is a voluntary, non-political, nongovernmental organization of Bangladesh involved in development activities of National, International and Other Development Partners of Bangladesh. It was established in July 1999 with the initiation of a group of educated like minded social workers with an aim to promote the socio-economic and cultural status of the rural poor and vulnerable people, emphasizing the women and children through concretization, capacity building, institution building, capital formation, and imparting felt-need based problem-solving programs by adopting modern scientific technologies. SSUS put forward the idea of developing quality human capacity building into reality through technical/vocational trainings and transform innovative ideas into sustainable development through agro-based and other skill-based development trainings. These are achieved through implementation of different types of development projects and programs under the different thematic areas in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SSUS believes in non-directive, bottom-up participatory, and integrated development frameworks and acts as a catalyst with its beneficiaries.
SSUS has given emphasize on homestead gardening as a woman can harvest crops of round year vegetable. She can offer part time labour in production. Its fill-up the household demand for consumption which prevent / reduced malnutrition of the family members. More over she can earn. In last year (2003), 300 women are given training and micro-credit support to start Home stead gardening who has scope of land for garden.
In our country especially at rural area about all families have tendency to rear poultry bird. But only due to crisis of latest technology and proper financial support the activities could not be achieved with satisfactory result. SSUS has provided short training on rearing and support through vaccination program. Moreover, Micro-credit support to needy women for the activities. Maximum families are selling eggs and birds after their own consumption. This activity is directly helping in nutritional aspects of the family members.
About 72 women are received training on cow rearing and beef fattening. 40 women are received loan for same activity. They are selling milk locally after family consumption, The babies and young children are taking ideal food through milk which is a vital component of nutrition arena.
There are 30 new nurseries are established under SSUS through target beneficiaries. Before initiative they were provided training and credit support who claimed for financial support. In most of the nurseries, fruit, ayurvedic and vegetable saplings are being produced besides timber tree saplings. The producers are selling their saplings at village market and nearest urban spot.
SSUS has given emphasis for plantation of fruit and medicinal trees under social forestry activity. In any occasion like training, workshop, and special day observation, the saplings are distributed to the target members in subsidized rate. In social forestry, addition of fruit and medicinal tree has increased the fruit production which reducing malnutrition in the rural area. Even the poor people are using medicinal tree for treatment.
The mini-pond, ditches and other water bodies in the project are brought under fish cultivation. SSUS has provided proper training with the support of expertise from other organizations and govt. departments. SSUS is also assisting the members to collect fish-linger with the support of fisheries expert. Family members are taking fish from their product for own consumption that is helping in nutritional purpose.
The target members who have got no land for agro based activities and who are mostly interested for them SSUS is providing training on off-form activities. The training is short, Mid and long-term basis. The off-farm activities are handicrafts (bamboo leaf items), agro processing (Pickles, chanachur, vermicelli, fried rice, pressed rice making), block-batik (for bed sheet, dresses), hand embroidery (for dresses, bed sheets) and tailoring. For training, own-expertise and trainers from outside are utilizing. purpose.
Shop - Keeping, small trade, micro-enterprise is the very common IGAS are found within the target members. Beneficiaries are provided training on "Enterprise development & Simple accounts keeping". SSUS is also support them for business planning, counseling and necessary micro-Credit support. It has found that, out of total credit disbursed amount, about 38% amount has disbursed on shop keeping and small trade activities. Here another benefit is, members are employed for full time work of the year and regular income they received.
In Chittagong, the project implemented to rehabilitate the prostitute adolescents. Primarily the person-to-person survey was made. After survey the target members are identified. They placed in to Drop-in-center and provided life-skill training and education. They provided health treatment and medicinal support also. The skilled members are provided micro-finance support for self employment.
Both to male and female, the development education is provided under the PLCEHD-1 programme by the financial support of Govt. In this project all learners received signature knowledge and reading & writing. Beside the non-formal education, they provided life skill training against human resources development. After the training each of them received credit support for self employment as needs of income generating activities.
SSUS has been working on community development through social institution building since its inception in 1999 in all the working villages, which are supported by the above-mentioned partner NGOs and community-based initiatives. Formation of Community Based Organization and its capacity building is one of the primary and basic works.
Concretization is the most and important program of the organization. It begins from -the start and continues continuously for raising mass awareness. Awareness in all respects among the targeted people and the community people. So, far it has been Concretization approximately 75,000 people in different respects. Now the community people of SSUS working areas are fairly conscious in all respects and they can understand their development should be done themselves.
The organization first selects the working areas, conducts base line surveys and identifies the targeted beneficiaries. After identification, motivate and educate the targeted, people on the goal and objectives of the organization and activities. When the beneficiaries realize that they should be organized, then the staff members organize them into small savings groups and conduct weekly meetings and collect weekly savings to build capital of the poor beneficiaries.
It aspires for a society free from exploitation, deprivation, oppression, malnutrition, domination, starvation, where every individual will be able to get equal and rightful shares of the resources, human rights, social. Rights, social security, where justice, human dignity, democratic value will be honored and every individual will be able to live in peace, justice and harmony.
