Eco village for sustainable livelihood

The future rests on educating our people and children to recognize that the key to a sustainable life is about quality, not quantity. An eco-village is the right environment to begin this education and to reclaim the lost balance with the earth and within ourselves. ESDO recognizes that such a development intervention is essential to conserve the environment of Bangladesh, to ensure progression of the socioeconomic situation of communities, to improve the health and wellbeing of community members, and to therefore eradicate poverty. This is a significant contribution towards Bangladesh achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Goals of the Eco-Village

• Developing human capacity for the determination of one’s own future
• Change the behavior and attitude of the people in relation to their surroundings
• Teach the skills and knowledge to ensure the rebuilding of a healthy livelihood and environment.

All of the eco- village programs have a focus on empowering the women in the community. We recognize that by investing in the education and training of women, as change-makers within their community, we can affect whole of community change.

ESDO runs Eco-village program in 6 regions, including

• zero waste village in Rahshahi,
• Empowering indigenous community in Rangpur
• Eco village in Rangpur to help the community development
• Awareness and Employment for Women- empowering the rural people in Munshigonj.

Objectives of this project

• To create a low impact, affordable and feasible housing which will harness with socially and ecologically harmonious communities.
• Promote natural conservation, sustainable practice and organic agriculture
• Safeguarding the landscapes (water bodies, forestation, hills and other natural components)
• Enhancing tree plantation to reducing carbon foot print
• Update people about health, water born diseases and sanitation
• Building/ promoting skills to proper solid waste management
• Educating people about conservation of environment, ICT and entrepreneurship
• Strengthen women empowerment
• Building people’s personal ( mental and spiritual) connection with the natural elements (soil, water, wind, plants and animals)
• Promote organic food production ( vegetables, fruits, poultry, dairy and hatcheries)
• Welcoming and work for the sustainability of the cultural diversity
• Minimizing the use of electronic devices; Encouraging recycle and reuse
• To train people about the scope of alternative and environmental friendly income sources (stitching, growing mushroom)
• Poverty elimination.

Initiatives of ESDO:

ESDO supported holistic community development and create programs which benefit the entire community. They are focused on the empowerment of women and the creation of sustainable. ESDO also take these initiatives:

• 150% increase in literacy rates within communities
• 15% increase in average income levels
• 30% decrease in household costs
• 90% increase in households meeting hygiene and sanitation benchmarks
• 40% reduction in disease

Current Scenario

ESDO wants to establish a new eco-village in Habiganj, in Sylhet, a northeastern part of Bangladesh. One of ESDO members has visited a village there in November 2014 in order to identify the prospect of eco-tourism as well as a zero-waste village, to identify the local culture and value, and to identify the community involvement there.

• Solar Lamps were distributed to the schools run by ESDO through Lahanti foundation in Naogaon, Porsha
• IEC materials (i.e. factsheets, Package for tours) has been developed
• Eco-connection and Eco-tourism projects have been developed in line with eco-village project
• Guests in Natore: 4 Australian guests visited the village situated in Natore in November, 2014.

2014 Activities

• Promoted organic food production in Naogaon: trained how to make organic manure for cattle feces
• Developed home stay facilities for tourists in Natore, Rajshahi
• Solid waste (i.e. polythene, plastic bottles, cattle feces etc.) management in Naogaon
• Women empowerment ( skills development in handicrafts)
• Created alternative income generations
• Enhanced awareness about hygiene and sanitation.
• Disseminate and review the knowledge about environmental concepts to most of the eco-villages