insecurity at home and in the slum
• Due to open defecations and drainage problem there are burden of diseases prevalence
• No legal Gas and electricity connections
• During monsoon many houses are under water for long
• Supply water is sometimes polluted
Finding out the Strengths and Areas of Improvement of Participation:
ASCCL from the beginning believes in bottom up process and participation of target communities in design, implementation and monitoring of its projects. Besides that internally decision making process shall remain participatory. In view of the above ASCCL shall facilitate engagement of staff and community members in making decisions about projects its implementation, follow up and monitoring.
Finding out the Strengths and Areas of Improvement of ASCCL in implementing the Project Activitis:
Participants worked out about the strengths and weaknesses of ASCCL activities in the field and in decision making as follows-
Strengths:
• ASCCL provides startup capital
• Provides skill development training i.e. driving, tailoring etc.
• Operates health service
• Provide assets
• Slum dwellers get job or employment when they are in difficult situation
• There is a standard system of conducting meetings
• ASCCL adheres to transparent, honest and fair selection process
• ASCCL staff facilitates good environment of understanding and
introduction among the beneficiaries
• ASCCL provides training on business development
• It provides with stipend for old age people and for the persons with disability
• It gives assets and basic training
• ASCCL provides relief during disasters
• ASCCL project has helped to reduce the number of beggars
• ASCCL supplies drugs at 50% subsidy
Areas of Improvement:
• Health service should be improved
• Loan amount should be increased
• Supply of drinking water should be increased
• Loan should be disbursed timely
• Housing facility should be ensured
• Road and communication system should be constructed
• Schools should be established
• Duration of Skill Development Training should be increased
• Resource Center for the CBOs under ASCCL -shiree Project should be
established
• Delivery/birthing center should be established in the slums
• Job placement
• CBOs do not get any stipend from ASCCL -shiree Project
• Because of Strike vegetables and raw materials becomes unusable
• Education expenses is high, so unable to send children to school
• Employment is not available in the factories, so serious unemployment problems
• Due to lack of capital business is not possible to expand
• Fire Service and Civil Defense service is not available in the locality
• Women and girls face insecurity at home and in the slum
• Due to open defecations and drainage problem there are burden of diseases prevalence
• No legal Gas and electricity connections
• During monsoon many houses are under water for long
• Supply water is sometimes polluted
Areas of Improvement:
• Health service should be improved
• Loan amount should be increased
• Supply of drinking water should be increased
• Loan should be disbursed timely
• Housing facility should be ensured
• Road and communication system should be constructed
• Schools should be established
• Duration of Skill Development Training should be increased
• Resource Center for the CBOs under ASCCL -shiree Project should be
established
• Job placement
• CBOs do not get any stipend from ASCCL -shiree Pro
HOME LOAN
HOME LOAN
Home Equity Loan
Home Loan Shild
Contruction Loan
Affordable Home Loan
Semi Paka Loan
House Purchase Loan
Commercial Space Purchase Loan
Apartment Purchase Loan
HOME EQUITY LOAN
Expand Your Imigination
Home renovations are difficult enough, financing it should not be. Whether you are moving into a new home or looking to give your old home a makeover,ASCCL Home Equity Loan can Help to make your home picture perfect.
Apartment Purchase Loan
Feel the happiness of your own home
Home is where our dreams begin. Home is where your happiness starts. Home is shelter to every phase of your life. ASCCL Apartment Purchase Loan gives you the confidence to purchase your own space and live in full freedom.
Home Loan Shield
Protect your family, protect your home
Provide complete protection for your family’s future through life insurance coverage equivalent to your outstanding home loan amount. ASCCL Home Loan Shield is a special Group Life Insurance Scheme, designed to protect your family in the event of your unfortunate death. The shield takes over the outstanding principal amount of your home loan with ASCCL, thus protecting your beloved family from the burden of repayment.
Construction Loan
Build your own canvas
Build your dream house exactly the way you want. ASCCL Construction Loan gives you the freedom to choose the plan & features that are most important for you in building your own home or apartment.
Affordable Home Loan
Home for everyone
Now you don’t need to wait further to build your own home or own a flat. ASCCL Finance Limited brings to you the easiest home loan in the country, ASCCL Affordable Home Loan – Home for Everyone. Now you can fulfill the dream of your own home with confidence, even if your income is limited.
ASCCL Semi Paka Loan
Happiness in home
Home is a basic need of every person even if purchasing an apartment or house is beyond capacity. To fulfill your dream of an abode, ASCCL Semi Paka Loan can help you to purchase or construct a semi paka or paka house within your reach.
House Purchase Loan
Full freedom in own address
You are comfortable only in your own space and you like to be in one of your private dwelling. You can take ASCCL ‘s House Purchase Loan to purchase a complete house/bungalow of your own.
Commercial Space Purchase Loan
Create an address of your business
To secure the business address at any prominent commercial hub, ASCCL comes up with convenience of Commercial Space Purchase Loan.
CAR LOAN
CAR LOAN
- FUEL YOUR DREAMS
A car is not a privilege anymore, it’s your right to commute comfortably. Add in those weekends of family trips, long-drives with friends and you’ve got the perfect recipe for happiness. At ASCCL we believe that auto-financing should be fast and hassle-free. So let us finance not only the journey to your dream car but also those exciting impulse decisions that change your lifestyle.
PERSONAL LOAN
PERSONAL LOAN
LEAVE NO DESIRE UNFULFILLED
It could be children’s education, marriage of self or dependent, emergency medical expenses, or even a holiday abroad – Whatever the cause, we can help you to meet your financial needs quickly and without hassle. ASCCL personal loan is customized to your needs, to give you the freedom to explore your desires.
Feature
- Minimum loan amount Taka 1 lac
- Loan Term: Maximum loan tenure 5 years
- Fastest Turn Around Time in the industry
- Competitive interest rates
- Full/partial early payment option of the loan amount before expiry
Eligibility
You can apply for this loan right now if you meet the following criteria:
- Your age should be between 20 to 60 years
- You should have an employment record of a minimum of 01 (One) years with your current employer.
How I can use this loan
Our product is designed to support your various needs including:
- Purchase of consumer durables
- Home improvement / renovation
- Meeting financial liabilities
- Marriage of self or dependents
- Education
- Domestic or foreign travel
- Medical treatment for self/family members
- Other needs
Alarafah Savings And Commerce Company Ltd aims at building strong community based organizations (CBOs) which will eventually be able to plan, prioritize and implement their own development programs through mobilization of the following combination of resources : -Family and community, Government ,Donor agencies and concerned civil society.