UKBET 's quarterly bulletin January 2014

A UK Based Charity working on Child Labour, Education and Environment in Bangladesh

Over the past 20 years UKBET has worked with hundreds of teachers, mostly in government schools in Sylhet, developing their skills and confidence to teach and inspire fluency in English. We start our 21st year with a radical change in direction. UKBET's main purpose is now to do everything we can to support and develop children who work, particularly those employed in dangerous and hazardous occupations. There are hundreds of thousands of such children across Bangladesh, exluded from education and at risk of injury at work. We have started our work by opening a pilot 'Centre for Working Children' in Sylhet. Our approach is to seek the involvement and support of employers who in turn release children to enjoy a part time education programme at our Centre during working hours. Early indications are very positive and UKBET is now embarking on a fundraising campaign to expand this programme within Sylhet and to other parts of the country. Meanwhile UKBET has not turned its back on English language teacher training and this work continues with the support of the British Council, Learning Unlimited and St. Giles Educational Trust. On behalf of UKBET Trustees I would like to thank our local advisors, friends, partners and staff for their continuing support and look forward to working with them in the year ahead. Annette Zera

UKBET observed the "Universal Children's Day 2013" on 20th November 2013 by opening its first "Centre for Working Children" on Gazi Burhan Uddin Road, Noyagaon, Sylhet. Mr Ariful Hoque Chowdhury, the honourable Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation, formally opened the Centre.

Employers of children engaged in hazardous work in steel factories and workshops in this area have agreed to release working children to take part in education programmes at the Centre. At the Centre children receive formal and nonformal education and other services, including basic health and welfare, food, safety equipment and entertainment. In line with national policy and identified local need, UKBET's working children project aims to engage and rehabilitate children working in hazardous conditions through education. We work with employers and families to campaign for safer workplace conditions and provide health and safety training for employers. UKBET hopes to open other Centres like this one in areas where children are engaged in hazardous work.

UKBET is a registered charity in UK (Reg. no 1027704)

Hajera of SCAR won the first prize at Art Competition

UKBET and the Rotary Club of Sylhet Sunshine jointly arranged an Art competition for underprivileged children on "Universal Children's Day 2013". Children from UKBET's newly launched "Working Children's Project", the Bangladesh Government's project "Services for the Children at Risk" and children from a school run by the Rotary Club of Garden City for slum children all enjoyed participating in the competition and seeing their work displayed. The Executive Director of UKBET Md. Asaduzzaman Sayem and Md. Hanif - the President of the Rotary Club of Sylhet Sunshine thanked the children and guests for participating in the programme and said they hoped to work together to put on more events like this in the future. "This has been a huge success, "said Md. Asaduzzaman Sayem, "and it just goes to show how important it is that we work together to support disadvantaged and working children and provide opportunities for them to engage in learning, feel supported and acknowledged, and have some fun!". Artist Mr Abdul Mukit (MA in Fine Arts, CU) was the main judge for the competition.

"Shikkha prothiti Shishur Odhikar" - "Education is the right of every child" - UKBET organised a rally with this message on "Universal Children's Day 2013" on 20th November 2013. Children from the newly opened "UKBET Centre for Working Children" and their employers all joined the rally.

UKBET works as advocates for education with parents, where possible persuading them to send their children to school or vocational training rather than to work. At the same time we are committed to lobbying for much-needed improvements in health and safety at work, particularly where children are at risk. Our Centre for working children offers a new start for Working Children and we plan to open and run many more centres in areas where children are engaged in hazardous work

Karen Dudley, a member of the UKBET Board of Trustees in the UK, recently visted the "Services for the Children at Risk- SCAR" Project which is part of the Social Welfare department of the Government at Uposhor, Sylhet. The SCAR project provides shelter and a wide range of support to girls aged from 5 to 16 for their rehabilitation back with their own families. She talked with the girls and the SCAR project team and was treated to a beautiful performance of songs in Bangla and English. The girls then enjoyed their first film show put on by the UKBET team. From now on UKBET will arrange regular film shows for the girls at the SCAR.

UKBET is a registered NGO in Bangladesh

Children can't do it - but we can

A dialogue and advocacy session with the Automobile Workshop Owners' Association of Sylhet District was held on 23 September 2013 at UKBET's office. Mr. Ajit Roy Vajan, General Secretory of Sylhet Automobile workshop Owners' Association, assured everyone of a wide range of support from the owners in implementing the Working Children's project. Around 30 workshop owners confirmed they would send their child workers to the UKBET Centre for their education.

Bedananda Bhatcharjee and Rana Barman, two prominent freedom fighters from Sylhet, shared their personal experiences of battles during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 with members of the UKBET's Centre for working children as part of a programme "Muktijudhhar Kache Muktijuddher Golpo Shunar Ashor".

UKBET is the delivery partner in Bangladesh for "Teaching and Learning English (TaLE)" a two-year European Integration Fund (EIF) project, led by Learning Unlimited, a social enterprise in the UK. The project is delivering capacity building teacher training programmes for 40 local teachers of English enabling them to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence in English, in teaching ESOL to adults and gain internationally recognised ESOL teaching qualifications. For the second year UKBET has arranged and supported an extremely popular Cambridge Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT) course, delivered by Simon O'Donovan and Nick Fawbert, trainers from St. Giles International, for 16 teachers from different government schools, English medium schools and ESOL tuition providers.

Participants with the trainers - Simon O'Donovan and Nick Fawbert

The TaLE project is also delivering free Life in the UK ESOL courses from Entry level 1 to Level 2 for 100 Bangladeshi women in and around Sylhet who are planning to join husbands and families in the UK and settle there. These ESOL courses help the participants to find out more about life in the UK as well as prepare for ESOL exams. For more information, see http://www.learningunlimited.co/projects/tale

A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. - Franklin D. Roosevelt Raising awareness about the preservation of nature and environmental issues is one of UKBET's new priorities. A round table discussion meeting on "Ratarul Swamp Forest - Preservation & development" was jointly arranged by UKBET and Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Sylhet on 24th September 2013. The Honourable Finance Minister, Mr Abul Mal Abdul Muhith MP, was the chief guest joined by Mr Ashfaqe Ahmed, Chairman of Sadar Upozila, Md Shakawat Hussain, Additional Deputy Inspector General of Police, Advocate E U Shahidul Islam, Vice President of BAPA, Sylhet and Md Abdul Mojid, Head of Department of Environmental Science, North-East University, Sylhet. Abdul Karim Kim, Secretory General of BAPA, Sylhet, presented a paper on the existing condition of the unique Ratargul Swamp Forest and the future action that is urgently required for its preservation. Official representatives from the Forestry Department and Environment Department also took part in the discussion. The

Chief Guest Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhit MP stressed the need for a coordinated effort for the development and preservation of Ratargul.

Chief Guest stressed the need for a co-ordinated effort for the development and preservation of Ratargul. He also instructed the forest authority to take the necessary action to bar any kind of motorised vessel from entering the forest area and to display "Do's and Don'ts" for tourists at the forest area entrance. The programme was facilitated by the Executive Director of UKBET - Md. Asaduzzaman Sayem. UKBET strongly supports work to improve and conserve our environment and this programme was an initial step. We believe small deeds done are better than great deeds planned and we will continue with this type of concerted effort in the future.

BBC Janala is providing materials for UKBET's Language Clubs which run at schools across the district. These language clubs provide opportunities, mostly for students in rural areas, to practise their speaking and llistening skills in English. At the moment, there are UKBET Language Clubs in Gobindagonj ML High School, Gowainghat High School, Charkhai High School, Azad Chowdhury Academy and Lalabazar BL High School. There is also a Central Language Club at the UKBET office.

An English Language skills development course was arranged for 30 Primary School teachers in Beanibazar Upozila, Sylhet in September 2013 with support from the Local Administration. More on UKBET - www.ukbet-bd.org Get connected www.facebook.com/ukbet

As a charity and NGO, UKBET welcomes support in many ways. You can work as volunteer on any of our ongoing projects, you can advise us if you have experience of doing similar types of project work. We also appreciate financial contributions from individuals or organisations. Please contact: Md. Asaduzzaman Sayem, m_sayem@hotmail.com | +88 0821-723089

UK : 19 Highbury Terrace Mews, London N5, 1UT, UK | Bangladesh : H: 144, Rd : 4, Blk : E, Shahjalal Uposhohohr, Sylhet.