Friendly Thakurgaon

Our first field visit can only be described as typically Thakurgaon! We decided that our "Friendly Manitoba" slogan was misplaced and that it should be handed over to Friendly Thakurgaon. Our visit was coordinated by Al-Montazir, the head of Thakurgaon operations and it proved to be as busy and productive as ever.

Between our visits to individual RDRS programs we had the opportunity to take part in some sight seeing around the area. We were able to visit the largest mango tree in Asia, (don't quote me on that but I'm pretty sure it's right!) the amazingly intricate terracotta Kantangar Temple, and were able to enjoy a few lovely walks through the forests.. well... they would have been even more enjoyable if we all weren't sweating not only our faces off.. but sweating off anything that is capable of being sweat off! Thank goodness it's all worth it and also that it has been starting to cool off since then.

Our program started the first afternoon that we arrived with visit to a local SHIKHON school which is a Children Alternative Education program for kids who either can't or don't go to the government run schools. The programs is designed to redirect children who have dropped out or are behind because of social issues, such as being a member or a tribal minority, back into the regular school system. It was a great way to begin our program as children are always the best and making you feel welcome and putting a smile on your face. From this first visit on our schedule was jam packed with a wide range or visits. Some of these include:
-visits to federation offices
-farmers field school and demonstration plot visits
-a meeting with the Chief Judicial Magistrates
-two microfinance group visits, one with a tribal group
-a visit to a prenatal clinic (including a chance to actually FEEL a baby inside the mothers belly!)
-visits to benefitiaries of the prenatal program (we got to see three sets of twins in one day!) and;
-a visit to a school where RDRS is running an HIV awareness program

To give you an idea of a typical field visit I thought I would explain on of our many days, or a portion of a day as a whole day would take too long I think!
On Sunday, May 9th we began our second day in Thakurgaon by meeting our driver and our interpreters outside of the guest house and driving about half an hour to a federation office where we met with the elected chairman and other members of the federation. (Which is a organization made up of smaller groups of RDRS members. The federation is a step towards the members of these groups taking control over their own programs and being self sustaining without the assistance of RDRS.) We are greeted by a few members and led into the meeting room where we sit on five wooden chairs, at the front of a large room filled with federation members. Our interprete sits to our left and banters with the group, leaving us momentarily clueless, until, as if at random, they decide that it's time for introductions. Everyone around the room introduces themselves with their name and their position in the federation and then it's our turn, trying out our new Bangali by introducing ourselves "Amar nam Christine." etc. Our hosts then explain, through our interpreter, all about their organization and specifically about the Farmers Field Schools (FFS) that they run, as it is a key component of their particular federation. They explain that the FFS are a system of groups and demonstration plots that work to bring new technology to the marginalized farmers in order to increase their income generating activites. These technologies include: a new type of rice that can be harvested three times and year instead of the normal two times, teaching rice farmers about integrated fish cultivation in their paddies, or crop rotation techniques to ensure that the soil is kept fertile. After the summary of their operations we are then allowed to ask questions which is sometimes quite easy, and other times quite challenging depending on how thorough their explainations are to begin with. Our meeting then wraps up with a picture and a send off and we are wisked away in our chariot (the van) for another half an hour drive down dirt roads as wide as the van itself. From here we visited some of the groups that are implementing the new technologies such as a FFS that had begun fish cultivation, a field that was growing beans in order to get nitrates into the soil etc. One thing we've noticed, and it may be simply because of the language barrier that exists, even with an interperter, or because we look confused from time to time, but especially today they seemed to drill it into us that this new form of rice was harvested THREE, not TWO times a year. It used to be harvested two times a year, but now it is three. Was two, now three.

That is a typical visit for us and we have anywhere from three to 8 a day (: Every part of the experience is priceless and we learn a little bit more about the "Bangali way" everywhere we go. I find it so hard because even a write up like that cannot capture all of the simple things that seem so second nature to me now. The fact that we have at least 20 camera phone pictures taken of us everyday, and how we can't go anywhere without the word "badeshi" (which means foreigner) whispered behind us, the children who run up to us and practice the only English words they know (usually "Hello, how are you?") only to be dumbfounded when we respond and they can't understand a word we say. There are so many things that I love about this place that you need to experience to understand. I encourage everyone to come visit Bangladesh and experience them for yourselves!

Through all of our visits and busy days I haven't had much time to process the fact that I'm back here again! Everything seems so much the same on the surface but I'm noticing subtle differences in the way that I look at things. I found that during my first visit it was enough work simply to process all of the imformation about the programs and how RDRS operates that I didn't have any capacity left to examine the underlying issues and to see past the success stories to the hardships that are still so much a part of so many peoples lives here. RDRS and all of the many other NGO's in the area do such great work, but in a country with such a large, dense population it is impossible to tackle all of the issues that all of the people are experiencing...
Just some rambling thoughts that I am starting to work my way through! We'll see how that all goes in the next couple of weeks!

So! A long blog today.. probably the first of many as our experiences just keep building on each other and getting better and better (:
From Rangpur,
Christine