January 27, 2018
"After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world." Philip Pullman
The Sreepur Village, a UK-based charity, provides a safe haven for over 400 children and 150 mothers in rural Bangladesh. Living alone in fear and not knowing where the next meal is coming from is the start of many a story, and one that all of our beneficiaries have been able to share.
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January 15, 2018
Everyday on the grounds of the CMC (Child and Mother Care) our Baby-House's children have their lunch under the big water tank.
Prior to coming to The Sreepur Village, these mothers were not able to afford food to feed their babies so, everyday at lunchtime is a happy moment for both mother and child.
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December 21, 2017
“What struck me first is the number of children there, the noise of over 400 of them and the happy smiles as we arrived, they eat together and live in the village receiving food and protection with their mothers. They attend school and get healthy meals. I have to admit the amount they eat is small and the diet is not so varied but they are grateful for every little bit.”
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December 20, 2017
Last Saturday, the nation celebrated the 47th Victory Day, paying homage to three million victims and freedom fighters of the Liberation War. The Sreepur Village, Bangladesh, also celebrated this memorable day and in the morning the National flag was proudly waiving high above the school building.
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December 10, 2017
“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home -- so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world” Eleanor Roosevelt (The Chair of the drafting committee of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
Today, the world will be observing Human Rights Day, and if you follow The Sreepur Village, you will see how we wholly support this declaration.
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December 07, 2017
The Rohingya refugees, who have already suffered Bangladesh’s stifling heat and monsoon rains, are now bracing themselves for a harsh winter; and with a lack of warm clothing this only adds to their ongoing misery. At the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar (Southern Bangladesh), doctors are warning against the increased risk of an outbreak of cold-borne diseases, such as respiratory tract infections.
In such conditions it is the children that are the most vulnerable. During winter, the temperature in Cox’s Bazar dips to around 10–15 degrees, with December and January being the most unbearable months.
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November 27, 2017
November 25, was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls.
One in three women and girls around the world has experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Currently, The Sreepur Village is working to empower 150 mothers, of which the following are: 23 divorced, 57 abandoned, 30 separated, 5 unmarried, 35 widowed. Out of these 150 women, regardless of their marital status, over 100 have experienced some form of brutal violence in their lifetime.
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November 13, 2017
Over 800,000 Rohingya refugees are now living in the southern most districts of Bangladesh. Since the end of August over 600,000 people have crossed the border, having fled the violence in Myanmar. The majority of the new arrivals live in crowded makeshift settlements and there are no words to describe their sufferings, particularly the conditions of the women and children. In such a humanitarian crisis, we all need to help.
At the beginning of October, the Sreepur Village team, led by Pat, visited the Rohingya refugee camps and decided to produce sanitary products for the women and nappies for the babies. According to Pat, these products are essential to the women and children as they face the harsh reality of life in the makeshift settlements. With the help of the Sreepur women and children, we were able to produce 4700 sanitary towels and 1600 nappies.
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November 02, 2017
The Sreepur Village Clinic plays a vital role in each and every beneficiary’s health. The clinic, open 24/7, works hard in assessing and treating the many health problems that arise. Mothers and children, upon admission to the village, go to the clinic for routine health checks and whether their symptoms are minor or major the care, that the clinic delivers, is second-to-none.
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October 12, 2017
“Please give us something for our children”, pleaded Yasmin, 25 and Farida, 15, in their broken voices - they couldn’t say any more than this.
Later, Farida narrated her horrific experience. Her father was slaughtered and her husband was gunned down by the Myanmar army right in front of her face. The same thing happened to Yasmin’s family. Both women, along with their children, fled from the spot with the sole aim to cross the border and reach a safer place.
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October 03, 2017
When we left yesterday the large mud field in front of the camp was virtually empty. Today it was packed as 20,000 more refugees had arrived overnight. The army personnel had worked well in-to-the night and a baby had been born in the very early hours, both mother and child had to be sent to Teknaf hospital.
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September 29, 2017
The garment industry of Bangladesh has played an important role in economically enriching a large group of poor and vulnerable women. Today, approximately 80% of garment workers are women. So, having this source of income not only helps women to lead a better life but it also provides them with more confidence at home, a social sphere and higher self-esteem. The most important thing is, however, that they can survive and help save their families. The number of women from impoverished northern districts of Bangladesh joining the garments sector are much lower due to lack of awareness of opportunities, risks of relocation, and uncertainty about securing a job quickly.
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September 21, 2017
Every year, in three phases, our mothers move to the halfway house which is one step closer to them being totally independently. They stay in the half-way house for three months and then The Sreepur Village rehabilitation team start the final processes of discharging them. This autumn, on October 8, some of our mothers will move to the half-way house. If you wander around The Sreepur Village, you can easily recognise which ones are moving on as they are armed with bundles of firewood, collecting as much as possible in preparation for cooking for themselves. The mothers are also currently completing their final training in tailoring, which covers all aspects from skills to business acumen. We recruit our mothers in such schemes so that they can earn a livelihood immediately after leaving The Sreepur Village.
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September 07, 2017
Eid UL Adha, the second most significant Muslim festival, was recently celebrated in The Sreepur Village. A three- day-long programme Eid, in The Sreepur Village, is marked with a number of lively activities such as singing, dancing and games. Every mother and child from the village went to each and every event, in which they sported not only their best attire but lots of enthusiasm too.
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September 01, 2017
“I have a new sari. For the last five years, I haven’t asked anyone for a sari, how could I when my children could not be fed three meals a day? In fact, I have not been able to feed my four children properly for a long time. Fifteen years ago, I got married to a day labourer. He was not able to provide enough food, but he gave me four children. Due to our country’s extreme poverty, one day he fled our home and, to date, has never returned...
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August 24, 2017
"One year later, after my daughter has grown up, I plan to master the art of tailoring and candle making, schemes which are taught here in #TheSreepurVillage. There is a candle making factory in my local area where I can work and earn some cash. Then I would love to open a small tailoring shop. So, that’s the plan for now, but most importantly I do not want to be a burden to anyone.”
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July 14, 2017
All of the mothers of The Sreepur Village are required to participate in our education programme.
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July 10, 2017
Every three months a group of our mothers from Sreepur Village go to visit the Half-way House (pre-rehabilitation centre) as a part of our community rehabilitation strategy.
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July 05, 2017
We are sorry for our delay in sharing our Eid celebrations with you but we've all been having such a wonderful time.
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