Nowder (Bangladesh) 

Global Footsteps has recently established a link with the village of Nowder in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. This link has been established through Bangladeshi born, Cheltenham resident Arosh Ali. Arosh is the founder of a groundbreaking community capacity building project The HRA Foundation.

The HRA Foundation

The HRA Foundation is situated in the village of Nowder, in the Sylhet District of Bangladesh. It was opened in late 2007 by Global Footsteps member Mr Arosh Ali. Born and brought up in Nowder before moving to the UK in the 1970s,  Arosh did, however, remain in close contact with his home village. He decided to use land left to him by his father to establish an educational and community capacity building project, using his late father's initials in its title.

The core aims of the project are to make improvements in three key areas: 1. Education; 2. Women’s empowerment; 3. Health.

Already before the launch of the project, Arosh Ali had established ‘Target 2018’, listing long-term aims that he wanted to achieve by the year 2018. These resonate strongly with those outlined by the current Bangladeshi Government's 'Vision 2021'. Expanding on the core aims listed above the four key aims of Target 2018 are:

1.    Achieve a 100% literacy rate to standard 8 (UK equivalent: Key Stage 3) for all adults.
2.    Empowerment of women through a ‘skills for employment’ scheme.
3.    Delivery of Primary Health Care for all.
4.    Become an Internationally recognised vocational institute. 

The HRA Foundation has already made significant achievements under these four headings.

Global Footsteps and the HRA Foundation

Global Footsteps supports this inspirational foundation, which is unquestionably a hugely valuable project: already over 2000 people have benefited from the services it offers, and many more will benefit as the Foundation develops. It is unique in that its services are genuinely accessible to all, regardless of wealth, age, sex or educational background. The improvements are real: literacy here means being able to read and write, not just being able to sign one's name on a form.

Global Footsteps has secured opportunities for members to travel to Bangladesh on educational Global Ventures, and looks forward to reciprocal visits to the UK. meanwhile we are working with Arosh Ali to make the HRA Foundation known, especially through its early years, and to establish connections with a different and interesting culture.

Global Footsteps is a registered charity and is willing to channel funds specifically designated for the HRA Foundation. We require the HRA Foundation to report annually on the use of any funds raised through its partnership with us. Global Footsteps, in turn, is legally required to report annually on all of its activities and expenditures to the UK Charities Commission. The HRA Foundation has applied to the NGO Affairs Bureau in Bangladesh and will soon be recognised as an official NGO.    

Friends of Nowder

With the advise and support of Global Footsteps Arosh Ali is currently in the process of setting up a Charitable Trust here in the UK to raise the funds needed to run and develop the HRA Foundation.

If you would like to find out more about Friends of Nowder please email Arosh Ali:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it