Caritas Bangladesh started its Aloghar Project in November 2011 and has benefitted 158,589 first-time students so far. The Catholic charity runs 88 projects improving the lives of thousands of people.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Catholics providing education in the poorest areas of Bangladesh "really make a difference,” said Zakir Hossain, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education at a meeting organised in Dhaka by Caritas Bangladesh.
The event provided an opportunity to look at the Aloghar project, by which the Catholic charity provided books to the poorest children, those unable to study or forced to drop out.
The outcome is clear. “Some Aloghar graduates are much better than the students who came from mainstream education,” said Dr Manzoor Ahmed, Professor Emeritus, BRAC University.
Caritas Bangladesh launched the Aloghar (Light House) project in November 2011 and is set to end it on 31 March 2019. It was made possible by funding from the European Union and Caritas France to provide basic education to children hard to reach, including those of ethnic minorities.
Some 1,005 Aloghar education centres have been set up in 104 subdistricts (upazila), 27 districts and six divisions. In total, 1.2 billion Bangladeshi takas (US$ 14.3 million) have been spent.
Some 158,589 students were able to receive an education: 100,000 out-of-school pupils and 58,589 drop-outs.
Special education was provided to 142 children with disabilities and 956 children in geographically remote and isolated hilly areas in Chattogram (Chittagong) Hill Tracts were included in primary education, receiving accommodation, food and education material support.
Caritas runs 88 development projects in the country, which are transforming the lives of thousands of needy people.
Speaking at the gathering, Caritas vice president Fr Theotonius P. Rebeiro told those present that they “contributed to achieve sustainable development goal N. 4,” that is quality education.