Empowerment of Coastal Fishing Communities for Livelihood Security
GOB/UNDP/FAO Project: BGD/97/017

Community Empowerment

Abu Nashir Khan
Fisheries Officer (Marine)

Introduction:

The report is structured as follows. The background information of “ Empowerment of the Coastal Fishing Communities for Livelihood ” project is first followed by justification of the report. The implementation of the process is described next. It also explores the best practices regarding community empowerment of the ECFC project.

Background:

The project works with the coastal fishing communities who are exposed to multiple vulnerabilities that determine their current condition of poverty and threaten their future. Though the project started functioning from December 2000 most of the field activities were launched in January 2001 onwards. The project is considered to be an innovative effort at evolving a partnership among GoB agencies, NGOs, fishing communities and the private sector for providing services at the doorsteps of the communities to empower them and encourage the community thus prepared to contribute to regeneration of coastal fisheries resources for their own sustainable livelihoods.

The Empowerment of Coastal Fishing Communities For Livelihood Security project aims to enable and facilitate participatory community-based fisheries co-management and sustainable human development in coastal fishing communities of selected Upazilla of Cox’s Bazar District, through awareness building, organization and empowerment of communities, promotion of alternative/additional income generating activities, facilitate improved access to productive, social and administrative services, and strengthening linkages between organized communities and local government institutions.
The primary aim of the project is to empower of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of coastal fishing communities whose livelihoods are declining with the degrading coastal fisheries resources and dwindling inshore fish stocks. In achieving so, the project’s interventions focuses on both human and institutional development that promotes learning and changing process of targeted communities, both men and women.
The Development Objective of the project is to promote livelihood security of the poor coastal fishing communities by achieving the following three immediate objectives, which are organized in logical sequence: • Assist the communities to organize themselves into village level organizations and building their capacity to collectively address their problems and needs; • Introduce various economic and community welfare activities which are operated and managed by their community organizations; and • Facilitate sustainable conservation and management of coastal marine and estuarine fisheries resources and habitats through strengthened community organizations.

The project implementing activities in near about 117 villages or paras (hamlets) where fishing communities constitute the majority of the population. These villages are spread over to all the upazillas of Cox’s Bazar district – Pekua, Chakaria, Sadar, Ukhyia, Ramu, Kutubdia, Moheshkhali and Teknaf including island of St. Martin

Justification of the report:

Coastal people, particularly the majority the poor fishing communities are the most dispossessed group of people who depend on the sea for their livelihoods. Women, children and men from the coastal fishing communities, who are the poorest and disadvantaged segment of the rural population and most prone to natural disasters, are the primary target group of the project. Coastal communities lack of organization, power and capacity to address their needs and demand the political entitlement they deserve. They are being marginalized as they lie low in the society hierarchy and are seldom able to claim their share in the society. They need to be empowering so that they are able to perceive their position and to demand respect and assert their social position in the social hierarchy. The aim of the project is to empower of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of coastal fishing communities whose livelihoods are declining with the degrading coastal fisheries resources and dwindling inshore fish stocks. In achieving so, the project’s interventions focuses on both human and institutional development that promotes learning and changing process of targeted communities, both men and women. This is an important document as it records the le practices of the project in a variety of social and economic activities pertinent to the development effort in community empowerment. The project hopes at the end of the project period the community could be able to collectively address their problems, needs are able to perceive their position and to demand respect and assert their social position in the social hierarchy.

Process of implementation:

The “Empowerment of Coastal fishing Communities for Livelihood Security” project intervention is aimed at various dimensions of community empowerment. It involves promotion of self-managed organization for the poor men and women separately, improving access and linkage of such organizations to GO/NGO led extension and social services, promotion of additional income generation through developing skills, introducing appropriate technologies and enterprise development: mobilization and facilitation of access to financial resources through institutional credit organizations, strengthened capacity for community based disaster management, and finally promoting active participation of the community organizations, thus empowered in the management of coastal fisheries resources for harnessing the resources on sustainable basis.
The project emphasis a partnership approach to visioning of future, identification of immediate needs and opportunities, participatory planning in long, short and immediate term, implementations, facilitation, assistances, supervision, monitoring and evaluation of the services/activities that involves GO departments, NGOs, and the communities.

The empowerment process of the project encompasses the following thematic areas:

• Organizing the communities and their organizational development: including activities such as facilitating to get the communities organized into village level organizations (VOs) separately for women and men; capacity building of VOs in terms of organizational management and leadership development; further strengthening of their organizations through networking of VOs at Upazilla and district levels; conduct of election to strengthen democratic process; assisting in acquiring legal entity of their organization; encouraging savings and creation of emergency / welfare fund; creating urge for development by confidence building and stimulating visioning for better future and taking up planning and action course. • Promotion of additional income generating activities: encompassing village based conduct of PRAs to facilitate appraisal of resources, constraints and opportunities; prioritization of income generating options; preparing participatory plan for implementation of top priority programmes for group based and individual households; assisting in mobilizing resources from MFIs and other GO / NGO agencies, organizing need based skill development training; assisting in entrepreneurship development and accounts keeping; providing demand driven advisory services; assisting in developing business proposals; and supporting through Micro-Capital Grant on matching fund basis. • School based primary education: incorporating site selection for schools; selection and training of teachers; enrolment of children – both girls and boys; starting classes; forming School Management Committee (SMC) for each of the 46 schools; encouraging the VOs / VDCs to build their own school house and raising their own education fund; providing books from GOB; introducing a number of extra curriculum activities; encouraging extra shifts in all the schools through community resources; assisting enrolment of passed out children to Government schools; and initiating adult literacy programme in collaboration with local NGOs. • Primary health care, water and sanitation: including awareness building, assisting in participatory appraisal of sanitation and primary health conditions of each village; facilitating preparation of village sanitation plan; selection and training of village based community activists; encouraging implementation of village action plan including establishing sanitary latrines by VO members; mobilizing additional support from GOB / local Government Agencies; facilitating linkage with local NGO / GO agencies and their health clinics to derive benefit from their programmes; encouraging periodical health checks / visits by Medical and Para-Medical personnel on payment basis.

• Disaster preparedness: starting with creating mass awareness through organizing district, Upazilla, Union and Village level events; selection and training of Change Agents and volunteers to promote disaster preparedness related activities at village / household levels; facilitating creation of Village Disaster Preparedness Committee (VDPC), organizing mock demonstration on DP; creating awareness about sea safety; organizing community based training on sea safety and first aid by using appropriate training tools; encouraging use of sea safety and first aid tools and appliances; assisting in developing village based disaster preparedness planning encompassing danger signal based preparedness, rescue and evacuation, etc; appraisal of preparedness and response during and aftermath of cyclone that hit Cox’s Bazar coast during May. • Legal awareness: Creating mass and village based awareness on family and fisheries laws; rights of women and child; organizing village and upazilla based training for community activists, GO and NGO personnel, press and Local Government representatives; assisted in organizing public hearing and settling local disputes; and providing legal aid support to cases of community interest. • Community participation in fisheries management : Project intervention in this field includes village based participatory review of coastal fisheries and fishing related activities; organizing stakeholders’ workshop for participatory appraisal of artisanal fisheries for rural livelihood development; facilitating participatory appraisal of gear based fisheies of Cox’s Bazar; organizing consultation of representatives of major gear based fisheries and creating six Fisheries Management Organizations (FMOs); facilitating formation of Fisheries Management Advisory Committee (FMAC); assisting in developing functional linkage between FMAC and VOs; facilitating consultation of FMOs, FMAC and DFF to develop common minimum programme for the management and sustainable use of costal fisheries and prepare action plan; assisting the MFOs, FMAC and DFF to conduct periodical review of the progress of implementation of action plan including safety measures at sea. • Information and communication: Assisting the VOs in developing their village level information base; facilitating documentation of village based events and activities; providing Project Newsletter ensuring that the contents are read and explained to VO members during the fortnight meeting; creating awareness about the fact that information is wealth; encouraging the VO members to nominate village based Information Activist to enrich the village with broad spectrum information; encouraging to form and listen village based radio listeners; developing formal linkage and agreement with Bangladesh Betar (Bangladesh Radio) for initiating a regular fisher folk radio programme; creating Coastal Community Radio Unit (CCRU) to prepare and broadcast Costal Community Radio Programme (CCRP); facilitating effective communication and speedy flow of information among the VO members, VO office bearers, UFF, DFF and the project. Encouraging them to buy and operate mobile phone from their Village Resource Centre (VRC). • Capacity building for sustainable use of Micro Capital Grant (MCG): covers capacity development for identification of areas for MCG support; preparation of proposals; facilitating clearances at required points; ensuring deposit of matching fund to VO / VDC accounts; providing transfer of technology and advisory services; organizing training for account keeping and business management; creating village and Upazilla level MCG monitoring committee / task force; facilitating development of village level guideline to ensure sustainability of MCG support, etc.

Best practices regarding Community Empowerment

Formation of Community Organisation – Village Based Capacity Building

Organize the fishing communities and then build an organization for them and by them is very crucial and critical task for any intervention such as this project. The most vulnerable and unorganized fishing communities have been mobilized very successfully by the project. It is the fishing communities who have consciously decided to be united and formed village organization (VO) separately for men and women at each village. They have been organized under 125 female VOs and 124 male VOs totaling 149 VOs among 118 project villages. They have also formed 7 Upazila Fishers’ Federation (UFFs) at each Upazila (1 UFF for Ramu and Ukhia Upazila) and one District Fishers’ Federation (DFF) as their umbrella organizations. Such community organizations (COs) are the strength of the coastal fishing communities, which are the ever first of its kind in Bangladesh.

Their confidence to organize and build an organization was zero. These factors have been recognized as a strong hindering force against empowerment.

Villagers have been gradually oriented and motivated by ECFC to the fact that if they remain isolated from each other and do not take the initiative they will not be able to change their present situation. After such initial effort over a sustained period of time, they have been able to think about how to sit together to discuss amongst themselves. Finally they joined a first round of Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) exercise organized by project personnel and started to think what could be done for their future generations. After a considerable time of such motivation, the fishing communities decided to unite in to two separate groups: one is for males and one for females in each project village. They once again participated in a second round of PRA or establishment of Village Organizations (VO), which was a detailed exercise and fully participatory in nature.
The fishing communities first decided to start their organization by depositing savings each month.

.

Stating the vision of the organization clearly to the fishing communities was an essential, though difficult, task. First, it is required for them to justify why it is important for them and identify the strengths and weaknesses to build on. Before that, they set realistic, reasonable and attainable goals in accordance with their needs. Gradually they moved from short-term to medium-term and then to long term goal planning. Developing plans of action through this participatory way was a tremendous achievement of the village organizations. They prepared plans, distributed and divided their tasks within a time frame.

The VOs have become a centre body of mobilizing funds, adopting actions plans and budgeting functions, decision-making and running numerous village development activities

Capital Formation for development through Community Savings

Capital formation (through mobilization of savings) enhances a community organization’s power to realize its full potential. The coastal fishing community had no clear idea regarding savings for future needs before project intervention. The fishing communities first decided to start their organization by depositing savings each month. Now the community people perceived the benefits of savings, which is widely accepted by them and help them to find alternative livelihood options in crisis period. The community deposit of individual contributions to welfare / emergency fund and VO network operation fund to the VO bank account. They were also encouraged and helped to take initiatives on social welfare activities through the utilization of their savings by giving credits for events like marriage ceremony, treatment, establishing legal rights, establishment of school and sanitary latrine, funeral, income generating activities, etc.

Savings generated by individual members are the assets of the community organization and one of the steps towards their self-reliance. Accumulated savings are using for internal credit with interest, to enable individual members to engage in income generation activities whilst at the same time, accumulating the organization’s capital base. They can also be used for enterprise development at the community level. Growing amount of savings had significant positive impact on the confidence level of fishing communities

Participatory approaches in planning and implementation of project activities

Empowering the fishing communities for achieving a secured livelihood is the main thrust of the project. This is achieved by adopting a participatory approach. From the planning and budgeting of project activities through to implementation, monitoring and evaluation, the VO representatives are closely involved.

Planning and implementation the project through participation helps the member understand the process better and make them owner the process. The fishing communities have participated in capacity building and development activities. Their participation is centred on VO/federation based activities at four levels (e.g. VO level, village level, Upazila level and district level). Also they have participated in different GO and NGO initiated activities starting from planning to implementation and evaluation through to adopting a participatory approach. These have assisted them to become aware and be empowered to secure their members’ livelihoods.

Upazilla level monthly progress review and planning meeting (PPRPM) and Upazilla Project Implementation Committee meeting were conducted for better partnership and coordination between GO, NGO, and the community. PPRPM was at each month at Upazilla to review the progress of project implementation of the month, prepare an integrated workplan for the following month, progress the VO level activities, identification of gapes and shortcomings for taking further action through following the participatory approach.

Capacity building activities have included attending VO and UPIC meetings, meetings at the district level, monthly progress review meetings, attendance of training courses, latrine and tube-well management, fisheries resource management, radio program preparation and listening, parents meetings at schools, development planning, conflict resolution and participation in an overseas study tour.

Some examples of developmental activities include: collective initiatives, joint use of unused resources, child education through community schools, giving fees for child education, IGAs, legal aid assistance, stopping the support for dowries, water and sanitation construction and village sanitation campaign.

Strengthening linkage between organized communities and GO/NGOs and Local Government

The project has been able to organize the fishing communities mainly into village organizations (VOs) and then establishing Upazila and District Federations as their own network. These are considered as community organizations (COs) for fishing communities. The design of the project allowed these communities to be linked with numerous and varied outside organizations/agencies as the project is multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional.

Upazilla level monthly progress review and planning meeting (PPRPM) and Upazilla Project Implementation Committee meeting were conducted for better partnership and coordination between GO, NGO, and the community. UPIC meeting provided opportunities for getting upazilla level co-ordination support and build up capacity of the community to represent their interest and lobby with the Govt. and non-Govt. agencies. The participatory approaches designed by the project and followed by the community have been found so receptive and effective that the community has been given every chance to interact, communicate and adopt themselves with intra, inter and the outside environment.

Establishing linkages with GO/NGO and others agencies have also provided community access to these players and has facilitated further training, credit support, health and family planning related services, educational, agricultural, livestock, road and WATSAN, women and welfare support and pension opportunities. Such linkages are considered one of the best contributing factors to ensuring sustainable benefits of project activities.

The project has been successfully reduced the gap between the community and different implementation partners by maintaining openness in discussions, consultation and making decisive decisions.

Institution Building:

Developed a strong organizational and institutional structure and decision-making power for social empowerment. Seven potential and suitable candidates are elected from each village organization as an executive committee for smooth operation of the community activities. These members are working in each of seven thematic areas viz. Social mobilization, Education, Health, Disaster preparedness, Legal Aid, Resource Management, Income generating Activities. They prepared a participatory work plan to work accordingly on seven thematic areas. The capacity building of the executive committee members of the community are addressed through organizing a number of need based and demand driven training, workshop, motivation, monitoring, assistance, consultation, focus group discussion from the project. Similarly Village Development Committees VDCs were also formed in all the 117 villages. The network of VOs both at upazilla – Upazilla Fishers’ Federations (UFFs), and at district – District Fishers’ Federation (DFF) formed continued to take active part in activities related to strengthening of VOs and their network. They also initiated certain activities to making the DFF financially self-sustainable. Participation of UFF and DFFs in upazilla and district level events – like workshops and training were encouraged to empower the community organizations and their leadership.

For holding elections several rounds of consultations were organized to assist the VOs in participatory development of election guidelines that included – pre-election preparatory measures, criteria for candidates and voters and the process to be followed for holding the elections at VO, VDC, UFF and DFF levels. To develop the capacity of the community organizations, project personnel provided support from outside while the entire process of election was conducted by VO based election committee consisting of neutral men and women members and constituted by the general body of both men and women VOs of the village.

The capacity building of the VO/VDC/UFF/DFF members are addressed through organizing a number of need based and demand driven training, workshop, motivation, monitoring, assistance, consultation, focus group discussion. The training/meeting/workshop were designed to make more concerns of the GO/NGO partners about the fishing community. Conducted consultation meeting with UFF/VOs/VDCs and all activists for building cohesion with each member for strengthening the organization. Thematic area wise participatory planning and discussion also make empowered to think their problems in a self-reliant manner. Conducted Shebok development training for enhancing the sense of responsibilities of VOs to take over the project activities and also increased the leadership capacity. PROME (Participatory Result Oriented Monitoring and Evaluation) exercise at each VOs. Conducted VO accounts management training for capacity building at VO level financial corresponding. Now the fishing community also became more concern to their issues and increased self reliant and competent for developed organization. Participatory approaches were followed for organizing all types of meeting/training/workshop.

These may be considered as the foundation stone for empowering the fishing communities both socially and economically.

Women Empowerment

Project approaches consider equal emphasis on both men and women members of the target community. Human capacity building has been given emphasis in empowering the fishing communities. As a focal point of any intervention/project events formation and strengthening of village organizations (VO) has lead to their establishment (one for men and one for women in each of project village The women of the fishing communities are religiously conservative and also deprived of their basic needs and rights. But now women participation in the VO level are amusingly positive and women’s mobility in the family and society increasing and women becoming more empower. They are mostly sound about project objectives and activities.

Saving with the organization: The project has been able to financially and socially empower fishing communities. These two aspects have strong interrelationship. Just after deciding to form their organization at the initial stage of the project implementation, they decided spontaneously to deposit savings on a monthly basis even though they did not have the minimum food to survive on. Each member of each VO saves Tk 10-20 per month and raising various additional funds through depositing small amounts of money regularly in other funds as well (e.g. welfare fund, organization management fund, school fee etc.).

Women participation in Village organization, Upazilla Fisheries Federation (UFF), District Fisheries Federation

At the village level, VOs are the sole decision making body, where can they sit twice a month and discuss various issues, take decisions and prepare resolutions. Shouldering the responsibilities to implement each of the seven thematic areas by the VO representatives has also played a catalytic role of empowerment. To strengthen the network among the VOs of all the 8 Upazilas covering 117 project villages, they have also formed a federation at the Upazila level (Upazila Fishers’ Federation-UFF) and then at the district (District Fishers’ Federation-DFF) level.

.

Increase Human and Legal rights: The fishing communities had no awareness of basic human and legal rights. Some of these include voting rights for both men and women, actual age of voting, legal marriage age of girls and boys, multiple marriage, rights of children, birth registration etc. Post the project intervention they are aware sufficiently to enquire more. Now the women fishing community more aware about human and legal rights

Women Mobility: Movement of women communities has been increased with the starting of participation in VO meetings. Increase women mobility to NGO office, market, Town, Hospitals, Union Parisad, village organizations, other project activities and educational institutes. They now join various project activities for example parents meetings in schools, government offices, NGO offices and other market places. Social bonding has also increased through visiting relatives’ houses, cultural events, clinics/hospitals, and crisis of others.

Women participation in activities other than household works: Participation of women in various activities (other than household work) has been increased in both income and non-income activities. Their participation is increasing in livestock/poultry rearing, fish/crab standardization/processing/sale, wet fish trading, fish drying and dried fish trading, fish meal production, fish vending, labour sale, net making/repairing, tailoring, grocery/shopping, ferry, etc. and other non-income activities like social events, religious events, tree plantation/care.

Ownership of assets by women and transfer rights of land (pond, garden, homestead land), livestock, poultry, ornaments, machineries, equipment (fisheries, agriculture), vehicle (rickshaw/van / bi-cycle) is also progressing gradually. Over all there is a positive change in women participation in different income and generating activities. Increase their family income, social dignity and also acceptance to the community.

Illiterate community managed primary schools – Capacity building of School Management Committee (SMC)

It is widely accepted that the fishing communities of the countries, especially the artesian coastal/marine fishers are mostly illiterate. Literacy rate, (as defined an the ability to sign documentation, do simple calculations for every day life activities, and reading Bengali newspaper) is extremely low. The ECFC Baseline Survey 2003 revealed that only 34% household heads were able to read and write. Twenty-three percent were able to write only and an equal proportion could sign their names. More than 80% of the fishing communities have reached primary level education.

Realizing the importance of education the ECFC project started a formal education program in 46 villages in partnership with community leaders (sebok) in school. Steps were taken to sensitize community members/guardians of the importance of their involvement in school management ensuring sustainability.

Largely, fishing community leaders have contributed in the following area of school management:

Assistance in the selection of school premises within the village; Assistance in developing physical facilities for the school and also organising rent for the school prior to shifting to the Village Resource Centre (VRC); Assistance in the selection of appropriate age group students from the villages through direct communication with the guardians; Assistance to NGOs in the procurement of school materials such as books, notebooks, pencils, mats, blackboards, chalk etc; Encouragement of students in extra-curricular activities, such as sports, physical training, cultural program and character building activities involving the guardians and students; Assistance in organizing examination at different intervals; Assistance in scrutinizing and awarding three best students in each school; Assistance in ensuring common dress for all the students at their own initiatives; Assistance to school teachers to conduct examinations; Assistance to students in getting admitted to government primary schools for higher education. Around 90% of the graduated students found a place in the government primary schools. SMC members would communicate with the headmaster of the nearby school to expedite the admission; Development plan for school management and evaluating performance bi-monthly; Raising school fees and funds for the management of schools and maintenance of separate register for school management purpose. The guardian of each student were asked to pay Taka 5 per month towards tuition fees; Facilitate interactive meetings between guardians and teachers at regular intervals. This helped to evaluate the performance of each student and the guardians become more aware of the parental care; Organization of regular payment of school rent and teacher’s salary. Without clearance and positive comments from the SMCs, the school teachers are not paid; Development of linkages between government and NGOs; Assistance in enhancing shift number from one class to three classes as needed. Initially, the schools have tended to start with only class; later on with the increase of students and enhancement of the class, this has increased;
Maintenance of the school premises through regular cleaning involving the students; Monitoring of the student attendance and performance of the school teachers.

School Management Committees (SMCs) have been generally successful in managing their own school. Now the SMC members are capable to organize school examination, any types of cultural event, School teacher has taken from the coastal fishing community. Out of all the abovementioned activities, SMCs have been successful in mobilizing resources from the Department of Primary Education.

Coastal Community access to media

In any significant changes in the recent world, we can say media are strongly present. Realizing the fact that ‘Information is both power and wealth’ the project has taken steps to harnessing the potential of mass media for accelerating the process of community empowerment. Empowerment of the Coastal Fishing Communities for Livelihood Security (ECFC) is an exception in this regard. From the very beginning the project knew the importance of mass media for community empowerment. Through a series of workshops and seminars the project beneficiaries including community and media personals decided to take the opportunities from the media world. The community activities now reflect local and international mass media forums. The coastal community radio program has given a chance for focusing their voice and received advance information about weather -cast and also concerning about their livelihood issues. Facing media become the second nature to this peripheral community. The communities are actively participating in the radio program. ‘Coastal Community Radio Unit’, which assigned to produce and broadcast bi-weekly participatory community program for coastal fishers. Weather bulletin, market watch, interviews on different topics (fishing, health awareness, women and children right, safe sea travel, the appropriate fishing gears, disaster preparedness, mass education, sanitation, safe water, family planning and so on), radio cartoon on different topics, group discussion, popular songs, motivational songs, talk and many other segments are using to make the program more attractive and communicative. From the project, numbers of radio sets had distributed to the Village Resource Center for the community listeners. Now, the fishing community has access to the largest and most powerful media in the country. It’s a silent revolution for the communities around the region. Now the audience is not only the fishers but also the decision makers and mass people.

Capacity Building of the coastal fishing communities to cope with natural disasters and their aftermath

If we consider the livelihood of the poor fishing community along the coastal belt of Bangladesh, we have to think in line with their continuous exposure to risk. Their livelihood security is always at threat to cyclone and other natural hazards at sea and on land. To address this grave situation, the ECFC project with disaster management as one of the components, has been initiated to ensure livelihood security of the coastal fishing communities.

Coping with a disaster in the coastal areas, the fishing communities are now aware and regularly practice what they have learned by applying their knowledge, sharing experience and techniques acquired from the project. Change Agents have been strengthened by the provision of training and knowledge and skills transfer on disaster preparedness. Village Disaster Preparedness Committees have been set up in all project villages which meet occasionally and discuss their preparedness plan Disaster preparedness during real time should be driven by a sense of responsibility. This was shown during the cyclonic period in May 2004 by the fishing communities of the project villages in all the 8 eight Upazilas of Cox’s Bazar District.

The role played by Village Disaster Preparedness Committees (VDPC), Change Agents and Volunteers in alerting the communities was highly effective. The Change Agents (both men and women), VDPC members and volunteers equally shouldered responsibilities for disseminating weather forecasts and danger signals door-to-door. The teamwork shown by project field staff and the community in taking prompt initiative for cyclone preparedness was found to be excellent. This has been highly appreciated by people of all walks of life.

The signal flags by community people in emergency were found effective as a warning mechanism. They understand the real meaning of hoisting these flags and with correct interpretation will avoid unnecessary risk of life.

“Buoy” a low cost indigenous life saving device has been developed by the coastal fishing communities and popularised by the project. Every boat keeps one whilst at sea.

The most dangerous disaster usually faced by the fishing communities happen at the sea. They were not really habituated to take sea safety equipment when going out to sea and also boat owners were not interested to allow the fishers to take sea safety equipment. This situation has changed after the project intervention. Now both the fishers and boat owners became aware of the loss during such disasters. They are taking some medicine and Buoys aboard which give some protection. Each Village Disaster Preparedness Committee (VDPC) has been linked with Union and Upazila level Disaster Management Committee (DMC) and local government structures and NGOs. Review meetings with the Upazila DMC and Union DMC have also been established.

Now the representatives of fishing communities have become a member of a Union and Upazila DMC.

Increase access different Income generating activities and Involvement in Micro Capital Grant:

The income generating opportunities of the fishing communities were very limited. Their main source of income is still fishing and fisheries related activities. The ECFC project promoted sustainable livelihood opportunities for the coastal fishing communities through improving their existing systems and also by introducing AIGAs appropriate to them and according to their own preference. In doing so and making it highly participatory, three rounds of PRAs were conducted in all project villages with the outputs that the community people are now able to identify local resources and opportunities for improving (existing)/other alternative income generating activities, prioritize the identified opportunities, and prepare a Village Organization (VO) based participatory plan for the implementation of priority opportunities. To increase their income from various alternative sources and at the same time to reduce pressure on coastal fisheries resources, the project provided training on various income-generating activities.

Created opportunities for the coastal fishing community, which were closed to them before and provide them with linkage, which enhanced their capacity to increase their income generating activities through Micro Capital Grant from the project

Savings and capital formation generated through micro-capital grant (MCG) to enable groups to undertake entrepreneurial activities and support entrepreneurial skills and capacity development

Women are also brought into income generating activities. This option is demonstrating empowerment aspects. Women feel proud with their ability to component and supplement household income, it alleviates their position to true partnership with men in household decision-making and home management and finally it provides opportunity for them increase their knowledge, skills and potential.

Case Study-4

Anowara – An Example Symbol of Success SEG member

Anowara begum –a muslim women living Dakkhinpara, patcherdip village under Ramu Upazilla, she is married with five daughter and four sons. She has been active member of Dakkhimpara Motshojibi female organization for two and half year. Now she is elected as the Shebok finance and IGA for the second term of the organization.

Earlier she was housewife and just managed to eke out of a living.
Being involved in the progect activities she obtained 350 taka for TARD, one of the SP of ECFC project for goat rearing. She also received training. She invested more and purchased a goat. With in one year she was the owner of 8 goats. She sold 3 goats and earned 4000 taka . She hope, she will earn 4000 taka from another 3 goats. Now she is very confident about goat rearing.

She also received training on vegetable gardening from ECFC project. She started seasonal cultivation by growing vegetable around the house yard. After meeting her own needs she could sell a significant amount to the market.

She obtained MCG of taka 5200 from ECFC project for betel leaf cultivation. She also invested 5000 taka from her own. Total production cost was 25000 taka . She earned 60000 taka fro betel leaf cultivation. She used tradle pump for irrigation. She was trained about proper irrigation technology for better production. She repaid this MCG money installment of 500 to the VO account duly. MCG money enabled her to increase production by investing in inputs in timely. She builds a house that comprised of 3 tin shed rooms.

Besides, she is aware about sanitation, disaster preparedness, legal aid, and resource management also. She is using sanitary latrine and encouraging other VO members to do sanitary latrine.

Now her perception regarding ECFC project “ As time passed I was learning and gaining experience and skills through participating in different training organized by ECFC. I live my own house, I make my own living”

Community based Coastal fisheries Resources

It is increasingly realized that without the active participation of fishing communities and other stakeholders it is impossible to improve and sustain coastal/marine fisheries. So far the project has been able to promote the adoption of immediate and collective action to stop fish stock depletion. Besides, they have also been able to comprehend that most of the fish acts and regulations, though appear to be anti-fishers are actually beneficial for them in the long run. They have also realized the potential of their organizational strength and getting increasingly confident that by using this they will be able to rehabilitate the resources and regain their past position.

Awareness created about the importance and relevance of the community based coastal fisheries resources to the livelihood of the fishing communities. The goal of sustainable development is to create and maintain prosperous social, economic, and ecological systems, which are intimately linked.

A series of PRAs activities in all the fishing villages were conducted to assess the resources, fishing practices, fishing gear in use and establish a picture of the historical trend of resource consumption. A thorough baseline survey and resource mapping exercise in all the fishing villages was undertaken. Several stakeholder workshops were organized to sensitize community members and validate field level findings. Following recommendations drawn from the workshops, gear based Fisheries Management Organizations (FMO) were established around different gears such as marine set bag net, estuarine set bag net, gill net, beach seine and traps.

Fisheries Management Advisory Committees (FMAC) were also formed in all eight Upazilas linked with the Upazila based Fishers Federation (UFF) and District Fishers Federation (DFF). A series of plans were taken up by these FMOs and FMACs. Simultaneously in all the fishing villages, natural resource conservation activists (NRCAs) were selected by their respective village organizations and later trained by the project in different areas related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.

Following an intervention at the Upazila level, numerous village level holistic Participatory Action Plan Development (PAPD) activities were carried out with Service Providers (SPs) with assistance from community members. Through regular programme interventions, recommended measures were carried out e.g. mangrove planting: Teknaf (1 spot – 2.5 acre, Ukhiya (2spots- 2 acre) , Sadar (1 spot , 25,000 plants in 2 acres area(, Moheshkhali – 2 places- Thakurtala 12,000 one acre, Charpara – 8000 – one acre), Chakoria / Pekua (2 spots – 2 acre).

A Manual for FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) was developed and GO staff were sensitized to. Community level training on the CCRF was also carried out. Awareness rallies at district, upazilla and village levels on World Environment Day were organized; other mass rallies were organized to discourage destructive fishing related to shrimp fry catching and trading.

The fishing communities are more aware on conservation and managing coastal fisheries resources. Now they are organized motivated and trained to help the protection, regeneration and conservation of community based fisheries resources, in particular the use of destructive practices. They know the bad effect of fry collection and use of destructive gear much better than the past. Realizing the gravity of problem of their future generation, they have taken some crucial decision on resource management and they follow strictly. They have prepared participatory action plan through PAPD (participatory action plan development) exercise for taking further course of action. Now the community avoids use of destructive gears for fishing. They are not using current net for fishing.

Conclusion

The coastal fisheries are an integral part of the society and they should be integrated in to the main stream mass. The Empowerment of Coastal Fishing Communities for Livelihoods Security Project provided support to know what was around them and the situation they were in, how to improve their economic and social status in which they have to improve their livelihoods through empowerment. So the coastal fishing community could be able to perceived their position and be demand respect and assert their social position in the social hierarchy. This will benefit the nation as a whole and lead the way of better management and conservation of natural resources.

References:

Technical Progress report (Jaunuary-June 2004), of “Empowerment of Coastal Fishing Communities for Livelihood Security” (BGD/97/017)

Report on Compendium of Best Practices and Lessons Learnt 2005 of “Empowerment of Coastal Fishing Communities for Livelihood Security” (BGD/97/017)

-----------------------
Case Study 1

An ideal Village Organization –a source of Empowerment

The village organization ‘Pashim Sonar para Motshojibi Mohila Sangathon” at Ukhiya formed in 2002 is also an organization of vulnerable, disadvantage coastal fishing community like others. There are two bodies of the organization, the general body and the executive committee. The general bodies made up of all members of the organization and the executive committee of seven members. At the beginning, total member was 20, which stood at 56 now.

Most of the members were housewife and playing multiple roles viz. reproductive (child bearing and rearing) and household works. A few women used to catch shrimp fry for maintaining their livelihoods. The women of the fishing communities were religiously conservative and also deprived of their basic needs and rights They were not aware of sanitation, education, health, disaster preparedness, resource management and different income generating activities. They are living in a disaster prone area. Women in general have poor understanding about different component of livelihoods

Being involvement with in the project, the community members started to organize for power. They realize if they become well organized, they are capable of addressing any type of problems and have strength to express their concerns. Now the most vulnerable and unorganized female fishing communities have been mobilized very successfully by the project. The general members selected seven potential and suitable candidates for executive committee for smoothly operation of their organization. These members are working in each of seven thematic areas (Social mobilization, Education, Health, Disaster preparedness, Legal Aid, Resource Management, Income generating Activities). The executive committee members are known as “Shebok’

The Shebok members work for the organization voluntarily. They get no payment of any kind of their work. To work accordingly seven thematic areas they prepared a participatory work plan. They are capable to conduct VO[?] meetings on regular basis and resolution are recorded. Executive committee helps to solve conflicts between members, non-members, and member’s family. They aware different social issues like divorce and dowry issue, marriage registration and lead protests against child marriage. They took initiative to install sanitary latrine. Some of them are working as activists of health, IGA[?], disaster preparedness. The community has come up with some innovative ideas for raising school fund. For example, they will collect money from elite person of their village as a donation for making school dress. The organization decides they will contribute fifty percent for purchasing land for VRC[?] land. Most of the VO member engaged in different Income generating activities like goat rearing, poultry rearing. Recently the VO members decide they will start profitable vegetable cultivation. They plan to communicate with the GO and NGO[?] official to get support and training for cultivation.

The members had no clear idea regarding savings for future needs before project intervention. Now the community people perceived the benefits of savings, which is widely accepted by them and help them to find alternative livelihood options in crisis period. Contribution to raise fund through depositing savings and or other fees regularly is treated as acid test for organized fishing communities. At the beginning, the members of the VOs have started savings of Tk. 10.00 each per month through depositing to VO accounts. Besides, they are depositing Tk 5 per member each month for developing a welfare fund for providing emergency support (e.g. sea borne accident) and Tk 1 for meeting organizational expenditure. Now they have are depositing more. Their savings were 3470 tk. at 2002. Now total savings of the VOs stood at 43906 tk. They are also conscious about proper utilization of VO fund, to increase overall benefit of the community through different development activities. VO members attend the VO meeting regularly. Their savings are almost up dated. 25000 tk are running among the VO members from VO fund for different income generating activities. They already returned 20000 TK. to the VO account with interest. Now the Shebok members are well trained for maintaining the debit and credit voucher for the cashbook. It seems the indicator of transparency and accountability of VO accounts properly.

MCG[?] supported business are running well. The MCG group members received 206740 tk. from the project as a tailoring business, betel leaf cultivation, and cow rearing. Two MCG businesses have started 4 months before. They already returned 108625 tk to VO account. From Mora [?]making ten VO members earned 20000 Tk as IGA. The group members mentioned a positive change in their economic condition after being involved in MCG program and different IGA activities. Over all there is a positive change in women participation in different income and generating activities. Increase their family income, social dignity and also acceptance to the community

All members are aware about disaster preparedness and resource management. Now they are well prepared to cope with any type of disaster. The shebok of disaster preparedness used to hoist flag as per signal.
Those who were earlier engaged with catching shrimp fry, they stopped from this destructive activity and motivated their husbands and other members not to do this.

The executive committee members has participated in radio program which raised the voice of the fishing communities and contributed a lot to be united by all the fishing communities and also better access to mass media for different types information sharing and gathering knowledge.

The fishing communities have developed linkages with various government departments and non-government agencies The community have received health related services, family planning, educational, fisheries, agriculture and livestock services in addition to support from project.

Now “Unity is power” is well comprehended by the community.

[?] VO-Village Organization
[?] IGA- Income generating Activities
[?] VRC- Village resource center
[?] NGO- Non governmental organization

Case Study -2

Himcharipara Motshojibi Mohila Sangathon, Ramu – An Inspiring Source of Empowerment

The Himcharipara Motshojibi Mohila Sangathon is an organization of Vulnerable, disadvantage coastal fishing community formed in 2002, which are living in a plunge prone area of the coastal belt. Social scenario was quite different from others coastal community. This area can be considered to be highly conservative. Men mediate women’s access to social, economic, political and legal institution. The women of the fishing communities are religiously conservative and also deprived of their basic needs and rights. It was difficult for any male project staff to communicate directly with them. Basically, female members felt shy to talk in front of any male outsider. They were not aware about sanitation, education, health, disaster preparedness, resource management and different income generating activities. The risks faced reported by the community people can be categorized as environmental, social, technological and financial. Women in general have poor understanding about relationship between health and sanitation.

Most of the members were housewife and doing all household activities and looking after children and household work only. A few women used to catch shrimp fry for maintaining their livelihoods.

The most vulnerable and unorganized fishing communities have been mobilized very successfully by the project. Being involved with the project, visible changes were found in their attitude. They selected seven potential and suitable candidates for executive committee for smooth operation of the community activities through their Village Organizations. These members are working in each of seven thematic areas viz. Social mobilization, Education, Health, Disaster preparedness, Legal Aid, Resource Management, Income generating Activities. They prepared a participatory work plan to work accordingly on seven thematic areas. The capacity building of the executive committee members of the community are addressed through organizing a number of need based and demand driven training, workshop, motivation, monitoring, assistance, consultation, focus group discussion from the project. Now the female fishing community also became more concern to their issues and increased self reliant and competent for developed organization. Participatory approaches were followed for organizing all types of meeting/training/workshop. Most of the members became aware about these seven thematic areas of activities. Most of the VO member engaged in different income generating activities like goat rearing, poultry rearing, Mora[?] making.

The most vulnerable and unorganized fishing communities have been mobilized very successfully by the project. Being involved with the project, visible changes were found in their attitude. They selected seven potential and suitable candidates for executive committee for smooth operation of the community activities through their Village Organizations. These members are working in each of seven thematic areas viz. Social mobilization, Education, Health, Disaster preparedness, Legal Aid, Resource Management, Income generating Activities. They prepared a participatory work plan to work accordingly on seven thematic areas. The capacity building of the executive committee members of the community are addressed through organizing a number of need based and demand driven training, workshop, motivation, monitoring, assistance, consultation, focus group discussion from the project. Now the female fishing community also became more concern to their issues and increased self reliant and competent for developed organization. Participatory approaches were followed for organizing all types of meeting/training/workshop. Most of the members became aware about these seven thematic areas of activities. Most of the VO member engaged in different income generating activities like goat rearing, poultry rearing, Mora[?] making.

Total member was 20, which stood at 40 now. The number of the total households of this area is 50. The community members had no idea regarding the savings for future needs. The benefits of savings are introduced to members in the community, which is widely accepted by them and help them in future crisis period. The community received 10 goats from TARD as IGA and now the current number of goat is 27. From Mora making 10 VO members earned 27300 TK. The community received 104000 TK. as a MCG from the project for betel leaf cultivation. They already repaid 400000 tk to the VO account.. Twenty-five households are using sanitary latrine. Some of them are working as Community Health Activists (CHA), IGA[?] Activist and for disaster preparedness. All members are aware about disaster preparedness and resource management. Those who were earlier engaged in catching shrimp fry, they stopped from this destructive activity and motivated their husbands and other members not to do this
At present social scenario is quite different. They are coming out in front of male outsiders and going for banking to deposit their saving, attend different training and meeting at both VO and also Upazilla level. 90% VO members attend most of the VO meeting. Their savings are almost up dated. MCG[?] supported business are going well. Executive committee possesses good quality leadership and has capable of conflict resolution. They are mostly sound about project objectives and activities. Over all there is a positive change in women participation in different income and generating activities. Increase their family income, social dignity and also acceptance to the community. It is noticed that women income significantly increase their bargaining position within the household and also at the village level and women gain respect because of their income earning ability
Their perception about organization is like “Now we are well organized, we are not alone, capable to run our own business successfully and motivated for Maximum utilization our VO fund through reinvestment among VO members”

Their tremendous changes in all aspects are really appreciable. They are now materializing their dream. Now women participation in the VO level are amusingly positive and women’s mobility in the family and society increasing and women becoming more empower.

[?] Mora- One kind of sitting tool,[?] IGA-Income Generating Activities,[?] MCG- Micro Capital Grant

Case Study-3

In the afternoon of May 18, as soon as I heard number 3 signal for Coxsbazar port, Change Agent Mr. Saker and I immediately hoisted one signal flag near Marine road. I rushed to VDPC vice-president, Brother Osman’s house and we decided to hold a meeting immediately with as many as eleven VDPC members and take action for cyclone preparedness. At 7:00 PM, Md. Alam, VDPC communication secretary, Mr. Saker, CA and I took the responsibility of calling all the VDPC members to the clubhouse from Himchari Para, Sagar Par and DakKhin Para respectively. With Brother Osman chairing the session, we held a meeting with 11 VDPC members. We discussed the plan of action, divided into three groups and set out to implement with Alam, Saker and I as leader of the 3 groups. Rahman, Motaleb and Abdullah carried on spreading the news of cyclone until 10:00 PM. We told the villagers to keep listening to the radio, and move out immediately to the eastern side of Marine road if the signal increased.

On May 19, when the signal became # 7, we hoisted two signal flags and then including Osman, we held a meeting at 7:30 AM and decided on which family should take shelter in which places. We also decided that if the signal changed into great danger, then according to priority we would move the elderly people, children, pregnant women and women to the cyclone shelters.
However, by the Grace of Allah, at 9:00 AM, unexpectedly a cloudburst continued until 12 noon and all of a sudden, we heard the radiobroadcasting signal #5. We came to know that the cyclone had hit some parts of Teknaf and shifted to Burma (Myanmar).

Abdul Latif (CA, Member VDPC, Shebok, Disaster Prparedness VO)
Karachi Para, Ramu, Cox’s Bazar

Case study-5
The level of awareness, realization and seriousness of the VOs on sustainable coastal resource management can be understood from one example of Teknaf Upazila. During March 2005, the local government administration reinforced legal actions against the users and collaborators of destructive gears for fishing. There was a direct collusion between the law enforcing agencies and the unscrupulous user of destructive gears and some arms have been snatched by the unruly move. Instead of joining such move, the members of VOs leaded by their Upazila Fishers’ Federation (UFF) got united and took the decision of collecting all the current nets (one of dangerous destructive gears). They collected such nets of Tk 25 lacs and handed over to the Upazila administration for burning for the greater interest. All the nets have been burnt and the whole situation became under control. The UNO (chief executive officer of Upazila) conveyed thanks to the fishing communities for such drastic and bravo action. This has increased acceptance of the fishing communities to all and they established direct access to the local administrations for materializing their rights and needs.