Muksudpur Project, Bangladesh

See the progress you helped make happen in your sponsored community

When the project started, many families were struggling to earn a living or provide nutritious food for their children. Child malnutrition was common and dirty drinking water led to high rates of childhood illness.

Thanks to your support, your sponsored child and other children in the Muksudpur community have improved access to education, clean water and nutritious food and their families have new income earning opportunities.

Together we've achieved so much

99 percent of children are enrolled in primary school

This is up from 77 percent in 2004.

Nine schools were built and three existing schools extended.
Provision of school furniture and equipment has helped many more children gain access to education.
Especially vulnerable children received support with school fees, uniforms and school supplies to help prevent them from dropping out of school.

Child malnutrition has reduced significantly

Over 2,000 mothers have learned how to prepare healthy meals using foods available in the local marketplace.

Many more women are having regular health checks during pregnancy, so mothers and babies are better protected from life-threatening complications.
15 wells were built and 50 rainwater tanks installed to help increase access to clean water.
Children are suffering less from diarrhoea and other illnesses following construction of toilets and community health and hygiene education.

Rice production has risen to over four tonnes per hectare

This is up from 2-2.5 tonnes per hectare in 2000.

In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, the project supplied farmers with high yield rice and vegetable seeds and trained them on how to boost production without damaging the environment.
Women have gained opportunities to earn income by joining community savings groups where they can access low-interest loans to start or build on business activities.
Local road networks were built and improved so it’s easier for farmers to take their produce to market.

"World Vision worked in this area long days and developed the education environment, improved health status, increased incomes of poor households … It is a tremendous change of our locality and we are grateful. "

- Ashraful, aged 46, sub-district chairman

Saved from child marriage

When Suborna was eight, she learned that her parents had arranged her marriage in exchange for a small dowry. Her wish to stay in school was considered a luxury the family couldn’t afford.

“When my father told me I was going to be married off, I felt my life had been ruined. I visualised a life like that of my mother – marriage, lots of children … All dreams shattered,” Suborna said.

Suborna was a sponsored child and member of a child forum supported by World Vision in the Muksudpur community. Child forums are places where children gather regularly to learn about their rights and about the dangers of practices like early marriage.

With support from her child forum and World Vision workers, Suborna persuaded her parents to let her stay in school.

"World Vision has changed my life. Now my eyes are filled with new dreams. I want to study more and become a teacher so I can light my community with the light of education."

- Suborna, now aged 22