Australia funds BDT 84 lac for community development in Bangladesh

Australian High Commissioner Justin Lee handing over DAP cheque to Dr. Podder of Kumudini Welfare Trust

The Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dr Justin Lee presented cheques worth BDT 84 lac (USD 120,000) to five different organisations on 19 December, to help them undertake community development activities. Funding was provided under the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program (DAP) 2010-11, an annual scheme that funds small and innovative community projects.

The five recipient organisations are Centre for the Rehabilitation of Paralysed (CRP), Kumudini Welfare Trust, Society for People’s Action in Change and Equity (SPACE), PARIBARTAN and Society for Lowest Urban Mass (SLUM). Over the next year, the funds will contribute to infrastructure building to expand education and health services, to rehabilitation of arsenic threatened poor people and to creating employment opportunities among marginalised communities through bee farming.

Dr Lee said he was pleased Australia could support these organisations, which are made up of dedicated staff and which already contribute a large part of their own resources to their development activities. He hoped Australia’s contribution could help them expand their activities more broadly.

Last year, under DAP 2009-2010, Australia funded 20 projects worth BDT 190 lac across the country to support a variety of activities focusing on women empowerment, vocational skill development, education facilities building, access to clean water and sanitation, basic health care, low cost housing and good governance in grass root levels.

Australian High Commission, Dhaka
19 December 2010

For further information please contact:
Senior Research and Communications Officer
Australian High Commission, Dhaka.
Tel: 8813105 ext 497 ; E-mail: [email protected]