www.asa.org.bd

ASA adopted a plan to disburse microcredit amount-ing to BDT 255 billion among 7.5 million people during FY 2016-17. The decision was made in the 37th Annual General Meeting of the organization held on 4 June 2014 at ASA Tower Conference Hall at Shyamoli, Dhaka.

The AGM also endorsed a budget of BDT 460 million for operating welfare-oriented non-�inancial program of the organization such as Healthcare Program, Primary Education Strengthening Program, Physiotherapy, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) and Agricultural Support Program etc. for the same period.

According to AGM decision, the outreach of the

non-�inancial programs will be extended to areas yet to be covered so that more underprivileged people would get opportunity of being served in the upcom-ing years.

The AGM was chaired by Mrs. Taherunnessa Abdul-lah, Chairperson of the Governing Body of ASA. ASA President Md. Sha�iqual Haque Choudhury presented a report on the overall activities of the organization of the outgoing year.

Two new members Mr. Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul and Mr. Md. Enamul Haque were elected for the ASA Governing Body in the AGM. The program was moderated by Mohammed Azim Hossain, Director of ASA International.

ASA to Disburse Microcredit Worth BDT 255 billionAmong 7.5 million People During FY 2016-17

January-June 2016

ASANew Vision

January-June 20162

ASA Observes International Women’sDay 2016

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2016 ASA and ASA International jointly organized a colorful procession on 8 March in Dhaka city. The procession started at 9:30 AM from ASA Tower premises, Shyamoli and ended at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Bhaban (Manik Mia Avenue) at 10:30 AM.

ASA President Md. Sha�iqual Haque Choudhury inaugurated the procession by releasing pigeons and balloons at the premises of ASA Tower. Mrs. Rabeya Akhter Choudhury, member of ASA Governing Body wrapped up the procession with a brief speech highlighting importance of the day. Several hundred women and men from different walks of life took part in the event with full enthusiasm and zeal. It may be mentioned here that each year ASA arranges be�itting events to mark International Women’s Day upholding its signi�icance.

January-June 2016 3

Events

A delegate from the South Sewanee University of the United States compris-ing 12 students and teachers made a study visit at ASA on 28 June 2016. While visiting ASA the team met the President of the organization (Seen on the right picture).

A three-member team of Women’s World Banking, New York, USA visited ASA on 2 February 2016. During the visit, the team made a courtesy call with ASA President Md. Sha�iqual Haque Choudhury at his of�ice. Mr. Md. Fayzer Rahman Executive Vice President of ASA among others was present (Seen on the right picture).

ASA University Bangladesh arranged a fresher’s reception for the students of 26th batch of its BBA Program on 20 February 2016. Md. Sha�iqual Haque Choudhury, Chairman of the Broad of Trustees of the university was present in the program as Chief Guest. Among others the Vice-chancellor of ASA Univer-sity Mr. Dalem Chandra Burman, senior teachers and of�icials of the university were present. Newly enrolled students and their guardians also attended the function.

ASA Organizes a Workshop on KidneyAwareness at Kalai Upazila, Joypurhat A workshop on Kidney awareness at Kalai Upazila Auditorium on 19 May 2016 was arranged by ASA for raising awareness of local people on the importance of kidneys to overall health and measures to reduce the frequency and incidence of kidney diseases. Senior Deputy President of ASA, M Abdul Aziz attend-ed the workshop as Chief Guest, while Deputy Commissioner of Joypurhat Mr. Md. Abdur Rahim and Civil Surgeon of the district Dr. Jasim Uddin Haolader were present as special guests. It was Chaired by Mr. Badal Chandra Haldar, Upazila Nirbahi Of�icer of Kalai. A keynote paper was presented by Dr. Md. Salahuddin, Deputy Chief Health Of�icer of ASA.

In his speech, the Chief Guest said, ASA implements quite a number of social development initiatives for the overall welfare of the people, and health program is one of them. The health program of ASA is based on doorstep service oriented approach rather than centre-oriented one, he added. Senior Deputy Presi-dent, ASA also quoted that mass awareness is

extremely essential in restraining people from unlawful and unethical act like kidney peddling. He urged upon the participants as well as ASA staff to work more actively for making people conscious about the risks of organ selling. The Chief Guest presented the following recommendations to avoid the possible menace of kidney trading in the work-shop.i) Encouraging posthumous kidney and other

human organs donation.ii) Encouraging kidney donation among the blood

connected relatives.iii) Conducting awareness campaign on organ dona-

tion among the students of schools and colleges.iv) Informing police and administration immediate-

ly after knowing plan or incident of kidney selling.

The Deputy Commissioner of Joypurhat and special guest of the program Mr. Md. Abdur Rahim said, some people of this area earlier sold their kidneys as they

January-June 20164

Workshop on Kidney Awareness

were misguided by the allurement of kidney touts. But the occurrence has been stopped now on enhanced surveillance and taking stringent action against the unscrupulous kidney traders by the district administration. He expressed optimism that in future this sort of unethical act would not happen any more in the area.

Md. Fayzer Rahman, Executive Vice President of ASA informed the workshop that a research team from ASA was sent here at Kalai for fact �inding on kidney selling following media reports. It was learnt from team’s report that there was no relation between kidney selling and micro�inance. In spite of that, ASA arranged this workshop out of its commitment and obligation to the people. Moreover, ASA established three Primary Healthcare Centers in remote areas of Kalai. These centers have been providing healthcare service as well as raising awareness about kidney.Of�icer in charge (OC) of Kalai Police Station informed the audience that Police administration of Kalai and

Joypurhat earlier took tough action against a number of kidney touts. On receipt of information about 25 culprits were arrested and sent to jail. Kidney peddling does not take place in Kalai now because of zero tolerance of local administration. Kalai OC also expressed his thanks and gratitude to ASA authority for arranging such a useful workshop in the Upazila.

The workshop through deliberation and open discus-sion successfully provided ideas and ways on how to keep kidney free from diseases and to make it active for a long-time. M A Halim Khan, Executive Vice Presi-dent of ASA expressed thanks to District and Upazila administration for giving support to make the event meaningful. Government of�icials, people’s repre-sentatives, local elite, journalists, NGO and ASA of�icials took part in the workshop. Two hundred people with dominating number of women of the area participated in the program with full enthusi-asm.

January-June 2016 5

Participants of kidney awareness workshop are seen in the above picture

Kidney Awareness

January-June 20166

Events in Grassroots

Under the SMA Project two training courses (ToT) were held at Homna ATI of Comilla on 18-20 April and on 21-23 April. M Abdul Aziz, Senior Deputy President of ASA inaugurated the ToT courses as Chief Guest, while Md. Fayzer Rahman, Executive Vice President of ASA, Mr. Provas Chandra Mollik, General Manager of Bangladesh Bank and Principal of ATI Homna were present in the function. Regional Managers of ASA working under SMAP participated in the training courses.

ASA arranged a training program for the �ish-cultivators of Fulbaria Upazila of Mymensingh on March 3, 2016 at the Upazila Parisad Hall Room. Md. Abdus Salam, Director, Agriculture, Mr, Serajuddin Ahmad, Fisheries Consultant of ASA, and Md. Golam Rabbani Khan, Assistant Director of ASA were present in the program as resource persons. 30 �ish-cultivators of Fubaria Upazila took part in the training program.

A rally was organized by the district adminis-tration of Jamalpur to mark international day of “Prevention of drug-abuse and illegal drug traf�icking”. ASA of�icials of the Jamalpur district participated in the rally with full enthu-siasm.

January-June 2016 7

ASA-Jamalpur (Dewanganj) district arranged a coordination meeting on 15 March 2016 for the Branch Managers of the district. Md. Fayzer Rahman, Executive Vice President of ASA was present as Chief Guest, while Md. Golam Mustafa, Director Legal Affair and Khondokar Md. Shohidul Alam, Joint Deputy Director of the organization were present as special guests. Md. Torikul Islam, Assistant Director of ASA chaired the meeting participated by 48 Branch Managers of ASA.

A coordination meeting of the branch managers took place at ASA Manikgonj district on 19 April 2016. Mr. ASM Touhid, Joint Director of ASA was present in the meeting as chief guest, while Dr. Nazrul Islam, Chief Health Of�icer of ASA attended in the program as special guest. 32 Branch Managers of ASA of the district joined the program.

ASA-Sunamgonj district arranged a simple function for issuing health grants and payment of insurance on 30 March 2016 at the of�ice. Advocate Shamsun Nahar Begum, hon’ble MP of Sunamgonj handed over the health grants and payments of insurance to the members of ASA as chief guest of the program. Local journalists, elite and concerned of�icials of ASA were present.

Activities in Grassroots

January-June 20168

ASA: Striving for Sustainable Development

Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation through a liberation war in 1971, in exchange of huge suffering and incredible sacri�ice of millions of lives. The war of liberation was so devastating that it damaged the entire infrastructure and socio-eco-nomic foundation of the country. As a result, the economy of Bangladesh during post-war time fell in disarray causing poverty to an extreme state.

Amidst all those, in 1978, ASA initiated its journey aiming at poverty reduction and socio-economic development. In those days, ASA’s activities were limited to awareness building, disaster relief, mass literacy etc. and all those were dependent upon

donors’ aid. In 1991, ASA brought a remarkable transformation in its structure and approach. The organization initiated micro�inance as core program, which was innovative, cost-ef�icient and different from the conventional ones. It was later recognized worldwide as the ASA model.

ASA micro�inance program could successfully reach across the country within a short period. ASA for its effective model could establish itself as one of the

leading Micro�inance Institutions (MFI) of the land as well as of the world and achieved �inancial self-suf�i-ciency in less than a decade. In 2000, ASA declared itself as a grants-free organization. These successes brought many international accolades and rewards for ASA. Among those, the Forbes Magazine, USA selected ASA, as the best managed and sustainable MFI of the world in 2007. The Financial Times, London and International Finance Corporation (IFC) jointly presented ASA with the Banking at the Bottom of the Pyramid award in 2008.

Currently, about 7.5 million people are involved with ASA’s micro�inance program, of which 97% are

women. ASA has 2,933 branch of�ices located throughout the country. About 25,000 skilled and dedicated staff offer the target-people with multifac-eted services. On an average, each year ASA disburs-es loans amounting to BDT 200 billion to its clients. The borrowers are mostly poor. This vast amount of loan supports rural economy in creating employ-ments through various livelihoods for the rural people, resulting in poverty reduction.

Habibur Rahman

January-June 2016 9

Besides, ASA inspires its members for savings and supports with loan insurance services. Savings enable members to have a secured future with adequate interests. Currently, clients’ savings has accumulated to about BDT 50 billion which is kept deposited with ASA. The organization is reinvesting the savings of the clients in credit program. ASA members have also the privilege of loan insurance policy which facilitates their families to defray the unexpected liability created out of the unpaid loan of the deceased borrowers.

Since 2008, ASA has been operating Foreign Remit-tance Program. This program transfers remit-tance to the clients in a quicker and safer manner. Presently, 2600 branches of ASA are engaged with the service and an average of BDT 900 crore foreign remittance is being chan-nelled through this program in a year.

Self-�inanced development modelGenerally, NGO activities are dependent on donors. But ASA is an exception in this respect. ASA had always been putting its efforts on being independent as soon as it realized that poverty reduction was impossible being on depend-ent. Micro�inance program created a chance for ASA to be �inancially self-suf�icient. Ef�icient manage-ment, strict cost-effectiveness, sense of dignity have worked as catalysts in this success.

After being �inancially self-reliant, ASA engaged itself in non-�inancial welfare programs. With its earnings from micro�inance project, ASA introduced non-�i-nancial welfare activities like health service, strengthening primary education, developing sanita-tion, physiotherapy etc. ASA also got involved in a number of projects aiming at agricultural develop-ment. Among these are producing vermicompost, dairy farms, lending soft loan to the farmers and providing training for mushroom production, �ish and orange farming etc. Every year, ASA spends about BDT 50 crore taka for operating non-�inancial

program from its own resource. ASA Health program: Increasing health awareness among the common people, providing primary healthcare, physiotherapy service etc. are the compo-nents of this program. Under this program, about 70 lakh people are being offered health services, of which the majority are women. Awareness is created among uneducated people on how to prevent and protect from diseases.

ASA has established 50 primary health service centres in remote areas of the country. These centres

are providing primary healthcare services to the underprivileged of the society. ASA Health Complex, Chunarughat is also delivering health facilities to the people.

Altogether, each year, nearly 10 lakh people, mostly poor receive healthcare services from ASA health program. Besides, borrowers and their family members are provided with health-

care grants by ASA.

Physiotherapy program: Since 2011, ASA has been providing physiotherapy treatment to rural people who live mostly on physical labour. The service is delivered through arranging health camps in the outlying areas of the country. Each year, almost 40 thousand people are enjoying this service, of which two-thirds are women.

Primary education strengthening program: Primary school drop-out is a big impediment in our education. ASA initiated Primary Education Strengthening Program to reduce drop-out through providing tuition assistance to the students of pre-primary and grade 1-2. About 3,00,000 students are given assis-tance in coping formal school studies through 7000 education centres across the country.

Generally, NGO activities are depend-ent on donors but ASA is an exception in this respect. ASA had always been putting its effort on being independent as soon as it realized that poverty reduction is impossible on being dependent. Micro�inance program created a chance for ASA to be �inan-cially self-suf�icient. Ef�icient manage-ment, strict cost cutting, sense of digni-ty have worked as catalysts in this success.

(Continued on page 10)

Article

January-June 201610

Sanitation program: Though rate of excretion in open space has decreased signi�icantly, still more than 40% of people of Bangladesh are deprived of hygien-ic sanitation. ASA came up with its sanitation program in making hygienic off-set latrine with affordable expense for the poor people. ASA sanita-tion program trains labours, bricklayers, sanitary products sellers and entrepreneurs to build off-set latrine. Besides, loans are provided to poor families at minimum interest rate, so that they can avail hygienic latrines. This program assists thousands of households in setting up off-set latrines each year.

Agriculture Support Program: ASA has taken up a number of projects for developing agriculture and farmers’ lives. These include, producing vermicompost and imparting training on dairy, mushroom, �isheries, orange cultivation. A number of vermicompost farms have been estab-lished throughout the country. Ten thousand kilograms of vermicom-post are being produced in those farms every year and sold at a subsidized price to the farmers.

Sister organizations: ASA has founded three sister organizations as part of holistic development approach. These are ASA University, ASA MATS and Hope for the Poorest (HP). Among those, ASA Univer-sity and ASA MATS are engaged in education for making our younger people into skilled human resources. HP has been working for delivering essential services to the people who are victims of natural calamities.

International endeavour: ASA has been functioning

globally with its program of poverty alleviation for more than two decades. It has offered to a number of organizations with knowledge and expertise for implementing micro�inance program so far. Current-ly ASA is providing technical assistance to 13 coun-tries in implementing micro�inance program. The countries are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Cambodia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. About 130 of�icials of ASA are staying abroad empowering 1.5 million poor people of these countries to derive bene�it out of micro�inance service.

About four decades ago, ASA initiated its mission in a remote village, Tepra of Mani-kganj district, which has now �lourished. Its efforts being practiced in many parts of the globe beyond its birth place, Bangladesh. Indeed, a considerable progress has been made to meet the goal of ASA in reducing poverty so far. Mean-while, poverty scenario

of Bangladesh has been lowered to a reasonable level as recorded below 25%. Bangladesh has upgraded itself as a lower middle income nation.

Is spite of those achievements, still a long way is to be covered before achieving the ultimate target of erasing the last sign of poverty from the world. To do so the organization started diversifying its activities and fresh projects are now being initiated. It is expected that this new strategy of ASA would usher in a new horizon of sustainable development soon.

Writer is Assistant Director, Communications, ASA

Is spite of those achievements, still a long

way to cross over to reach the ultimate

target, which is erasing the last sign of

poverty from the world. To do so the

organization started a new journey.

Eyeing on that its programs and activities

are being diversi�ied and fresh projects

are initiated. It is expected that this new

endeavour of ASA would usher in a new

horizon of sustainable development soon.

ASA: Striving for Sustainable Development

January-June 2016 11

Physiotherapy Program

For offering physiotherapy to the local patients, a camp was arranged by ASA-Derai Branch on 25-27 April 2016. Upazilla Nribahi Of�icer of Derai inaugu-rated the camp as chief guest. Mr. Mosharrof Mia, Mayor of Derai Munici-pality was also present in the function as special guest. Quite a number of male and female patients were treated in the camp.

A camp was arranged at ASA Khilpara branch under Nohakhali district on 17-19 January 2016 for providing physi-otherapy service to the local people. Chairman of Khilpara Union Parisad Mr. Md. Alamgir Hossain inaugurated the camp as chief guest. More than one hundred patients mostly women were provided physiotherapy treatment and consultations in the camp.

ASA-Assampara branch under Habigonj district organized a physiotherapy camp on 24-26 January 2016 at its premises. Mr. Md. Sha�iul Alam, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Habigonj was present at the camp as chief guest. ASA District Manager of Habigonj Md. Kamal Mia Chowdhury and concerned of�icials also attended. A large number of patients of the area were given physiotherapy treat-ment by this three-day camp.

Case study

Napkin Business Makes Taslima’s Dream True

January-June 201612

Taslima Islam, 23, of Chunarughat under Habigonj district has become a successful small entrepreneur by dint of her determination and hard work. But attaining that feat was not as simple as said. While studying in college she was compelled to marry an overseas worker according to the will of her family. After the marriage her study stopped literally as her husband was unwilling to pay for her further education. That came to her as a big blow and she couldn’t accept it at all.

Whatsoever, Taslima was not ready to be defeated. She was determined to pursue higher education at any cost and started searching for an apt job or source of earning. Meanwhile, Hope for the Poorest (HP) launched a sanitary napkin project at Chunarughat Upazila to support young poor women to be self-employed by producing low-cost sanitary napkins. Being informed about the program, Taslima contacted the of�icials of HP to know details about the process of getting involved with the project. And it was the turning point that changed her life forever.

After getting training from HP, she started a small production unit of sanitary napkins at her home. Initially, Taslima did everything for producing napkins and selling them to the consumers. The

napkins she produced were very good in quality and cheaper than the other available products of the markets. Gradually, her napkins “Happy Day” became familiar to the customers of the area. A number of hospitals and clinics of Chunarughat have become regular clients of her product. As the demand of her product increased, it became tough in managing business with her lone efforts. Then, she hired two young girls from the locality as assistants for her business.

Currently, Taslima’s factory produces 30 packets of napkin a day and sells those at a price of only 40 taka per packet. This is much cheaper than that of the prevailing ones. On an average she earns 20,000 taka net each month from the business at present. Sanitary napkin business has facilitated Taslima to be a successful entrepreneur and set an instance for self-help for many in the area.

Taslima stands beside her produced Napkins

PESP Activities

January-June 2016 13

A two-day training workshop was arranged on 23-24 February 2016 by PESP at ASA central of�ice for improving skill and ef�iciency of Field Education Of�icers of Primary Education Strengthening Program. Participants of the workshop are seen with EVP of ASA Mr. Sushil Roy and Director of PESP Dr. Jamal Mustafa in the above picture.

A guardian meeting was held at Gojaria ASA branch under Bhola district on 25 May 2016. Guardians are seen with their kids in the picture. Guardians meet once in a month to evaluate the progress of learning of their kids.

A monthly meeting for the tutors of PESP was held at KB Bazar of Patya Upazilla under Chittagong district on 28 April 2016. Besides Tutors, Education Supervisors, Field Of�icers and concerned ASA of�icials were present on the occasion.

January-June 201614

Activities of Dairy farms andFish cultivation

With the initiative of ASA Agriculture Program an exposure tour was arranged for the dairy farmers at Resombari area of Shajadpur Upazila under Sirajgonj district from 29 to 31 January of 2016. Twenty nine dairy farmers from across the country joined in the exposure visit for getting practical knowledge on improved dairy farming.

Livestock Of�icer of Shajadpur Upazila is giving tips on preventing and curing diseases of the cattle to the participating dairy farmers in the exposure meeting.

A training program for Fish farmers of Muktagacha Upazilla of Mymensingh district was held on 15 February 2016. Fisheries Consultant of ASA Md. Serajud-din was present in the program as resource person. 30 �ish farmers of the Upazilla participated in the training.

January-June 2016 15

Research and Training A workshop was held on February 7, 2016 at ASA Central Of�ice on Monitoring, Super-vision and Improvement of Program for the Regional Managers. President of ASA Md. Sha�iqual Haque Choudhury inaugu-rated the workshop as chief guest and gave directives to the participants regarding improvement of micro�inance program. Senior Deputy President of ASA M Abdul Aziz, EVPs Mr. Susil Roy and Md. Fayzer Rahman were present on the occasion. 25 Regional Managers of the organization participated in the workshop.

Recently Research Wing of ASA conducted a study on the topic of “Impact of ASA Microcredit Program on Poverty in Bangla-desh.” Results of the study were revealed through a simple ceremony arranged at ASA Central Of�ice on 19 March 2016. Mr. Towaefur Rahman, Advisor of ASA Research Wing presented the outcome of the study to apprise Of�icials of ASA and ASA University. ASA President, Vice Chan-cellor of ASA University, senior of�icials of ASA and ASA University were present on the occasion.

A training program on “Paying taxes and VAT and forming a unit to recover bad debts” was held on 31 March 2016, at ASA Central Of�ice for the Zonal Managers of the organization. M Abdul Aziz, Senior Deputy President of ASA inaugurated the training as Chief Guest. EVPs of ASA Md. Fayzer Rahman and Md. Tow�iqual Islam Chowdhury were present in the function.

Rvbyqvwi - Ryb 2016January-June 2016

ASA New Vision

Editor: M Abdul Aziz, Executive Editor: Habibur RahmanMake up & design: Md. Shahidul IslamASA, ASA Tower, 23/3 Bir Uttam ANM Nuruzzaman Sarak, Shyamoli, Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh Phone: 8111418, 8119828, 8110934-5, Fax: 880-2-9121861, E-mail: asa@asabd.org, web: www.asa.org.bd

1 Total number of Branch Offices 2,933

2 Total number of Villages 63,881

3 Total number of Upazila / Thana 511

4 64

5 Total number of active groups 285,097

6 Total number of active members : Primary 96.99% 7,204,741

: Special 3.00% 223,029

: Sanitation 0.01% 827

7,428,597Total

Total

Total

7 Number of Longterm Savers A/C ( 100.12% on active borrowers) 6,215,049

8 Total number of Capital Buildup Savings A/C 7,316,211

9 Savings (end balance) : Primary 43.25% 21,921,932,447

: Special 6.40% 3,242,059,993

: Sanitation 0.01% 6,631,613

: LTS 38.89% 19,708,885,282

: CBS 11.45% 5,804,520,269

50,684,029,604

10 Total number of active borrowers : Primary 96.75% 6,005,985

(end of the month) : Special 3.22% 199,697

: Sanitation 0.03% 1,985

: Solar 0.00% 22

6,207,689

11 Loan Outstanding (with service charge) : Taka 131,880,656,634

Disbursed (cumulative) Taka 1,258,971,127,895

1,127,090,471,261Realized (cumulative) Taka

Taka12 Loan Outstanding (Principal) : 120,278,645,896

13 Rate of Recovery (cumulative) 99.66%

14 Rate of Recovery (on going loan) 97.17%

15 PAR (%) - 1 day 2.82%

16 Total number of Staff 25,420

17 Total number Part-time staff (Non-financial Program) 11,522

Total number of Districts (All Districts in Bangladesh)

Up to June 2016ASA : At a Glance