Awareness program on demerits of Early Marriage

24th July 2010. Awareness program on demerits of early marriage was held on the roof-top of The Dhaka Project School at 11:00 A.M.
Although it was Saturday, a school holiday but the female students were present for the pre-scheduled awareness program.

A 2 hour long session on the demerits of early marriage included early pregnancy, HIV positive, discontinuation of school education etc. Faria (TDP family Counselor) organized the program and took the session.
Such program on awareness draws a positive impact on the minds of the students and makes them more conscious about health.

New Tooth for Firoza

21 July 2010. Firoza Akter (13) Class-7, ID-588, of The Dhaka Project School was suffering from toothache for a long time.
Firoza visited Dr. Md. Amirul Islam, Dental Surgeon of TDP at the Health Care Centre in May 2010. After a X-ray report Dr. Amirul decided that a root canal is necessary.

After a few weeks treatment a new (Crown) Cap was set on her previous tooth which is hardly recognizable. Firoza feels comfortable now.
The Dhaka Project Dental Section checks all students within six months interval (twice a year).

Awareness program by Portuguese Volunteer

10th July 2010. Portuguese Volunteer Dr. Aristoteles took a demonstration class for 100 students on the roof-top of The Dhaka Project School at 10:30 A.M.
Saturday is a school holiday but the students were present for the pre-scheduled awareness program. The program was on various skin diseases mainly focusing on Scabies, Acne, Pimple and Fungal Infection.

Slide shows of diseases were shown on multimedia. Description of common diseases and how to get proper treatment were also discussed. Dr. Md. Amirul Islam (TDP dentist) acted as an interpreter and Faria (TDP family Counselor) helped to organize the program.
Such program on awareness draws an positive impact on the minds of the students and makes them more conscious about health.

Student gets new teeth

23 June 2010. A Student, Marjia Akter (12) Class-3, Section-B , of The Dhaka Project broke her two Upper anterior insicisor (front teeth). The incident took place about a year ago while she was playing with her mates.

Marjia Akter fell on the ground - teeth first. Later she visited The Dhaka Project Health Care Centre. Dr. Md. Amirul Islam, Dental Surgeon of TDP decided to give her teeth a new Porcelain Crown (Cap) which will look like as it was before.

After the new Porcelain Crown (cap) was placed on her teeth it appears her own teeth grew and took it’s shape.

Marjia Akter is now very happy, she will not have to worry about her teeth anymore. Her parent’s are also happy. New Porcelain Crown (cap) setting is a very costly treatment.
The Dhaka project Dental Section checks all student within six months interval (twice a year).

Demonstration on Cleanliness Program with Parents & Students

Two Portuguese Volunteers, Ana and Isabel along with Ms. Faria, TDP family counselor started demonstration classes on cleanliness program for 15th, 16th and 18th March 2010 at the roof top of TDPS for the parents and students.The aim of the program is to raise awareness among the parents and students to keep healthy.39 families participated on the first day.
Combs, hair band, hair clips and naphthalene were distributed among the students on 16th March 2010.These materials will help to grow a cleaning habit (hair) among the students and their families.

WORLD HANDWASHING DAY

The simple act of washing hands could save thousands of children's lives every day, mostly in Asia and Africa, the United Nations said on Thursday, the eve of the Global Hand-Washing Day.
According to UNICEF an estimated 5,000 children die daily from diarrhea, but half of those deaths could be prevented if they washed their hands with soap before meals and after going to the toilet. To raise awareness on the issue, the UN children's fund launched the Global Hand-Washing Day last year.
The Dhaka Project, celebrated this day on Thursday, 15th October to affirm their consent on this regard. To commemorate the day, TDP distributed Soap, Tooth-paste & Tooth-brash among the children to keep the hygiene records as high as possible.
Earlier, the respective class teachers describe children the importance of hygiene and hand-washing in particular in the classroom. Teachers addressed them that hand-washing with soap is the most efficient intervention and the least costly way to prevent deaths by diarrhea as well as from cholera and pneumonia. So, they were asked to keep themselves clean & wash their hands with soap before meals and after going to the toilet each time in proper manner.
TDP believes the children are always those who, once at home among their family members and community, will introduce a simple gesture that saves lives.

CHULLI WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

Information gathered during and after the delivery of a hand washing and hygiene program for all TDP school students indicated that many families are not boiling water prior to drinking as a routine. Some families indicated that this was due to time constraints and lack of money to purchase extra fuel for this purpose. For this reason the Health Care Team decided that a safe drinking water education program was needed for the families and guardians of TDP students. The students know clearly that only boiled water is safe but they must rely on their guardians to provide them with boiled water.
It was decided that it would be necessary to educate the community around the importance of always boiling drinking water and to also provide a simple means of accessing safe drinking water. Whilst researching the topic the team looked at using iodine or chlorine purification of water as a possible option but decided against this when information about the chulli water treatment system was found, see below. While families cook their meals 30 litres of safe drinking water is produced by the chulli water treatment system.
The Chulli water treatment System for household pasteurization of drinking water was invented by a Bangladeshi, Professor Mohammad Fakhrul Islam and is now being used widely throughout Bangladesh Oxfam and other international NGOs as well as other developing countries. The details of research of the system which effectively removes coliform bacteria from ground water can be found in J HEALTH POPUL NUTR 2006 Sep;24(3):356-362.
The Chullli Water Treatment system is available from an organisation called WagTech so a visit was made to see their test site in Savar. Three staff from Wagtech then travelled to Gawair and showed TDP staff how to install the chulli water treatment system. A working model was installed at a group of houses close to TDP office so that families could be called more easily to attend education and information sessions. Installation took place on Friday 21st August 2009, a holiday, so we are very grateful for the time given by Wagtech staff David Nunley, Asia Pacific Rim Representative , Mr Ali Ashraf, Proprietor and Shoed for taking the time to travel to Gawair and supervise installation as well as donating the original test chulli water treatment system.
TDP plans for all families who cook with chulli to have access to a chulli water treatment system and is asking families to contribute what they can toward the cost of the chulli so that they will have ownership and ensure it is maintained and cared for. Families who do not have financial means but would benefit from the water treatment system will be provided with the unit.
A survey of all TDP families is currently taking place as part of the Safe Drinking Water program and a wider Water and Sanitation project looking at presence and quality of water supply, latrines, and cooking facilities so that a plan can be put in place to make improvements to the lives of TDP student families. Significant fundraising will be needed make improvements as several families have already been identified as having no toilet facilities or unsafe and inadequate facilities.
It must also be noted that Brendan Heery visited TDP as a volunteer at the same time the HCC was planning their Safe Drinking Water program, he has a particular interest in Water and sanitation and is an engineer so he continues to be involved during visits to Gawair and from his base in Dubai.

CREATING AWARENESS ABOUT SWINE-FLU & EYE-SCREENING

Thanks to Leo Club of Dhaka Heaven Plus !
The program was a conscious contribution of Leo Club of Dhaka Heaven Plus as their part of Community Service Projects to the children of The Dhaka Project School. The main aim of the program was to create awareness and explain the ways to take precaution against Swine-Flu & perform a handy Eye-Screening session.Young members of Leo Club demonstrated a presentation on the causes & effects of Swine-Flu. They discussed about the ways to prevent this disease & also gave tips about some general health issues i.e. not to eat low quality candies, food those are expired, etc. They came up with some interesting stories to make the children understand how such things can be harmful. The students listened to them very carefully and it seemed they learned from the presentation. TDP School teachers performed a remarkable sense of duty by encouraging the children.Later on, Leo Club organized an Eye-Screening session for the young-buds of TDP School. Two professional eye specialists from Lions Eye Institute & Hospital maintained thorough check-up of children's eye-sight & prescribed recommendation if needed. Leo Club members executed the event; Mr. Shimul, Senior Operation Officer, Dr. Jahid, Medical In-charge and MS. Faria, TDP Family Counselor facilitated both the event.
Once again thanks a lot to the Leo Club of Dhaka Heaven Plus for thinking and caring about our kids.

EYE-SCREENING AT TDP SCHOOL

The Dhaka Project is always concerned about the children health-care issues beside the academic lesson provided to the youngsters of The Dhaka Project School.
Henceforth, an Eye-Screening session has been held on 12/9/09 at the school.
Jane from ICEE (International Centre for Eye care Education) and Daniel, a volunteer from AYAD (Australian Youth Ambassador for Development) made this event possible.Students from Play-group to Std- VII were present to check-up their eyes.The event was divided in two parts.
First of all, Daniel and Julie, (Julie is another volunteer working at TDP), examined the children’s difficulties in reading books or writings on White-board in the classroom through asking them few basic questions. Teachers of TDP School were interpreting for the convenience.Then children were sent to Jane for instrumental diagnosis one by one. She tested the eye-sight of the children. She filled the data of each student & prescribed recommendation if necessary.
Dentist of TDP, Amirul Islam helped her on this occasion.
Thanks to Jane, Daniel, Julie and to ICEE and AYAD for having taken care of our children's eyes.

THIS IS WHY WE TRUST IN THE HUMAN KIND !

After making a reference to Al Diyafah School, it's the turn to make another heartfelt mention to all individual donors who responded to our appeal and promised their donations to support us with health expenses to rescue Fatema, what hasn't unfortunately been possible spite of all the efforts done.
So, our children address their heartful thanks to all, having the Dhaka team arranged to take the following picture dedicated to all who made their donations, as below...

• Teresa Brighton - Dubai - Dhs 500
• Eileen Taylor - Dubai - Dhs 500
• Rafael Casalino - Dubai - Dhs 500
• Pedro Barata - Lisbon - Eur 120
• Humayun Jameel - Dubai - Dhs 500
• Patrick Bridget - Dubai - Dhs 500
• Manuel and Solange Piñeiro - Dubai - Dhs 500 and all the workload they had taking the donations from the others
• Marcelo Peixoto - Dubai - Dhs 500
• Uschi Irani - Dubai - Dhs 500
• 2 Anonymous Donors - Abu Dhabi - Dhs 1000

More than a gift, these donors are an encouragement to us, through their kind and touching response in a hard time, and we wish to show our deep gratitude to all on behalf of The Dhaka Project children !!!

MEETING WITH PARENTS II

The second parents meeting at The Dhaka Project consisted of more issues.
Firstly, the parents did not have a clear idea about the Food For Thought Programme.
Babu, who is operating the program, explained the idea to the parents, who were worried about the discount but he has given them the calculation
in a easier way to make them understand.
Secondly, our Family Counselor talked with them about the problem of house rent.
A new criteria is set to differentiate between the families needing the rent and families who are not so poor. Faria explained the whole criteria to the parents.
Thirdly, Mr Azad, our Community Chief, made a procedure of HELP LINE.
Parents were feeling defenseless during weekly holidays not knowing how to take their children to Hospitals in case of an emergency ; now they can call our health clinic manager and family counselor to quickly attend a casualty easing their problems a little.
Their questions were encouraged to pop out their problems.

CHILD IN DANGER !

Mainuddin needs immediate surgery, he is suffering from Rectal Prolapse. The total cost for the operation would be 30,000 Taka. ($430 USD approximately)

Will someone come forward to help this little kid ?

Mainuddin is a nursery student at the The Dhaka Project. At the age of 3 nothing could get worse than this. Mainuddin’s father, Abdul Kalam, passed away a few years ago.

Mainuddin’s mother, Fatema, works as a cleaner in The Dhaka Project. She is the only person who earns a very small amount of money for the family.
In this circumstance, they can't afford the surgery cost.
And Mainuddin’s condition is getting worse day by day!
Before it's too late we should do something.

Else we might lose him!!!

THE DHAKA PROJECT COMMUNITY CLINIC !

Our children at The Dhaka Project receive excellent health care from Dr Jahid, who makes his rounds to all campuses every day to see any sick children. The Dhaka Project has a comprehensive program to immunise our children [see Rich’s previous blog re: drug companies!] If a child is very unwell, they may be taken to hospital for an operation, which is very expensive in Bangladesh.
This service and monitoring is excellent for the children of the Dhaka project, and we want to bring the same to the community. The Dhaka Project wants to provide access to health care for people who currently have none.
How? The Dhaka Project Community Clinic! (DPCC)
We have established a physical space in which to provide primary health care to the community. Currently our school doctor Dr Jahid and dentist Dr Amirul are very happy using the space to treat children’s families!
The next, most important step is to involve the community to better understand their health needs and the best way to tackle them. Tomorrow morning we start our meetings between local doctors, parents and community members.
We will soon recruit a dedicated community Doctor who will carry out similar treatment and referral services that Dr Jahid currently provides our children.

Dentist Dr Amirul in the new clinic with his chair and smile

In future we want to immunise all children in the Gawair area, perform minor surgery, safely supervise childbirth, as well as make our medical and fiscal records electronic.

Patrick

All this has been made possible thanks to you, who help us !

RICHARD’S JOURNAL – MY LOVE FOR DRUG COMPANIES!

Well, I am not one to usually write a blog off the top of my head, but it has been a while since I last blogged. I have just had the most frustrating meeting since arriving here and need to share it with The Dhaka Project family.

We have been asking for discount from Glasko Smith Kline (GSK) for a great deal of vaccinations that we have given our kids and staff within the last few months. Our current bill totalls 450,000tk and the team have been asking for a small discount for the vaccinations we are providing the ultra-poor.

Because of our request I was visited by the snr area manager of GSK to discuss our issues about paying the total costs of the bill. I took this as a chance to challenge this drug company for their wonderful morals and also lack of any form of social responsibility.

Whilst I listened to his case about how this monopolistic multinational is giving so much to the poor and disadvantaged people of this country. My response was to ask him what constituted the costs of providing a vaccination. Whilst not really thinking, he started to rattle off costs of a typhoid vaccination:
- $2USD (140tk) to make the vaccine – “no more than 150tk” he was quoted to say to us.
- 150tk to keep the vaccine chilled and delivered to the intended destination

To me that was much less than his 450tk that GSK wanted to initially charge us (this is the cheap price they reserve for the poor within their pricing plan). So on questioning whether GSK is making a 50% profit on all immunisations they sell to the poor he started to rattle off more overhead fees that mean that we are paying “cost price”:
- 8% for Admin/Staff/Service
- 2.5% VAT
- 2.25 Tax

With my calculations these costs totalled up to 338.5tk. Still not the 361.6tk that GSK were currently asking from us. (I should also note that these overheads seemed to be a quick backtrack by our GSK friend.)

So I asked him if he was proud to know that he was making at least 23.1tk profit off every lifesaving vaccination that GSK sell to us here at The Dhaka Project – all I got was a chuckle! I was not sure if that meant he was proud of it or just awkward about the whole situation.

But now I had put him in an awkward situation, the discounts for us here at The Dhaka Project kept on flying – I felt now that he wanted to shut me up and buy me out of making him feel bad for taking profit off some of the poorest people in the world.

I refused a discount for our bill – I didn’t just want shut up money for The Dhaka Project vaccinations, I wanted to change things on a large scale. I want all the 40% of people below the poverty line not to get ‘screwed’ (as I eloquently put it) by multinationals like GSK. Why should they look to make profit off the poorest of the poor? I don’t care how much they are charging us in Australia, The Emirates, Europe or the States… but I do care about is how much profit they are taking from sales to the poor.

So I offered GSK that I will pay the outstanding bill only if they detail the costs of how much it costs to manufacture their vaccinations (of which I informed him that I of course will publicise). Speaking very passionately now, I told him that I had no issues with the current bill. I just want GSK to realise what difference they can make in this country – “screw who ever you want, just don’t screw your own people here in Bangladesh who are at the bottom of the pile - who often don’t even know where their next meal is coming from. It is these people who are dying from immunisable diseases and you want to make a profit off them rather than save their lives.”

I detailed the potential benefits they as a company could make to this nation – it felt quite surreal to be teaching a Bangladeshi on the difference he can make to his own country.

Whilst no resolution was really made, I felt proud as a human to stand up to a drug company the size of GSK, and give them a lecture in their responsibilities to society. Forty percent of Bangladesh (60 million people) lives under $1 a day. These are the people that die everyday of immunisable diseases – and here sits GSK not want to saves lives, rather make profit!

So what started with the possibility of each typhoid injection costing 450tk each, GSK left the office this afternoon offering us 330tk per injection. Of which I have not accepted, rather I want to either see the manufacturing cost breakdown of each injection or to have a meeting with a senior executive in the Bangladesh office to discuss their responsibility to Bangladesh more. To me this point is not on behalf of our 650 kids, rather 60 million of the poorest people of the world.

Please stay tuned for my next episodes with GSK.
Rich

And Finally a quote from the CSR section of GSK's website "In 2007 we supplied 1.1 billion vaccine doses. Of these 78 per cent were shipped for use in developing countries."
It is such a pity that a company that recorded a profit of 7.5 billion Pounds last year are selling the vaccines for profit here!

RESCUING PARENTS MEANS KEEPING CHILDREN SAFER!

Concerning to keeping children out of trouble so that they can study without anything upsetting them, The Dhaka Project looks after some handicaped families or, some parents who unexpectedly get in danger due to a sudden fall in their health condition.

In this context, we helped one more element of a family, one of our EK College student's father, Lal Miah.

After going to see the doctor, Lal Miah has been diagnosed the existence of a tumour under his left armpit, having the doctor said that he should have a surgery...

So, Lal Miah have fell in the usual dilemma of a day labour worker; he couldn't afford such an operation, whose cost would be 7,000 Taka (approx. 102 USD).

And as a result, The Dhaka Project had to decide either paying his treatment or letting him to his own luck!

Of course there could be only one decision - not letting him die because of the lack of money. We paid the total amount for his surgery and treatment.

Lal Miah is one more Bangladeshi feeling in deep gratitude to The Dhaka Project and to all who help us.

Thank you !

COMPASSION FOR NURUL

Nurul Islam, father of Pranto who is one of our students at The Dhaka Project had a severe Brain Hemorrhage and has been admitted in a private hospital.
The right side of his body was totally paralyzed. He wasn't able to walk or even able to speak.
The doctor prescribed him the needed medication but this and hospital costs were so expensive that his family couldn't afford all the huge expenses [to have an idea, you should keep in mind that 3,000 TK (~43 USD) per month is a good salary in Dhaka]; and the total cost to cure Nurul was 37.000 TK (537 USD), a sum completely out of reach for poor slums' dwellers.

So the chance was asking for help from The Dhaka Project who payed the hospital fees and provided the necessary medication.
Nurul Islam is much grateful to The Dhaka Project, and we would like to address this gratitude to all who really form The Dhaka Project providing us the means to help; donours, volunteers in Dhaka or any other place of the world, friends who help us in anyway; THANK YOU !!!

GALLBLADER SURGERY

The Dhaka Project's role concerning to families has been called on once again!
Mohammad Ali, father of a girl who is one of our students at EK College, after doing an X-ray, has been told by the doctor that he had a stone in his gallbladder, and advising him to do a surgery to remove it.
A surgery?! Afforded by a poor man recently rescued from the slums of Dhaka? How would it be possible?
So the chance was coming to The Dhaka Project and ask for help, that sent him to a private hospital to do the operation.
The operation took place on 5th June and its cost was 30,000 Taka (435 USD). And it was a successful surgery.
Mohammad is very grateful to The Dhaka Project,... i.e., to those who help the Project with their donations, volunteer work, to the team and staff,... who make this mission possible.
He is very GRATEFUL TO YOU !!!

SHIKHA RETURNED HOME

After having a proper treatment in the Burn Unit at The Dhaka Medical College, Shikha has come back home last night. (2-Jun-08)
The doctor said that to be completely cured she needs at least one or two more years.

Shikha after after three skin surgeries

We are providing her every thing according to doctor's prescription and are also following a balanced diet for her health.

She is not quite well, but we are sure she is much better than she would be without the help from The Dhaka Project..., i.e., the help come from all who have sponsored all her treatment.

FOR A BETTER DENTAL HEALTH

We have written a lot about all kind of vaccination sessions to the students and staff.

A few days ago, The Dhaka Project has been lucky for having a dentist in the field, Dr. Sabrina who volunteered for some time in Dhaka with her husband Mr. Naim.


She did all kind of dental treatment/surgey for the students and staff.

Kids showing the vitamins complex just provided

And she realised that some kids have vitamins B & C deficiency so advising us to provide those vitamins to the children, what we have done to achieving a better dental health and permitting the kids to show their white pearls .

Thanks to Dr. Sabrina for the amazing work done !

COMPASSION FOR RAWSONARA

Rawsonara is a Bangladeshi lady, 25 years old, and got burnt by an electric shock.

She has been admitted in The Dhaka Medical College - Burnt Unit, 2 months ago.
The doctor said that without surgery there wouldn't be any hope for her life, but her husband and her family are so poor that they couldn't afford the expenses with an operation and the necessary medication after the operation, so she was still waiting...

On 26th May, Maria went to visit Shikha ( the girl who was severely burnt in a cooking fire that hit her sari, and whoose expenses have been paid by The Dhaka Project as well as all assistance given to her, i.e. food, company...) and Rawsonara's mother told her about the tragic story of her daughter . Maria, immediately donated 10,000 Taka (145 USD) so that she could have medical assistance.

On 2nd June she had a successful operation.

Thanks to The Dhaka Project! Thanks to all who help us !