Project Name: Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project – Community Development Component (CHTRDP)

Donor: Asian Development Bank and Government of Bangladesh

Total Budget: Tk 31,56,980

Staff: Eight (six male, two female)

Duration: June 2005 to June 2009

Working Area: 17 Unions in five Upazillas of Khagrachari District (Dighinala, Khagrachari Sadar, Lakshmichari, Matiranga, Panchari)

Participants : 78,969 households
CHTRDP supported marginal farmers, and others who struggle to meet the basic needs of themselves and their families, such as those without land, who practice jhum cultivation and depend on manual labour.

Project Purpose:
‘To reduce the incidence of absolute poverty amongst rural communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts’

Project Summary: CHTRDP aimed to create new employment and income generation opportunities, and raise the standard of living of poor, landless, and marginal farmers.

TUS mobilised communities and local leaders to form Community Development Committees (CDCs), Union-based committees. TUS provided ongoing support to CDCs, helping them to identify the needs of local communities, and plan and implement activities to bring changes to their lives and livelihoods.
With TUS help, CDCs supported communities to choose and run more than 270 small socio-economic development projects (Dighinala: 52, Khagrachari Sadar: 45, Laksmichari: 47, Matiranga: 77, Panchari: 50).

Projects included the construction infrastructure to support agriculture, livestock-rearing and fish culture, including 70 irrigation drains and 87 earthen dams. More than 90 pieces of agricultural and income-generation equipment were supplied, including power tillers, pumps and sewing machines, helping communities to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their farming and livelihoods activities.

To help children and adults in remote areas access education facilities, TUS supported the construction of 14 libraries, primary schools, and literacy and education centres. In addition, more than 2500 tube-wells were installed throughout the five Upazilas, enabling over 17,500 households to access safe drinking water.

TUS staff also organised and facilitated 170 skills development trainings across the Upazilas, with the support of government line departments. The trainings helped build the capacity of communities, enabling them to start and improve income-generation activities, and better support themselves and their families.

Training topics included homestead vegetable gardening, fertilised and water management, small business management, and domestic animal rearing, amongst others. Women’s leadership and empowerment trainings were also conducted in each Union, helping to raise awareness of gender issues, and promote gender equality in development and community activities.

Reference Contact Details:
Debadatta Khisa (Project Director)
Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development Project - Project Management Unit
Stadium Area
North Kalindipur
Rangamati
Telephone: 0351-61806