Make a Donation

As a charitable organisation, we need to appeal to a wide range of donors and individuals to sustain and continue our mission of conserving Bangladesh’s environment. We rely solely on donations from individuals, companies, and foundations, and from various fundraising activities in order to offer a range of programs and services. However there are gaps needing to be filled in our programs, and we therefore need your help!.

How your donation will be used

When you make a donation to ESDO, you are directly helping our programs to perform more effectively. For example, each day ESDO’s projects benefit communities in our three “Eco-villages” of Natore, Rangpur, and Munshigonj to improve livelihoods and at the same time protect the environment. Upon collection of your donation, ESDO will send you a receipt and letter outlining exactly where your donation has been spent! (click here to see How Your Gift Counts)

Support a project of your choice – Key areas of expenditure of donated funds – A little bit goes a long way.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

ESDO requires funding/sponsorship to involve our Green Club members (ages 15-18) in filming their own documentary on climate change in Bangladesh! The documentary will build the capacity of our Green Club to advocate for the environment and conservation, while educating the public about the effects of climate change already experienced in Bangladesh. This documentary will then have great potential to be shown at schools all over the country (and potentially on national television), to communicate to the current and younger generations that they must take action against climate change. You can support us in producing this film! Make sure you look out for our fundraising event which will launch the documentary in June!

(The Green Club is an alliance of students of various academic institutions who are proactive in protecting the environment, and advocating for environmental awareness amongst their peers. In 2003, 8 new Green Clubs were formed with over 1500 enrolled children).

Train-the-trainer programs on environmental education aims to ensure that every community member in each of our Eco-villages is aware of urgent environmental issues and can share this information amongst their peers and families Topics include: chemical contamination, biodiversity and conservation, integrated pest control systems, safe drinking water, hygienic lifestyles, waste management, organic homestead gardening, and sustainable agricultural practices. This is a fundamental capacity-building strategy that is much needed to ensure sustainability of the environment and healthy living of communities. ESDO requires funding to ensure this vital project is able to continue and remain effective.

ECO-VILLAGE

ESDO has created three Eco-villages in Munshiganj, Rangpur, and Natore. The Eco-village concept is an integrated approach to firstly change the behaviour and attitude of the people in relation to their surroundings, and secondly to teach them skills and knowledge to ensure the rebuilding of a healthy livelihood and environment. Project beneficiaries learn project management skills to plan, monitor, and evaluate their own projects, under the supervision of ESDO staff. This ensures empowerment, sustainability and accountability. ESDO requires much needed funds to continue capacity-building activities such as:

• Adult literacy – funding is needed to involve more village communities to learn reading a writing skills so they can feel empowered and embark on their own small business enterprise.

• Health services/education – funding is needed to expand this activity to reach more people. Preventative measures to contracting disease are taught, including information on how to treat illnesses.

• Land rehabilitation – funding is required for indigenous tree plantations so animal species can once again flourish and be preserved in the area.

• Alternative income generation – funding is needed to expand this activity in Eco-village 3, where the women have expressed interest in beginning their own sewing businesses. An alternative to environmental exploitation for business is essential to conserve the environment while benefiting women to become more empowered in managing their own enterprise.

VILLAGE ICT PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE SHARING/BROADCASTING

ESDO is appealing for funds to support our ICT training centres in each Eco-village. In 2004 a computer training program for adolescents commenced at Eco-village 2 – the first time in Bangladesh that Information Technology was accessible to rural communities. IT training is building the knowledge and skills of village members so they can be competitive in the field of education and employment.

ESDO also requires funds to expand our Indigenous Knowledge and Resource Centres at each Eco-village. The overall objective is to develop databases which offer vital and updated information on agriculture and sustainable resource management, health, disaster mitigation, market trends, and climate variations for example. This program will ensure that the community are confident to access this information, and will develop the skills required for community information sharing on the database system.