Sagarika Samaj Unnayan Sangstha (SSUS) is a prominent non-governmental organization to the people of coastal regions of Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni district. Fazlul Haque (Hoque Saheb) was the founder of Sagarika Samaj Unnayan Sangstha (SSUS). He established this organization in 1985 with the dream of saving people from the losses of natural disaster and poverty. Mohammad Saidur Rahman, Executive Director of BDPC (Ex. Country Director of Oxfam) encouraged Fazlul Haque (Hoque Saheb) very sincerely to establish a social development organization. During services as Country Director of Oxfam he gave all sorts of support to Hoque Saheb for achieving government legal entity like the registrations of District Social Welfare Department and NGO Affairs Bureau. At first, the organization started it’s social development activities in the coastal areas of Sadar upazila in Noakhali district with financial assistance of Oxfam-GB. Gradually the organization has rightly been expanding it’s working areas with the activities of social development and disaster management. The Organization has been working with the disadvantaged and unprivileged households for their poverty alleviation using micro finance loan and disaster risk reduction through adaptation resilience livelihood through copping mechanism with the situations of disaster and climate change in the coastal areas of Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni and Commilla District. The Microfinace working area are expanding gradually in every year in adjacent areas of existing working areas..
SSUS has always been giving emphasis on the education of poor and extreme poor households. Non formal primary education (NFPE) has been implemented in the coastal charlands from 1997 with the support of BRAC education programme. The children of poor and extreme poor households are the targeted students in the programme. The enrolment of primary education has been increased gradually as a result of this programme. So that the country is going ahead to the achieving it’s national target in the primary education.
SSUS availed the first fund from OXFAM in 1987 for some training programs on capacity building of both staffs and beneficiaries. OXFAM had provided all sorts of cooperation including financial assistance to build organizational capacity through OXFAM Humanitarian Capacity Building Project for a long time to effective management in any natural disaster and emergency response . SSUS already implemented many projects very successfully with full satisfaction of Donors and GoB administration. Now some projects are being implemented for the development of disadvantaged and unprivileged households in its working areas by the donors support as well as GoB assistance. Netherlands Government, IFAD and GoB continuously were supported Sagarika as an implementing partner for the development of Noakhali coastal charlands and char people under CDSP project up to closing the project..
SSUS has established partnership with PKSF (Palli Karma-Sahayak foundation) since 1993 and from then SSUS has been implementing micro finance loan programme with the targeted people/households for their income generation through various sustainable options of income both in productive and non-productive sectors and also various alternative options of income generating projects. The Organization has collected fund from the scheduled banks to meet up the demand of loan to borrowers..
Sagarika were worked with NGO Forum for DWSS for a long time since 1991 under Commilla Region. Forum supported Sagarika to establish a VSC center in 1994 which is still functioning to supplying materials to the community.
The Organization has long experience to work in the development of wash sectors in the coastal rural community in collaboration with Local Government Elected Body and Government local level administrative agencies. Sagarka has established very good and cooperative relationship with Union Parishad as well as with other agencies in it’s working areas.
Sagarika has now been implementing various program/projects with the support and guidance by Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF).The Organization has been implementing Samriddi Project in Char Elahi Union of Companigonj Upazila in Noakhali District with the assistance of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation(PKSF). This programme has started from August’2014 and will run about 5 years with the financial support of PKSF and Organiztion own fund. Another Somriddi Programme also has been implementing in Char Amanulla Union of Subarnachar Upazilla in Noakhali District with the assistance of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF). The programme has Started on February’ 2018 and will run about 5 years with the financial support of PKSF and Organiztion’s own fund.
Bangladesh Bank GRIHAON Loan Programme are ongoing 70 thousands of loan amount of ceiling are fixed for a borrower with 6 percent interest. The borrower will pay monthly installment and total amount of loan within 5 years duration as per repayment scheduled. Sagarika will pay installment to programme fund as per certain repayment schedule.
Bangladesh Bank ‘Housing for All’ Loan Programme are ongoing in the poor segments households in the areas of Ramgoti Upazilla in Laxmipur District. 70 thousands of loan amount of ceiling are fixed for a borrower with 6 percent interest. The borrower will pay monthly installment and total amount of loan within 10 years duration as per repayment scheduled. Sagarika will pay installment to Bangladesh Bank as per certain repayment scheduled.
Abason program for building housing (Semi Building) of targeted group members has included as microfinance loan component by the funding and assistance of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF). The program has started from December 2018. The loan program is remain ongoing in working areas of Subarnchar Upazilla in the preliminary stages of the program.
Sheep Breeding Center and sheep rearing at farmers level has implemented from this year by the funding jointly Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) & Org. Own Fund for 4 years. The activities are sheep breeding, Sheep rearing at farmer’s level, skill development training of the farmers etc.
Elderly People Livelihood Development Program has been implemented in the 2 Unions in Char Alahi Union of Companigonj Upazilla and Char Amanullah Union of Subarnachar Upazilla besides ongoing Somriddi Programme in Noakhali District. The Programme has started in Char Alahi Union from July-2017 and in Char Amanulla Union from July-2018. Mainly program are Organize elderly people, Establish Elderly People’s Centre, Provide Probin Allowances and Health Services etc.
Cultural and Sports Programme has been implemented in Subarnachar and Noakhali Sadar Upazillas in Noakhali District. The program is implementing by funding jointly Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) & Org. own fund. Program duration one year from July-2017 to June-2018 . Mainly program are Organize Cultural and sports program and competitions ensuring participation of children, adolescents, young at primary, junior, High school, College and university level students.
Koisar (Adolescent) and Adolescent Girl Club Programme activities has included in the activities of the Organiazation under Cultural and Sports Programme with jointly support of PKSF and Sagarika Samaj Unnayan Sangstha from the FY 2019-20. The programmes will be run and Cultural & Sports Programme were closed..
Social development activities has been implementing from the beginning in the activities of Sagarika. The activities are as like as distribution of text book, financial support in treatment, marriage, board registration and examination form fill-up fees, assist in repairing works of social infrastructures, education scholarship etc to the poor people of the communithy. Sagarika implemented these activities as per guidelines of Miro Credit Regulatory Authority (MRA) . The baggers and persons of disabilities are included in these activities. The support in cash and kinds has been provided to eligible person as per maintaining proper guidelines. The programme is also to be continued in the future.
Refinancing loan programme has been implementing with the borrowers for the recovery of their financial losses due to on going Covid-19 pandemic corona virus with the financing assistance of Bangladesh Bank and PKSF. The organization has been implementing social awareness activities from the beginning the pandemic Covid-19 corona virus from March’2020 with organization’s beneficiary members as well as community people. The activities of Food support , miking, leaflet, festoon sanitizer materials and cash support were done successfully during lockdown and facing covid emergency situation.
BDRWASH for HCD Project has included in an organization programmes from February 2022. The activities are implementing in the district of Noakhali, Feni and Laxmipur under 9 upazillas and in 25 branches of Organization The Project are funded by Bangaladesh Govt. , World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Banl (AIIB).
Char Development and Settlement Project-Bridging (Additional Financing) has been included with Sagarika Samaj Unnayan Sangstha from the Ist July 2022. The project activities are implementing 8 branches of the organization under the shubarnachar and Companigonj upzilla in Nohakhali and Sandwip upzilla of the Chittagong District funded by GoB, IFAD and the kingdom of Netherland.
Recovery Advancement for Informal Sector Employment (RAISE) project has been included with SSUS from July 2022. The project activities are implementing 16 branches of the organization funded by PKSF.