Compassion began its ministry in Bangladesh in June 2004 with the Child Sponsorship Program, and the Child Survival Program began in 2010. The year 2010 also marked five years of ministry in Bangladesh as well as registration of the 15,000th child.

Additionally, the government of Bangladesh declared our ministry an International NGO in 2008, enabling us to use our logo with the tagline “Releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name,” which is significant for a country that is primarily Muslim and closed to the gospel.

Country Director

Kajal K. Sengupta joined us in 2007 as Country Director. Prior to joining our ministry, Kajal held the position of Chief Accountant for USAID at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka from 2003 until 2007, and Grants Controller for CARE Bangladesh from 2002 to 2003.

Kajal holds a Master’s of Business Administration from East West University, as well as a Master’s of Commerce from Chittagong University.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in Bangladesh with whom we work to deliver child development programs and ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  Bangladesh is made up of 83 percent Muslims, 16 percent Hindus, 0.6 percent Buddhists and 0.4 percent Christians. While Islam is the official religion of Bangladesh, other religious minorities such as Christians and Hindus are allowed to worship, although they face societal discrimination.

  The majority of discrimination against Christians comes from Muslims who deny Christians access to higher-level government jobs. Non-Christians, specifically Muslims, cannot receive Jesus Christ openly due to religious threats. If somebody does receive Christ, he or she will be banished from society. The evangelical churches in Bangladesh face a great deal of risk.



• Unique Challenges
  One major challenge in Bangladesh is recruiting qualified staff, specifically in rural areas. Most of the population does not have a quality education, and those that do often do not wish to stay in rural areas.

  Implementing Church Partner leaders are working hard to recruit qualified staff for the child development centers, but extensive training is needed to comply with ministry standards.

  Another challenge is the concept of partnership. Currently, some Implementing Church Partners look at their partnership with our ministry as a “cow and milker” relationship. We are the cow and the Implementing Church Partners are the milkers. This is consistent with the beggar mentality that has plagued Bangladesh for 30 years.

  Natural disasters are another challenge. Every year Bangladesh deals with natural calamities such as floods, famine, cyclones, etc. In recent years, abnormal flooding has increased dramatically, causing serious damage to lives and property.



• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide the infrastructure and facilities as well as the physical labor needed to maintain the facilities. Additionally, they provide counseling, monitoring and supervision for the program activities.
• Partner Development Activities
  The ministry in Bangladesh develops partners by training on topics such as spirituality, leadership, project management, vision casting, curriculum and program communication.

Child Survival Program

The Child Survival Program is new in Bangladesh. Registration was completed in September 2010 and the program began in October 2010.

• Caregiver Literacy
  Caregivers come to the center four times a month. Child Survival Program Implementers, along with other staff and the pastor, will train the mothers on various topics, including how to write their names.
• Income-Generating Skills
  We offer vocational training on growing vegetables in small spaces, keeping goats, hens and ducks, and making handicraft items.
• Health Care
  Hygiene and health awareness classes are offered at the child development center four days a month.
• Nutritional Support
  Lunch is provided for the mothers on the days they attend the center. In addition, energy drinks such as Horlicks and baby food are provided on a regular basis.
• Involvement of Fathers
  Fathers are required to come to the child development center once a month.

  The Child Survival Program Implementer and the church pastor also encourage the fathers to take proper care of their wives and children.



• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  After their fourth birthday, children are expected to join the Child Sponsorship Program. New mothers and babies take the place of mothers and children who have moved into the Child Sponsorship Program.
• Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program
  We plan to expand the Child Survival Program into various remote areas of the country where the infant mortality rate is very high.

Child Sponsorship Program

Your sponsorship of a child in Bangladesh provides a variety of benefits.

Schools in Bangladesh start around 10:30 a.m. and the children come to the child development center around 8 or 8:30 a.m. before school.

After school the children return to the center to have a meal and spend several hours doing activities. The reasons children spend so many hours at the center are malnutrition and the need for educational support.

We want to provide meals and additional support for their schooling every day. We are also fortunate that our funds go further in Bangladesh so we are able to have the children at the child development centers for longer periods of time.

• Meeting Times
  • 3 to 5 year olds: 6 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 8 hours on Saturday for non-school-going children; 5 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 8 hours on Saturday for school-going children.
  • 6 to 8 year olds: 5 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 8 hours on Saturday.
  • 9 to 11 year olds: 4 hours a day, from Monday through Friday (2 hours before school and 2 hours after school), and 8 hours on Saturday.
  • 12 to 14 year olds: 4 hours a day, from Monday through Friday (2 hours before school and 2 hours after school), and 8 hours on Saturday.
  • 15 to 18 year olds: 4 hours a day, from Monday through Friday (2 hours before school and 2 hours after school), and 8 hours on Saturday.

  Children also spend 8 hours at the child development center on holidays.

  

• Nutritional Support
  Because one of the biggest challenges facing children in Bangladesh is a lack of food, each child receives a meal (usually lunch) five days a week. They are also provided with seasonal fruit and milk once a week.

  Meals generally consist of rice and lentils along with either vegetables, fish, eggs, meat or potatoes. None of the child development centers serve beef or pork; all of the centers serve chicken and some serve mutton.



• Vaccinations
  Vaccinations are administered at the child development centers by doctors and medical support staff from nearby public clinics.
• Specialty Curriculum
  The majority of the child development only use the certified national curriculum. However, some of the centers use a spiritual curriculum as well, which was developed by a faith-based organization called Generation Bangladesh.

  This spiritual curriculum is used only for children 11 years old and above. The children learn about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Bible.

• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  There are various extracurricular activities available to the children, such as adolescent camps and Cluster Camp (a camp that holds spiritual and cultural activities with groups from several child development centers at once).

  Activities also include sports competitions among multiple child development centers, singing/dancing classes and competitions, drama classes, drawing classes and competitions, and Bible quizzes.



• Vocational Training
  Most child development centers in Bangladesh do not yet offer any vocational training; however, some of the centers offer opportunities to learn sewing and pottery.

  Also, adolescents participate in a special Bible training called “Mail Box Club” and attend spiritual camps.

• Parent Involvement
  Each child development center has a meeting once a month for parents. In these meetings, the staff tries to build awareness among the parents about cleanliness, hygiene and the importance of education for both male and female children.

  During the home visits, the social worker and tutors further educate the parents about the importance of education as well as suitable environments for children.



• Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  There are plans to expand the Child Sponsorship Program into the Hill Tracts over the next few years. There are mainly tribal people groups in that area who are deprived of most facilities.

  Children in this area are vulnerable and deprived of education and spiritual and physical growth opportunities. There are a number of Christian churches who could be potential partners.

Complementary Interventions

Our core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, does not address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. The Complementary Interventions program was created to work with our holistic child development model to provide additional services, such as our AIDS Initiative, Bibles for all children, disaster relief and water projects.

Complementary Interventions in Bangladesh have included medical services to Cyclone Aila-affected centers in 2009. At that time we provided oral saline, water purification tablets, medicine and primary health treatment to 644 people including children, parents and community members.

We are currently providing a deep tube well/ring, which is a hand pump to collect water for child development centers who are suffering from a lack of safe drinking water. This program is incorporated with the water and hygiene education given to Child Sponsorship Program families.

We are also distributing insecticide-treated nets to the malaria-prone areas and working to raise awareness about malaria.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

A letter from a sponsor is one of the most desired things a sponsored child can receive. Your letters can do more than money, because they build a relationship between you and your sponsored child.

Your letters are not just pieces of paper; they are letters filled with love, affection, emotion and inspiration for children.

In Bangladesh our child development centers do not celebrate any particular day of the month as “Letter Day,” as some other countries do. But every month children reply to your letters after receiving them from our ministry office.

Children at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center are always looking forward to the day when their center staff members bring the big envelop full of sponsor letters.

This development center is located on the top of a small hill, a one hour drive from the nearest town. Our staff visits a small town to collect the letters from a courier office.

The head of Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center, shares,

“We are several miles away from a small town. Every month we receive sponsor’s letters at least twice. Children are very eager about these letters; they always ask us about the letters.

Here we don’t have a mail-man who can bring the letters to the development center. We are required to collect these letters from the courier office. We use three wheelers (small three wheel rickshaw that runs by motor) to get them.

It takes more than two hours to reach town and come back. Children are always very excited and happy to see the big brown envelop in our hands.”

Caregivers, social workers and other staff from the development center assist the children to read your letters and write back.

Bangladesh is a country where different tribal groups have their own languages. Bengali is the only language that is widely used.

English is not spoken or understood by most people. So a group of young students at our country office translate your letters before they are sent to the child development centers.

Then the Sponsor Donor Service staff distribute the translated letters to the various Implementing Church Partners.

Children at the center receive the original letter with a translation in their local language at the bottom.

Rita, staff member at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center explains,

“Most of the time we receive letters in the afternoon, so we distribute the letters to children the next day.

We call each child and help them to read the letter. We explain anything to them that they are unable to understand.

After reading the letters, we arrange a letter writing session. The children sit together inside the church and write to their sponsors.”

Seven-year-old Tithi has a sponsor from the USA. Receiving any letter from her sponsor is a most pleasant event for her.

“I like to receive gifts, but I love to get my sponsor’s letters more. I love it especially when there are photos of my sponsor. My sponsor loves me and sent me a nice photo of her. She wrote that she prays for me.

Children feel happy to show your letters and photos to their development center friends and family. Tithi always shows her letters and photos to her friends. Tithi can read her own letters, but her teacher helps her to understand the unusual words.

Lishtina’s sponsors are also from USA. Her sponsors are very responsive. They reply to her every letter. This year Lishtina wrote 6 letters and received 5 from her sponsors.

“I received a birthday gift from my sponsors but I love to receive letters and photos from my sponsors more than gifts.

These letters are full of greetings, encouraging words and Bible verses. They also send a beautiful family photo with Christmas greetings. These letters are precious to me.”

For boys, to receive a letter from their sponsors is equally important. Robin and Eliphas love to get notes from their sponsors. Robin shares with his parents every time he receives a letter from his sponsor.

Whenever Robin gets any card or picture he becomes very delighted. Eliphas reads his notes from his sponsor with his friends. Every child feels proud when they receive their sponsor’s letter, because it brings the message that someone from far country thinks about them.

Synod is the eldest registered child at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center. She is now 14 and studying in grade 8. She feels the significance of her sponsor’s messages.

“Every time I receive a letter from my sponsor I get so excited. She is like my family member. I can feel her emotion, love and care for me. It is something very special for me.

My sponsor encourages me to keep up my good results at school. Her inspiration helps me to improve myself. I always wait for her letter.”

Hema also waits eagerly for greetings from her sponsors. Whenever the child development center staff comes in with a large brown envelop, she expects a letter from her sponsors. It becomes a lucky day for her when she gets her desired letter.

It has been 5 years since we started to work through the local church in the community of Sath Nong Khasia Pungi. The staff at this center are experienced and understand the importance of children’s letters for their sponsors.

Letter writing is considered as essential as any other regular activity at the center. Generally the children reply to their sponsor’s letters the day after the development center receives them from the country office.

Rita explaines the whole letter writing activities of the development center:

“Children who don’t receive letters from their sponsors generally write letters to their sponsors every 4 months. But for the sponsored children who get letters from their sponsors regularly, they have to reply their sponsor’s letters.

They also write thank you letters whenever they receive any monetary gifts from sponsors.

The letter writing process is very organized and systematic at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center, just like other development centers in Bangladesh. Children read their letters from sponsors and then they sit together inside the church and write their replies.

Children also sit on long benches and place their writing papers on narrow tables. We provide them with a special letter form to write to their sponsors. These letter forms are colorful and children can write and draw on them.

There is also a small space for translation from Bengali to English. The children who are in higher grades write their letters on their own; the center staff help the younger children to write their letters.

Children use pencils, pens, and colors to write and draw to their friends abroad. The social workers and the caregivers always assist and guide the children in writing letters.

Children include their favorite Bible verses, list of favorite birds, colors, animals and song in their letters.

Tithi shares,

“My sponsor sends me her photo. I wrote her back about my family, my study and my country. I always thank her for sponsoring me.”

Usually the information and language of the children letters are different for different age groups. The older children like Synod can express their pleasure and excitement in a more organized way.

“I do enjoy writing to my sponsor. I thank her for being my sponsor. I answer all of her questions from the most recent letter. Also my life and learning at the development center are included in my letters. I ask my sponsor to pray for my family.”

Lishtina received a birthday gift from her sponsors. She conveyed her gratitude through a thank you letter.

“I thank my sponsors for sending me a birthday gift. I write them about the beautiful stuff that I bought with their gift. I also ask them about the weather of their country and the way of their Christmas celebration.”

Writing you letters is an event of joy for the children. They love to write about their emotions, favorites, families, study, events at the development center and prayer requests. They also know that the drawings they make are appreciated by their friends abroad.

These drawings are very special because it carries the emotion of the child for the sponsor. The alphabet may not be familiar, but drawing is a common language for all.

The children’s joy doubles when they receive an answer from you. The director of the Sath Nong Khasiapungi tells us,

“The children who receive letters from their sponsors are really fortunate and always happy. I feel sorry for the children who don’t get any letter. They feel a little left out when they see their friends receiving letters from abroad. Hopefully these children will get a response from their sponsors soon.”

A short message from you could play a vital role in the life of a child. A letter can develop a heavenly bond of love. This small piece of paper can bring huge inspiration, hope and change in the life of a child.

All of our ministry staff in Bangladesh really appreciate the effort you take to not only support the children of Bangladesh but to also strengthen the bond of love by writing to them.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Recently a very well-known Mommy Blogger traveled to Bangladesh with a non-profit organization dedicated to child and maternal health.

Immediately following her first post from the developing country, the UK news publication The Guardian ran an article labeling her trip another example of “poverty tourism” in which “westerners [are] flown to dirt-poor regions to solemnly observe the impoverished in their natural habitats.”

The article noted that what often happens with blogging trips is that the bloggers write lengthy, gut-wrenching, emotion-filled posts that motivate readers to act, but then offer little tangible way to take action other than simply signing a petition.

“Where blogger-engagement projects often fall down is in closing the deal: having aroused the empathy of an engaged audience, they fail to provide something potent for people to do next.

“If you’ve just read a post about children working 14 hours a day scavenging material from towering heaps of putrefied waste, you probably want to do something more effective than signing a petition or sending an email to your elected representative; but frequently, this is all that’s on offer.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. I doubt there’s much that’s more frustrating than getting your emotions all stirred up, only to be left helpless with no way to do anything about what you’ve just learned.

You should know that at Compassion we don’t want you to feel helpless — we’d rather you feel empowered. We don’t want you to feel discouraged, but encouraged that you are able to make a difference. And not just a small one. That’s why we focus on offering you so many different ways to get involved.

As our President and CEO, Wess Stafford, often says, there are two main reasons why people do not take action:

1. They don’t know what to do.
2. They don’t know whom to trust.

We want to be the answer to both of those questions.

One way we do this is to offer trips to see our work around the world. Our sponsor tours, vision trips and blogging trips, however, are all carefully and strategically designed to empower participants, not incapacitate them.

For the record, we refuse to engage in anything even remotely resembling poverty tourism. While other organizations may ask you to simply sign a petition, we want more from you … much more. We want your passion. We want your heart. We want your deep, God-given desire to change the world. And we promise not to leave you helpless.

We’ve found that one of Satan’s favorite tactics is to make you feel impotent. To get you to believe that no matter what you do, it won’t make a difference.

It’s our goal to eradicate that feeling. How are we doing?

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

A letter from a sponsor is one of the most desired things a sponsored child can receive. Letters from sponsors can do more than money because they build relationship between child and sponsor. These are not just pieces of paper; these letters are filled with love, affection, emotion and inspiration for the children.

In Bangladesh, Compassion centers do not celebrate any particular day of the month as “Letter Day,” as some other countries do. But every month children reply to their sponsor’s letters after receiving letters from the Bangladesh Compassion office. Children of Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center are always looking forward to the day when their center staff members bring the big envelope full of sponsor letters.

The head of the center, Mr. Pius, explains, “We are several miles away from the small town where the letters are received. Every month we receive sponsors’ letters at least twice. Children are very eager about these letters; they always ask us about them. Here we don’t have a mailman who can bring the letters to the center.

“We are required to collect these letters from the courier office. We use ‘three wheelers’ (small three-wheel taxi/auto rickshaw that runs by motor). It takes more than two hours to reach the town and come back. Children are always very excited and happy to see the big brown envelope in our hands.”

The caregivers, social workers and other center staff help the children read the letters and write back to their sponsors.

Bangladesh is a country where different tribal groups have their own languages. Bengali is the only language that is widely used. English is not spoken or understood by most people. So a group of young students at the Compassion country office translate the sponsor letters before they are sent to the centers.

Then the Sponsor Donor Service staff distribute the translated letters to the various ICPs (Implementing Church Partners). Children at the center receive the original letter with a translation in their local language at the bottom.

Rita, a caregiver at Sath Nong Khasiapungi, says, “Most of the time we receive letters in the afternoon. So we distribute the letters to children the next day. We call each child and help them to read the letter. We explain to them if they are unable to understand anything. After reading the letters we arrange a letter-writing session. The children sit together inside our church and write to their sponsors.”

Lishtina’s sponsors Lindsay and Steve are from the United States. They are very responsive. They reply to her every letter. This year Lishtina wrote six letters and received five from her sponsors.

“I received a birthday gift from my sponsors, but I love to receive letters and photos from my sponsors more than gifts. These letters are full of greetings, encouraging words and Bible verses. They also send a beautiful family photo with Christmas greetings. These letters are precious to me. I showed this photo to my friends.”

For boys, to receive a letter from their sponsors is equally important. Robin loves to get notes from his sponsors. He shares with his parents every time he receives a letter from his friends. Whenever he gets any cards or pictures he becomes very delighted.

It has been five years since Compassion started to work through the local church at this community. The staff in this center are experienced and understand the importance of children’s letters for their sponsors. Letter writing is considered as essential as any other regular activities in the Compassion center. Generally the children reply to their sponsors’ letters the day after the center receives them from the country office.

The letter-writing process is very organized and systematic here. Children read their letters from sponsors and then they sit together inside the church and write their replies. They sit on long benches and place their writing papers on narrow tables.

Compassion Bangladesh provides a special letter form for the children to write to their sponsors. These letter forms are colorful, and children can write and draw on them. There is also a small space for translation (from Bengali to English). The children who are in higher grades write their letters on their own; the staff help the younger children to write their letters.

Usually the information and language of the children’s letters are different for different age groups.

Synod is the eldest registered child of Sath Nong Khasiapungi. She is now 14 and studying in grade 8. She feels the significance of her sponsor’s messages.

“Every time when I receive a letter from Sylvia I get so excited. She is like my family member. I can feel her emotion, love and care for me. It is something very special for me. She encourages me to keep up my good results at school. Her inspiration helps me to improve myself. I always wait for her letter.”

Writing letters to their friends is an event of joy for the Compassion children. They love to write about their emotions, favorites, families, study, Compassion life and prayer requests. They also know that the drawings they made on the letters are appreciated by their friends abroad. These drawings are very special because they carry the emotion of the child for the sponsor. The alphabets may not be familiar to sponsors, but drawing is a common language for all.

A short message from the sponsor could play a vital role in the life of a child. The letter is not only a piece of paper, but it is a tool that builds a friendship between a child and a sponsor. It can develop a heavenly bond of love. This small piece of paper can bring huge inspiration, hope and change in the life of a child.

All of us at Compassion Bangladesh really appreciate the effort of our sponsors for not only supporting the children, but also for strengthening the bond of love by writing to them.

January 14 (this Friday) is our monthly letter-writing day! We encourage you to put some time aside to let your sponsored child know you are thinking of them!

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Hlaa me u lives in a village where pregnant mothers are afraid to go to the clinic or hospitals. The mothers don’t rely on modern medical care. The nearby clinic has some limited facilities for safe baby deliveries, but old superstitions keep the villagers away.

Hlaa me u is from the Marma tribe of Bangladesh, and the majority of Marma babies are delivered at home by a local wet-nurse. Often the wet-nurses lack knowledge of midwifery, which has caused the deaths of many children.

Money is also a big issue. It costs around 3,000 Taka ($43) at the local clinic for child delivery. Hlaa me u’s day-laborer husband earns less than 1,200 Taka ($17) per month. She had no other option than giving birth to her first child at home.

Hlaa me u lives in a small, one-room bamboo hut with her husband, mother and sister. They don’t have any furniture. There is no electricity  or water supply at their house. They sleep on the floor at night.

Hlaa me didn’t receive proper maternity care when she was pregnant. There were days when she had to starve with her family. She couldn’t work during her pregnancy, so her husband was the only one earning in the family.

“I felt so tired and weak during my pregnancy. I didn’t know that I need to have an improved diet for my baby’s health.”

In October 2010, during her seventh month of pregnancy, Hlaa me was registered as the 39th mother of Compassion Bangladesh’s Rowangchari Child Survival Program (CSP) at the local church. It was a special experience for her.

Hlaa me learned how to properly care for her newborn baby. She was expecting the baby in the first week of November, but her daughter came to this world one month early. The CSP implementer at the center is a well-trained nurse by the name of Vanzir. She assisted Hlaa me with the birth of her first child, who was born safely at home.

This assistance saved Hlaa me 3,000 Taka ($43), which is a large amount considering her economic condition.

The baby was healthy and weighed 2.8 kilograms (6.72 pounds). Hlaa me attends the center four times a month. Learning is not the only activity she is involved with. She also gets proper nutrition, a new set of traditional dress, a pair of shoes, a bottle of Horlics (energy drink), toiletries (shampoo, soap, hair oil), baby oil, baby lotion and baby powder.

“I never expected these gifts. I knew about the children’s program (child sponsorship). But Compassion is equally careful for the pregnant mothers and the mothers with little babies. I couldn’t afford these for my baby. They also visited me and my baby several times. My baby is lucky to receive such love.”

Vanzir joined Compassion recently and is excited about her new role.

“It is a special experience for me to serve these mothers. I visited Hlaa me’s house several times. I knew her family condition. Thank God that He blessed them through Compassion. The lives of the babies in this community depend on fate.

“These families are not aware of the benefit of modern treatment at hospitals. They are afraid to go to hospital, and most of them don’t have the capability to pay hospital fees. Hlaa me’s family doesn’t have the ability to pay the hospital fee and had to take the service from uneducated wet-nurse. That could bring both the mother and child in danger. It was an amazing experience to see a newborn baby.”

Mothers like Hlaa me in the Marma community are giving birth to their babies without any modern medical attention. The fate of the baby depends on the health of the mother and the expertise of the uneducated wet-nurses. Thirty times out of 100 the wet-nurses fail to save the babies.

You help give hope to these pregnant mothers through the Child Survival Program.

Now the mothers will be under the care of the expert CSP implementer during deliveries. It will ultimately decrease the chance of infant mortality. The awareness program, baby training and other assistance (like nutrition and baby kits) at our centers helps ensure healthy mothers and babies.

Thank you for supporting these deprived mothers and babies. Your loving contributions impact the fate of these babies and ensure healthy lives.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

On Sept. 6, 1996, Biswanath was involved in a terrible road accident. His right leg was badly injured and he was taken to the hospital immediately. But his relatives didn’t rely on the expert doctors, and took him to a local herbal healer instead.

The herbal healer provided the wrong treatment and used unscientific ways to join the injured man’s thigh bones. Biswanath lost his ability to walk or run. Many years have passed since that devastating accident, but Biswanath still struggles to walk or stand for long.

After his accident, Biswanath lost all his expectations for life. He couldn’t find a job due to his weak leg. He married a woman named Sumi, and their only child, Sumonto, was born in 1999.

Biswanath struggled to provide for his family. He began to sell marijuana. The dark side of life grabbed him.

“I had no other option [but selling marijuana] to survive other than selling my land. I am a disabled man. My right leg is almost paralyzed. I can’t walk or stand for long. No one hired me for a job. But I had to survive with my family at any cost.”

Biswanath doesn’t like to talk about how he used to sell marijuana or how much he made because it still wasn’t enough to send his son to school. Biswanath did not want his son to become a marijuana seller like himself.

Mission schools are popular in Bangladesh. No or low tuition, good teachers, a nice environment and a free supply of books have made the mission schools popular among people in remote communities.

When the Compassion-assisted child development center opened at the local church, Biswanath and his wife saw it as nothing more than a Christian mission school. But it offered an opportunity for Sumonto to get a free education, and his parents grabbed it.

Over the last four years, Sumonto and his father have gotten to know the church as well as Compassion. Sumonto receives better educational opportunities through the center than he would through any other school in the community. He receives tutoring and all the educational materials (books, copies, pencils, etc.) he needs, including his school uniform, from the center.

Sumonto’s school fee is no longer a problem for his father as Compassion pays it regularly. Sumonto’s parents are grateful that the center even provides lunch for their son and takes care of all his medical needs. Sumonto also is learning biblical morals and Christian values.

Biswanath was happy for his son, but the bigger changes began to take place as the generosity of Sumonto’s sponsor grew.

Our church partners never hand over cash gift money to the families. Instead, they make purchases according to the need of the child and family. In Bangladesh, most families ask that domestic animals are purchased with the family gift money. Domestic animals are very useful because selling milk and eggs creates an opportunity for the family to earn extra money.

Biswanath requested the church staff buy them cows with their designated gift money. They bought six cows.

Every day Biswanath sells three liters of fresh milk and earns around $1.30. This little income is a great help for Biswanath. He quit selling marijuana. The center director advised — and rebuked — Biswanath several times about this illegal business. Through continuous counseling with the director, Biswanath changed his ways.

“I never imagined that my son would ever go to school and have an education. The church made it possible. My son is now receiving a good education, food and other benefits like other capable families in our village. The church, along with Compassion, is taking care of my son. Not only that, but because of the gift from Sumonto’s sponsor, we now have a way to earn for our family. This helped me to get rid of the worst business.”

Subsequently, the family sold three of their cows and bought a little piece of land where they started a small shop. Biswanath’s older brother is running that shop and gives a share to Biswanath. With the love and generosity of Sumonto’s sponsor, two families have benefited.

The shop sells herbal products (leafs, mixtures, oils, fruit skins, tree skins, etc.) and spices. Biswanath’s brother, who was previously unemployed, now earns a little that he can contribute to his family.

Sumonto’s mother, Sumi, says,

“These Christian people at the local church are very gentle. They are as concerned as we are for our son. My son learns to behave gently from the church. We believe whatever he learns at the center is good and fruitful. My husband and I have full faith in Compassion. We know that they will teach our child the right things and guide him to avoid the wrong. They helped and guided my husband to quit his dark business. I am grateful to them.”

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

But these children, who live in circumstances we can’t imagine, are learning to see hope in their lives and how to help others.

When they heard about the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti and that Compassion-assisted children were affected, it broke their hearts. Every day they were at the development center, they prayed. But they went beyond that as well.

Though some of the children  get their only meal of the day when they go to the center, they still wanted to help the children of Haiti financially. Boxes were placed in each  center, and the children gave what they could to help, as did some of the Compassion staff and parents.

The 88 child development centers in Bangladesh raised $3,909!

That’s a lot of money for some children in Bangladesh who earn just pennies a day. And it brought to mind the widow and her mite.

In response to the earthquake, I gave out of my wealth, but these children gave out of their poverty. They gave far more than I did.

For me, it was a reminder once again that God chooses the things this world considers foolish to shame the wise. Those weak to shame the strong.

Let’s rejoice at how God works through these little ones … and let’s strive to be more like them.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.

But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” — Mark 12:41-44 (NIV)

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The people of the Santal community have lived in the northwest region of Bangladesh for hundreds of years. They are one of the major tribes in Bangladesh.

The features of the Santal people are quite similar to those of the Bengali people, the original inhabitants of Bangladesh, but the Santal people are a bit darker in color and have curly hair.

The Santal people practice ethnic religions or idolism. They do not practice Hinduism, but they worship several Hindu gods along with nature. They have their own tribe language, called Santali. It is completely different from the Bengali mother tongue, Bangla.

About a century ago, the Santal tribe possessed vast land properties in the northern part of Bangladesh. But according to Santal history, some cunning people from other communities took advantage of their addiction to home-made alcohol called Chuani and grabbed their land, not only making the Santal tribe poor but also ruling them for decades.

Most of the Santal people do not own land to grow crops. They work in other people’s fields as day laborers. Both men and women work in the fields. They spread seeds, remove weeds and collect crops in the harvesting season. Some of the Santali people are involved in the occupation of pulling a cycle-van.

Most of the Santal people have a small amount of their own land to live on. Their houses are made of mud walls with a straw or tin roof. These houses are normally 10 feet long, 7 to 9 feet tall and 8 feet wide. They have cow sheds attached to houses and do not have sanitary latrine facilities.

The northern portion of Bangladesh is plains and is very dry. The elevation is about 60 feet above sea level, and the weather is hot during the summer. During the winter, this area becomes the coldest in Bangladesh. And from September to mid-December, the area becomes drier. No crops can be grown, which ultimately causes a job crisis for the people because they cannot get regular work to earn their keep.

A crisis of water is another problem they face. They have to carry water to their homes from a far distance; however, some of the Santal families do have their own tube-well (hand-pump water supply).

Santal families often have five to seven children. With parents, children and grandparents, there are eight to 10 people in every household. The women who are widowed or have been left by their husbands stay with their children. These families usually have four to six members.

To send their children to school is a luxury for the Santal community. They are not able to bear the school tuition fees. As a result, most of the children of this tribe pass their days playing in the fields.

If any child from the Santal community goes to school, he or she usually drops out before completing the primary education (5th grade). More than 80 percent of Santal adults cannot read or write their own names.

Most of the Santal villages are in remote places. Walking is the only way to move around. To go a long distance, they take a rickshaw, cycle van or local transportation like a bus or pick-up van that runs on the highway.

The Santal community observes the culture and tradition of their ancestors. The Santal women wear sarees and use various kinds of ornaments and flowers to decorate themselves. The male wear lungis (Bengali skirts for men) and shirts. During certain special occasions the men wrap their heads with long cloths called pagris.

The Santal celebrate these occasions and worship idols with the music of drums and other local instruments, and the men and women take part in their traditional dance.

The favorite dishes are godo (field rat) and pork. They prepare these dishes for the festivals. They are also fond of kuicha (a kind of eel) and vegetables. Home-made alcohol is one of the main parts of every celebration and festival.

Approximately 65 percent of the Santal people follow their ethnic religion, 24 percent practice Hinduism, and 10 percent practice Christianity. The rest are Buddhists.

The growth trend of Christians could be more pleasing if churches became more effective in nurturing new believers. It is a common in Bangladesh for people who convert to Christianity to be troubled by their previous community group.

Compassion-assisted child development centers serving the Santal tribe include: BD-201 – 219 and 221 – 234.

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The Garo community is one of the major tribes in Bangladesh. According to the history books, the Garo tribe entered Bangladesh in the first century. They were refugees from Mongolia and came to this region through Tibet.

The Garo have stayed in Bangladesh for thousands of years. Initially, they followed a religion called Sonatoni; during the British rule in this subcontinent they came to Christ. Today, nearly 100 percent of the Garo tribe practices Christianity, though a few still believe in Sonatoni.

Garos have their own language, Achick, which is completely different from the local language, Bengali. Achik has several accents/branches such as Habeng, Attong, etc.

The Garo tribe also has its own culture. Their dress, food habits and celebration styles can be easily distinguished from the Bengalis and other tribes.

The people from the Garo tribe have different features than the original inhabitants of Bangladesh (Bengali people). They are a little shorter and have fair skin. Their eyes and nose are similar to their ancestors from Mongolia.

Compared to the other tribal groups, the Garo tribe is little advanced in education and social activities. The first Garo church (Garo Baptist Convention) was established in 1910. Many missionaries and evangelists from Europe and North America worked among the Garo people over the decades.

Being a part of a developing country, the Garo community also suffers from poverty. Many Garo families are deprived of education.

Garos in the villages and in remote places suffer from lack of clean water and sanitation. There are many villages like Gobindopur and Nalchapra, which greatly need hospitals and medical facilities.

The people from the Garo community have to go to the local pharmacy for  minor diseases or injuries. For major problems, they have to take the patient to the town, which is about 35 kilometers away.

The Garo have only one high school (sixth through 10th grade) with a capacity of only 300 children. This government school has only nine teachers. There are also two primary schools in those villages with limited capacity and facilities.

The houses of the Garo people are made of bamboo walls and straw or tin roofs. Some houses have mud walls with a roof of straw and plastic sheets. House are typically 7 feet wide and 14 feet long. The Garo build their own houses. Usually they have free spaces in front of their houses. They keep cows, chicken and ducks as pets.

Garo families usually have an average  of two to three children.

Thirty percent of the Garo people have completed high school. However, the remaining 70 percent have not; the poor families can’t afford to send their children to school.

The government of Bangladesh has ensured that all children can attend primary school. But many children from the Garo community drop out after the primary level.

The educated people from the Garo community work in nongovernmental and other corporate organizations. The poorer Garo people earn their keep by working as day laborers, usually in the crop fields for nine or 10 hours daily.

Available transportation in Garo villages is cycle or rickshaw, especially for long distances. But since most peope can’t afford the rickshaw fare, they walk. Cycle-vans are used to carry goods.

In the Garo culture, both male and female have to work for the family. The interesting part is that the Garo ladies get ownership of the properties from the family, a tradition completely opposite of the Bengali people.

The Garo festivals are very colorful and full of music and dancing. Christmas and Easter are the two major religious festivals. Their biggest cultural festival is called Wangala.

Wangala is the festival when the Garo thank God for the new crops. It takes place just after the harvesting period. The Garo prepare pitha (homemade pies), sweets and other food to celebrate this occasion. At the celebration, Garo girls wear their traditional dress and sprinkle puffed rice and dry rice with their hands.

The traditional dress of the Garo ladies is called Dokbanda,  a combination of a long skirt and blouse. The gents wear regular shirts, trousers and lungi (Bangladeshi skirt for men).

The favorite dishes of the Garo are pork, snails, eel and little tortoises. They use a special substance called Khari to make the food more tasteful. They prepare the Khari at home.

Compassion-assisted child development centers that serve the Garo people include: BD-401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411 and 412.

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In many remote places in Bangladesh, people may never drink clean water. They suffer from waterborne diseases, which are adopted into their lives as normal.

Flying over Bangladesh, you see hundreds of rivers and canals covering the country. But most of these water sources are badly polluted and not safe for drinking or other uses.

So not only is it difficult to provide food for everybody in this impoverished country, it is even more difficult to ensure safe drinking water for the people of Bangladesh.

Compassion Bangladesh is not limited to the cities, but is trying to reach the most remote places of the country to bring Jesus’ love and grace to the children. Many of our church partners are located in places where access to clean water is a major issue.

Haydarnashi Child Sponsorship Program has had a problem finding clean water from the very beginning. The cook had to carry drinking water for 142 children every day. He also had to carry the water for daily cooking.

Carrying the huge drums and buckets filled with water was a serious burden, and so children didn’t get enough clean water.

The church had a tube-well, but it couldn’t pull water from deep levels. As a result, the iron content of the water was high, and it tasted bitter and was  unsafe for the children.

Children also hard a hard tim pumping the tube well. To get just a glass of water was a lot of hard work for a small child.

Compassion did not have the magic lamp of Aladdin to build a water supply for the children overnight. However, some wonderful donors/sponsors ensured a clean water supply for the children of Haydarnashi Child Sponsorship Program by providing for the installation of a new water pump. 

Having running, fresh, clean water was a new experience for the children. At their homes they used rainwater for drinking and pond water for cleaning.

Now the children not only are benefiting from a clean water supply at the student center, but they also have learned about the importance of clean water at home.

They used to collect rainwater for drinking at home by placing  a bowl under the shade of their house. The rainwater from the roof dripped into the bowl.

Now the children know that rainwater from their rooftops is not safe for drinking. The roofs are made of straw, so when the water drips down it, it takes with it all the dirt from the roof.

The children now line up to wash their hands before and after every meal. They just turn on the small tap to have water for cleaning and drinking.

The student center director, Mr. Prodip, says,

“I believe that the most important change the clean water supply brings is that the rate of sick children has decreased. We are now having very few cases of stomach pain and diarrhea than the previous days.”

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