SERAC-Bangladesh with support from Ipas Bangladesh has celebrated World Population Day 2023 from 17-31 July with the theme ‘Reproductive health is a right for all, Access to this right is our commitment’ under Improving SRHR in Dhaka project in 59 areas of Dhaka North and South city corporations including Uttara (8 areas), Mohammadpur (10 areas), Khilgaon (5 areas), Aga Sadek (3 areas), Lalbag, Shukrabad, Madartek (2 areas), Basabo (2 areas), Jatrabari (5 areas), Mirpur (14 areas), Hazaribag (3 areas), Mohakhali (3 areas), and Kamrangirchar (2 areas). Volunteers under this project named as ‘Projonon Sastho Bandhu’ have organized community campaigns with multiple activities such as human chains by engaging the community people, miking and knowledge dissemination sessions to promote the General Practitioners’ services. The purpose of this campaign was to celebrate this day, promote Women Plus health facilities and increase awareness about SRH services among the community people.
Volunteers have organized the events on their own and have also shared their experience regarding this. ‘Projonon Sastho Bandhu’ Halimatus Sadia from Faydabad, Uttara said, “It was a different experience for me. We have received good support from our community. We got to learn many new things such as, how to do miking, how to engage the community etc.”
Robiul Awal, ‘Projonon Sastho Bandhu’ of Meradiya, Khilgaon area said, “I am working as the leader of my team. Organizing an event for world population day 2023 was different this time because it was very hot outside and people found the Hand Pakha very helpful and we successfully utilized this opportunity to promote reproductive health services and people participated spontaneously in the rally.”
‘Projonon Sastho Bandhu’ Shirin Akter Nupur from North Shahjahanpur said, “Our team felt very happy to complete the event successfully. It provided an opportunity to get introduced with new people and helped to build confidence among ourselves which will lead to organizing more innovative and successful events ahead.”
Shishir Das, ‘Projonon Sastho Bandhu’ of Borhanpur, Hazaribag area said, “We organized a human chain in coordination with our general practitioner (GP) in front of her chamber. She was supportive and we also distributed leaflets and stickers of our GP services and Hand Pakha with messages of family planning methods. Community people cooperated with us to make this event successful.”
‘Projonon Sastho Bandhu’ Mayabi Akter Maoya from Nurjahan Road, Mohammadpur area said, “We enjoyed the whole process from organizing to implement the event, miking and arranging human chains in front of our general practitioner’s (GP) chamber. Though some of our team members couldn’t join the event due to their exams but helped us in the process.”
10 volunteers from each area have organized a human chain by engaging their respected general practitioner (GP) and 10 community people and distributing Hand Pakha with a strong message about reproductive health services. SERAC-Bangladesh’s Program Manager Tasnia Ahmed, SBCC Officers – Khadija Kalam, Md. Nazmul Hasan, Kakoli Akter, Shahida Khatun, and Md Shafiullah, Ipas Bangladesh’s Senior Advisor (SBCC and communication) Md. Eklas Uddin and SBC Coordinator- Jinea Ferdaus have joined the events.