ANNUAL

REPORT
2 0 1 3
Urban Partnerships
for Poverty Reduction
Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction
Local Government Engineering Department
Published by the Urban Partnerships
for Poverty Reduction (UPPR) Project
Bangladesh
Prepared by: Research, Evaluation & Learning Unit
Design: Md. Zahirul Islam & Silvia Mantilla Santarelli
Printer: Future Vision
Cover photo: Roksana Akhter, We Tell Participant, Tongi
Chapter 1 photo: Shompa Banu, We Tell Participant, Naogaon
Photos: Emdad Islam Bitu, Photographer, UPPR
Md. Kamrul Hassan, Communications and
Documentation Expert, UPPR
Silvia Mantilla Santarelli
Programme Analyst, UPPR
With the target date for the Millennium Development Goals
approaching, 2013 was marked by reections over progress made
in reducing poverty. The debate over the post-2015 development
agenda has inspired us at the Urban Partnerships for Poverty
Reduction (UPPR) project to reect on our performance in tackling
urban poverty in Bangladesh. We have also considered how our
lessons can inform the urban agenda and support the Govern-
ment and people of Bangladesh as they plan beyond 2015.
Good progress has been made in Bangladesh. For example, the
urban population living below the poverty line is 40 percent less
than in 2000, while nationwide gender parity at primary and
secondary education levels has been attained. Such progress has
been driven by a combination of economic growth and the com-
mitment of Government and development partners to improve
the living conditions of the people in Bangladesh. However chal-
lenges persist. The latest available data shows that 61 per cent of
the urban population is still living in slums. Children in urban slums
are 2.5 times more likely to be excluded from school than the
national average.
If we are to full the Governments 2021 vision of improving the
lives of the urban poor and transforming slums into legitimate
communities, we must support Local Government Institutions and
communities to work together. Particular areas of focus include
improving livelihoods, increasing access to basic services and
expanding tenure security. Given the vast needs of urban commu-
nities across Bangladesh, we understand that a single project
cannot achieve the full extent of change that is needed. Such pro-
gress requires cooperation between the Government, develop-
ment partners, civil society, and the private sector. In this regard
UPPR is advising on the development of a new National Urban
Poverty Programme.
This annual report reects what our project has achieved in reduc-
ing urban poverty since 2008. 2013 has been a particularly good
year with respect to implementing our activities and working with
communities and local Government partners to achieve sustain-
ability. We are proud of our progress and believe that through
empowering communities and combining the eorts of stakehold-
ers, progress in reducing urban poverty will be multiplied in the
coming years. It is our hope that this annual report will stimulate
debate over the most eective way to move forward in Bangladesh
post-2015.
With our thanks for all of your support in 2013,

Md. Abdur Rashid Khan
National Project DIrector
FOREWORD
FOREWORD & INTRODUCTION
Pages 3-8
BREAKING OUT OF POVERTY
Pages 9-16
MAXIMISING OUR REACH
Pages 17-21
BECOMING ONE CITY
Pages 22-25
FINANCIALS
Pages 26-27
NEW INITIATIVES
Pages 28-29
With the target date for the Millennium Development Goals
approaching, 2013 was marked by reections over progress made
in reducing poverty. The debate over the post-2015 development
agenda has inspired us at the Urban Partnerships for Poverty
Reduction (UPPR) project to reect on our performance in tackling
urban poverty in Bangladesh. We have also considered how our
lessons can inform the urban agenda and support the Govern-
ment and people of Bangladesh as they plan beyond 2015.
Good progress has been made in Bangladesh. For example, the
urban population living below the poverty line is 40 percent less
than in 2000, while nationwide gender parity at primary and
secondary education levels has been attained. Such progress has
been driven by a combination of economic growth and the com-
mitment of Government and development partners to improve
the living conditions of the people in Bangladesh. However chal-
lenges persist. The latest available data shows that 61 per cent of
the urban population is still living in slums. Children in urban slums
are 2.5 times more likely to be excluded from school than the
national average.
If we are to full the Governments 2021 vision of improving the
lives of the urban poor and transforming slums into legitimate
communities, we must support Local Government Institutions and
communities to work together. Particular areas of focus include
improving livelihoods, increasing access to basic services and
expanding tenure security. Given the vast needs of urban commu-
nities across Bangladesh, we understand that a single project
cannot achieve the full extent of change that is needed. Such pro-
gress requires cooperation between the Government, develop-
ment partners, civil society, and the private sector. In this regard
UPPR is advising on the development of a new National Urban
Poverty Programme.
This annual report reects what our project has achieved in reduc-
ing urban poverty since 2008. 2013 has been a particularly good
year with respect to implementing our activities and working with
communities and local Government partners to achieve sustain-
ability. We are proud of our progress and believe that through
empowering communities and combining the eorts of stakehold-
ers, progress in reducing urban poverty will be multiplied in the
coming years. It is our hope that this annual report will stimulate
debate over the most eective way to move forward in Bangladesh
post-2015.
With our thanks for all of your support in 2013,

Md. Abdur Rashid Khan
National Project DIrector
FOREWORD
FOREWORD & INTRODUCTION
Pages 3-8
BREAKING OUT OF POVERTY
Pages 9-16
MAXIMISING OUR REACH
Pages 17-21
BECOMING ONE CITY
Pages 22-25
FINANCIALS
Pages 26-27
NEW INITIATIVES
Pages 28-29
Executive Summary
2,588
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEES
SLUM DWELLERS
816,000
US$5.8M
DECEMBER
LOANS BY
B
Y

3
0
0
,000 FAM
IL
I
E
S
US$6.9M
DECEMBER
SAVED BY
Member
Not Saving
Member
Saving
Community
Leader
Empowered
Disempowered
Women are empowered
83%
61%
38%
LATRINES
40,183
2013
families
183,346
2009-2013
SMALL ENTERPRISES
20,304
2013
grantees
108,688
2009-2013
WATER FACILITIES
47,085
2013
families
213,811
2009-2013
APPRENTICESHIPS
trainees
61,136
2009-2013
13,823
2013
EDUCATION
school years
109,727
2009-2013
38,566
2013
Access to services and livelihoods is expanded
1 3
4
2
Communities
participate
CDCs run their own
savings & credit scheme
Poverty headcount -
Sample of 7 of the 23 towns
28.9%
41.7%
2013 2009
5
Multi-dimensional
poverty is reduced
A
v
e
r
a
g
e

s
c
o
r
e
4
Executive Summary
2,588
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEES
SLUM DWELLERS
816,000
US$5.8M
DECEMBER
LOANS BY
B
Y

3
0
0
,000 FAM
IL
I
E
S
US$6.9M
DECEMBER
SAVED BY
Member
Not Saving
Member
Saving
Community
Leader
Empowered
Disempowered
Women are empowered
83%
61%
38%
LATRINES
40,183
2013
families
183,346
2009-2013
SMALL ENTERPRISES
20,304
2013
grantees
108,688
2009-2013
WATER FACILITIES
47,085
2013
families
213,811
2009-2013
APPRENTICESHIPS
trainees
61,136
2009-2013
13,823
2013
EDUCATION
school years
109,727
2009-2013
38,566
2013
Access to services and livelihoods is expanded
1 3
4
2
Communities
participate
CDCs run their own
savings & credit scheme
Poverty headcount -
Sample of 7 of the 23 towns
28.9%
41.7%
2013 2009
5
Multi-dimensional
poverty is reduced
A
v
e
r
a
g
e

s
c
o
r
e
4
6
Working with partners
for sustainability
7
Increasing housing and tenure security
8
Working with local governments
for pro-poor policy
9 Expenditure so far
COMMUNITY
HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT
FUND
$
$
$
5
286,871
urban poor
benetted
HEALTH
LEGAL
AID
EDUCATION
SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT
joint action plans
to instituionalize UPPR
tools & approach
23
5
$104,712,903
Total Budget Funds Spent
$91,169,071
87%
UPPRs theory of change
The urban poor are best placed to judge what their needs
are and who amongst them is the most in need of support.
By developing the capacity of three million urban poor to
plan and manage their own development, the Urban Part-
nerships for Poverty Reduction (UPPR) project enables
them to break out of urban poverty.
Because poverty is about more than income, a single pro-
ject alone cannot achieve all the positive changes that are needed in the cities of Bangladesh. Thus, UPPR supports poor urban communi-
ties to establish partnerships with other development actors, government institutions and the private sector. Capitalizing on this collective
reach, slum dwellers will be better able to access basic services and the job market. In turn this helps connect them to the city.
This report
UPPR began its work in 2008. Financed by UK aid, it is the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) that hosts and executes
UPPR at a national level. In the towns and cities in which UPPR works, it does so jointly with the Municipality or City Cooperation. UNDP
manages the implementation of the Project, and UN-Habitat supports the components that work on mobilization and improving living
conditions. This report summarizes the results from our work across the 23 target towns and cities in 2013.
The structure of this report allows you to review the overall work done by UPPR while understanding how the approach impacts on the
lives of urban poor in Bangladesh. Alongside the overall results of the project, this report features stories from women living in UPPR com-
munities who share their experience and how the project has impacted on their life.
The rst chapter, Breaking out of Poverty, provides a snapshot of what we call the peoples process of empowering the communities to
take action. Furthermore, it presents an overview of UPPRs community grants and the results achieved. The second chapter, Maximising
our Reach, shows how UPPR works with partners to improve living conditions in the slums. The third chapter, Becoming one City, explains
how we work closely with local governments to institutionalize the peoples process and support slum dwellers to achieve security of
tenure. Finally we present a nancial overview of 2013 as well as new initiatives which UPPR introduced this year.
6
Slum dwellers connected to the city
Consulting
Needs
INTRODUCTION
7
Sokhina was categorized as
extremely poor by her community
in 2009. She lives alone and has
been working at a rice mill in
Dinajpur for 30 years. She works
from 5am to 5pm every day. Her
husband died 20 years ago. Her
daughter lives in Dhaka and
works in the garment sector.
Nurufa was categorized as poor in
2009. Today she is a tailor and
lives with her husband who works
at a restaurant. Her daughter is in
the police force while her son has
a rickshaw garage. She feels she is
no longer poor.
Moyna lives with her husband
who is a day labourer along with
her daughter (13) and twin boys
(8). Four days a week she works at
a rice mill and also sells rice to her
neighbours from her home. She is
proud of how her life has
improved.
Shampa lives with her husband
and two daughters. She works as
an assistant worker at construc-
tion sites and is the sole income
earner in her family. Her husband
has not worked for a number of
months due to an injury. She is
working to own a house one day.
Rojina is a group leader even
though she left school at grade 8.
She is married to a truck driver
and shares her house with her
mother. She saves 10Tk every
week, thinking of her daughters
future.
we follow ve inspiring women who live in a community
called Golap in Dinajpur and who work together to break
out of urban poverty. By bringing their stories to these
pages, we hope to share insights into what the project
really means for some of the women we work with. Here
is an introduction to each of their lives:
Throughout the report
7
Sokhina was categorized as
extremely poor by her community
in 2009. She lives alone and has
been working at a rice mill in
Dinajpur for 30 years. She works
from 5am to 5pm every day. Her
husband died 20 years ago. Her
daughter lives in Dhaka and
works in the garment sector.
Nurufa was categorized as poor in
2009. Today she is a tailor and
lives with her husband who works
at a restaurant. Her daughter is in
the police force while her son has
a rickshaw garage. She feels she is
no longer poor.
Moyna lives with her husband
who is a day labourer along with
her daughter (13) and twin boys
(8). Four days a week she works at
a rice mill and also sells rice to her
neighbours from her home. She is
proud of how her life has
improved.
Shampa lives with her husband
and two daughters. She works as
an assistant worker at construc-
tion sites and is the sole income
earner in her family. Her husband
has not worked for a number of
months due to an injury. She is
working to own a house one day.
Rojina is a group leader even
though she left school at grade 8.
She is married to a truck driver
and shares her house with her
mother. She saves 10Tk every
week, thinking of her daughters
future.
we follow ve inspiring women who live in a community
called Golap in Dinajpur and who work together to break
out of urban poverty. By bringing their stories to these
pages, we hope to share insights into what the project
really means for some of the women we work with. Here
is an introduction to each of their lives:
Throughout the report
Introducing Golap, Dinajpur
In order to create a spatial overview of the settlements where it works, UPPR supports the urban
poor draw a social map. Using paper and markers, the participants map their community, including
their homes, water sources, schools and hazards in the settlement. This is the social map of Mis-
treepara, the area where the Golap community is situated in Dinajpur.
The ve women who shared their life story for this report live in Dinajpur, a district in Northern Bang-
ladesh. With a tropical wet and dry climate, the economy mainly depends upon agriculture based
production, including Katharivog rice, which some argue is the best produced rice in Bangladesh.
Since 2009, UPPR has been supporting urban poor in Dinajpur across a range of activities, from infra-
structure to socio-economic interventions that reect on the multi-sectoral nature of the project. By
including life stories of women from this town, it is our hope that our reader can get a glimpse on
how we help communities tackle poverty in all its forms.
BREAKING OUT
OF POVERTY
BREAKING OUT
OF POVERTY
To create the space for slum dwellers to make decisions over how to improve their living conditions, UPPR supports them to form Primary
Groups, each comprising of around 20 households. In turn, these groups form Community Development Committees (CDCs) which assess
the communitys physical and socio-economic needs and develop plans to act upon these. They also undertake a participatory identication
of the poor (PIP) to decide who in their community is most in need of help. Aside from the funds provided by UPPR, members operate their
own savings and credit groups. From their pooled capital, they grant loans to community members for microenterprise activities, housing
and infrastructure repairs, and emergency situations.
The peoples process
30,000
PRIMARY GROUPS
26,020
SAVINGS &
CREDIT GROUPS
2,588
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEES
2,329
ACTION PLANS
PARTICIPATORY
IDENTIFICATION
OF THE POOR
A group of households
aected by extreme
poverty comes
together to improve
their living conditions
Each household saves
at least tk 10 a week
with their group. From
this pool of funds,
families in need can
take a loan.
Representing about
200 households, CDCs
plan and contract the
necessary works to
tackle poverty. 90% of
the leaders are
women.
Plans can include
self-help activities as
well as those that
require support from
UPPR or other service
providers.
The CDC agrees on the
characteristics of pov-
erty and then identies
which households are
extremely poor, which
are poor and which are
non-poor.
10
Rojina was born with a skin condition and her
father, worried it would be difcult to marry
her o later in life, left her mother when she
was only three months old. Rojina and her
mother then moved in with her grandfather
until he was killed in a bus accident. Alone
once again, her mother started to work at a
rice mill and Rojina had no choice but to leave
school when she was only 13.
In 2009, Rojina joined the Golap Primary
Group alongside 19 other women who
wanted to work together to improve their
lives. The Golap Primary Group has since
become the axis of Rojinas life.
Soon after joining, her friends encouraged her
to become their group leader and help
manage UPPR funds as well as their own
savings and credit group. In return, her neigh-
bors give her a percentage of their annual
prot made from the savings & credit activi-
ties.
Rojina is so good at her role that she has gone
to also become the treasurer of the CDC
under which Golap falls. For this support, she
also receives a monthly retribution from the
community members.
Average score
per category
Distribution of scores
across groups
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

c
o
m
m
u
n
i
t
y

m
e
m
b
e
r
s
Rojinas story
With women playing the central role in leading our community structures, in
2013 UPPR engaged groups members to develop a women empowerment
index. This measures ve dimensions with indicators proposed by the women:
status, personal development, economic, group participation and agency.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT STUDY
SAMPLE STUDY | 5 EMPOWERMENT CATEGORIES
160
120
80
40
0
Personal
Development
Social Status
Agency
Group
Participation
Economic
Conditions
20
15
10
5
0
Less than 10 10 to 19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 More than 90
Scores on the empowerment index
PG members (Saver)
CDC leader
(Saver)
CDC leader (Saver)
PG members (Saver)
Member (Non-Saver)
11
Member
(Non-Saver)
Low empowerment High empowerment
To create the space for slum dwellers to make decisions over how to improve their living conditions, UPPR supports them to form Primary
Groups, each comprising of around 20 households. In turn, these groups form Community Development Committees (CDCs) which assess
the communitys physical and socio-economic needs and develop plans to act upon these. They also undertake a participatory identication
of the poor (PIP) to decide who in their community is most in need of help. Aside from the funds provided by UPPR, members operate their
own savings and credit groups. From their pooled capital, they grant loans to community members for microenterprise activities, housing
and infrastructure repairs, and emergency situations.
The peoples process
30,000
PRIMARY GROUPS
26,020
SAVINGS &
CREDIT GROUPS
2,588
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEES
2,329
ACTION PLANS
PARTICIPATORY
IDENTIFICATION
OF THE POOR
A group of households
aected by extreme
poverty comes
together to improve
their living conditions
Each household saves
at least tk 10 a week
with their group. From
this pool of funds,
families in need can
take a loan.
Representing about
200 households, CDCs
plan and contract the
necessary works to
tackle poverty. 90% of
the leaders are
women.
Plans can include
self-help activities as
well as those that
require support from
UPPR or other service
providers.
The CDC agrees on the
characteristics of pov-
erty and then identies
which households are
extremely poor, which
are poor and which are
non-poor.
10
Rojina was born with a skin condition and her
father, worried it would be difcult to marry
her o later in life, left her mother when she
was only three months old. Rojina and her
mother then moved in with her grandfather
until he was killed in a bus accident. Alone
once again, her mother started to work at a
rice mill and Rojina had no choice but to leave
school when she was only 13.
In 2009, Rojina joined the Golap Primary
Group alongside 19 other women who
wanted to work together to improve their
lives. The Golap Primary Group has since
become the axis of Rojinas life.
Soon after joining, her friends encouraged her
to become their group leader and help
manage UPPR funds as well as their own
savings and credit group. In return, her neigh-
bors give her a percentage of their annual
prot made from the savings & credit activi-
ties.
Rojina is so good at her role that she has gone
to also become the treasurer of the CDC
under which Golap falls. For this support, she
also receives a monthly retribution from the
community members.
Average score
per category
Distribution of scores
across groups
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

c
o
m
m
u
n
i
t
y

m
e
m
b
e
r
s
Rojinas story
With women playing the central role in leading our community structures, in
2013 UPPR engaged groups members to develop a women empowerment
index. This measures ve dimensions with indicators proposed by the women:
status, personal development, economic, group participation and agency.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT STUDY
SAMPLE STUDY | 5 EMPOWERMENT CATEGORIES
160
120
80
40
0
Personal
Development
Social Status
Agency
Group
Participation
Economic
Conditions
20
15
10
5
0
Less than 10 10 to 19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 More than 90
Scores on the empowerment index
PG members (Saver)
CDC leader
(Saver)
CDC leader (Saver)
PG members (Saver)
Member (Non-Saver)
11
Member
(Non-Saver)
Low empowerment High empowerment
Giving communities control over poverty reduction
UPPR provides multi-sectoral support by making funds available to communities to meet their diverse needs. The contracts are managed by
the community themselves. The Socio-Economic Fund provides grants for families that need nancial support. This includes a stipend for the
education of children; grants for entrepreneur women that need capital to set up their own small enterprises; and grants for young women
and men that want to acquire skills that will help them enter the job market. The Settlements Improvement Fund supports the communities
with funds to contract physical works that will improve their living conditions, such as latrines, water points, drains and footpaths.
SETTLEMENTS
IMPROVEMENT
FUND
USD
25m
USD
35m
UPPR provides
funds
Communities manage the funds and contract
locally the works to implement the plans
63,669
LATRINES
9,815
WATER POINTS
909 km
OF FOOTPATHS
109,727
YEARS OF
SCHOOL
61,136
APPRENTICESHIPS
108,688
GRANTS FOR SMALL
ENTERPRISES
SOCIO-
ECONOMIC
FUND
12
Nurufa is a tailor. Surrounded by colourful
and diverse fabrics on the oor, she can make
you a maxi skirt for only 40 Tk. She has been
doing this for 40 years.
In 2009, Nurufas community categorized her
as poor. Her husband did not have a regular
job and her home did not have a toilet or place
to wash where she felt safe and secure. Their
shared toilet had three aluminium sheets for
walls and a piece of cloth as the door. In order
to wash, Nurufa would use the tubewell in the
middle of their house which gave no privacy.
While this was very uncomfortable for Nurufa,
doing something about it would have cost at
least 30,000 Tk. This was money she simply
did not have.
With funding from UK aid channelled through
UPPR and her communitys support, Nurufa
says that her privacy and security is much
improved. Her community used available
funding to build an improved latrine with brick
walls and a proper door. Similarly walls have
been built around the tubewell. These rela-
tively simple steps have had a very positive
impact on Nurufas life.
Nurufas story
13
In 2013, UPPR undertook two studies in a sample of towns to
measure short-term outcomes for households that had
beneted from dierent SEF and SIF interventions. Water and
sanitation outcomes were measured by two indexes that
require households to full several criteria to be considered as
having adequate access to an improved source.
SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES STUDIES
trainees with a job
six months after the
training
grantees still in
business six months after
receiving the grant
households with
improved access to
sanitation
households with
improved access to
water
63% 93%
74%
66%
Nurufa is a tailor. Surrounded by colourful
and diverse fabrics on the oor, she can make
you a maxi skirt for only 40 Tk. She has been
doing this for 40 years.
In 2009, Nurufas community categorized her
as poor. Her husband did not have a regular
job and her home did not have a toilet or place
to wash where she felt safe and secure. Their
shared toilet had three aluminium sheets for
walls and a piece of cloth as the door. In order
to wash, Nurufa would use the tubewell in the
middle of their house which gave no privacy.
While this was very uncomfortable for Nurufa,
doing something about it would have cost at
least 30,000 Tk. This was money she simply
did not have.
With funding from UK aid channelled through
UPPR and her communitys support, Nurufa
says that her privacy and security is much
improved. Her community used available
funding to build an improved latrine with brick
walls and a proper door. Similarly walls have
been built around the tubewell. These rela-
tively simple steps have had a very positive
impact on Nurufas life.
Nurufas story
13
In 2013, UPPR undertook two studies in a sample of towns to
measure short-term outcomes for households that had
beneted from dierent SEF and SIF interventions. Water and
sanitation outcomes were measured by two indexes that
require households to full several criteria to be considered as
having adequate access to an improved source.
SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES STUDIES
trainees with a job
six months after the
training
grantees still in
business six months after
receiving the grant
households with
improved access to
sanitation
households with
improved access to
water
63% 93%
74%
66%
Understanding poverty
One approach UPPR has taken to understanding poverty is the multidimensional poverty index (MPI) developed by Oxford Poverty and
Human Development Initiative and UNDP. In 2013, UPPR used the MPI to measure multiple deprivations across health, education and
living standards among the urban poor in 12 of the 23 towns. The MPI allows UPPR to count the number of people who are multi-
dimensionally poor (headcount) and how many deprivations households have to deal with (intensity). The 12 towns included seven
towns where UPPR did a baseline assessment in 2009. This allows us to compare snapshots of multidimensional poverty in these seven
towns in 2009 and 2013.
M
U
L
T
I
D
I
M
E
N
S
I
O
N
A
L

P
O
V
E
R
T
Y
3

D
I
M
E
N
S
I
O
N
S
POVERTY SNAPSHOT
OF 12 TOWNS IN 2013
Poverty headcount
33.3%
are poor
44.5%
intensity
of poverty
the average is
deprived of four to ve
out of nine indicators
Education
Households with no access to safe drinking water
Households where sanitation facility is not improved
Households cooking with dung, wood or charcoal
Households with no access to safe drinking water
Household not owning more than one radio, TV, phone,
bike, motorbike or refrigerator and no car or truck
Households where any adult or child for whom
there is nutritional information is malnourished Health
Living
Conditions
Households with no electricity
Household with a dirt, sand or dung oor
Households where no member has completed
ve years of schooling
Households where any school-aged child is
not attending school up to class 8
1
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D
I
C
A
T
O
R
S
14
Little by little Sokina has built her house with
hard-earned money from working at a rice
mill for 30 years. She heads to work before
ve in the morning every day, where she
carries 90kg sacks of rice until seven in the
evening. By the time Sokinas goes home it is
already dark. By candle light she has dinner
and goes to bed.
Sokina is extremely poor. Since her husband
died 20 years ago, she has raised their only
daughter on her own. Golap supported
Sokina to make sure her daughter could go to
school with a stipend to help cover the costs.
Later Golap supported Sokina by installing a
new water pump. Before that when she
needed clean water to cook or wash herself
she had to go to her neighbours house.
The community also built a footpath outside
her house. This has made a great dierence,
especially during the monsoon. Before the
path would ood and the water could go up to
her waist. This is no longer a problem.
Sokina saves 10 taka every week with the
Golap savings and credit group. She is saving
for her daughters wedding but also future
medical expenses. From the hard work she
does every day and the pain in her legs, she
knows she will need this one day.
Sokinas story
2009 - 2013 CHANGING POVERTY IN 7 TOWNS
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
81%
80%
34%
18%
20%
14%
67%
56%
56%
45%
14%
4%
18%
16%
20%
14%
39%
55%
Water
Nutrition
Cooking
fuel
Latrines
Assets
Electricity
School
attendance
Floor
years of
schooling
15
Little by little Sokina has built her house with
hard-earned money from working at a rice
mill for 30 years. She heads to work before
ve in the morning every day, where she
carries 90kg sacks of rice until seven in the
evening. By the time Sokinas goes home it is
already dark. By candle light she has dinner
and goes to bed.
Sokina is extremely poor. Since her husband
died 20 years ago, she has raised their only
daughter on her own. Golap supported
Sokina to make sure her daughter could go to
school with a stipend to help cover the costs.
Later Golap supported Sokina by installing a
new water pump. Before that when she
needed clean water to cook or wash herself
she had to go to her neighbours house.
The community also built a footpath outside
her house. This has made a great dierence,
especially during the monsoon. Before the
path would ood and the water could go up to
her waist. This is no longer a problem.
Sokina saves 10 taka every week with the
Golap savings and credit group. She is saving
for her daughters wedding but also future
medical expenses. From the hard work she
does every day and the pain in her legs, she
knows she will need this one day.
Sokinas story
2009 - 2013 CHANGING POVERTY IN 7 TOWNS
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
2009
2013
81%
80%
34%
18%
20%
14%
67%
56%
56%
45%
14%
4%
18%
16%
20%
14%
39%
55%
Water
Nutrition
Cooking
fuel
Latrines
Assets
Electricity
School
attendance
Floor
years of
schooling
15
Understanding poverty
Stories from the slum dwellers
As part of its eorts to understand urban poverty in Bangladesh,
UPPR launched the We Tell photo project, a special initiative to
highlight the experiences of girls and women in the slums of
Bangladesh.
Thirty women and girls from three slums in Tongi, Khulna and
Naogaon participated and documented their lives and those of
their communities. Tutored by a professional photographer and
provided with digital cameras, the participants explored issues
and themes of their choosing.
The results are intimate and striking portraits of families and
communities at work and play. The images capture more than
the difculties of everyday life but also its joy and vibrancy.
By putting the camera in the hands of these women and girls,
UPPR hopes people will get a new insight into the realities of life
in a poor urban settlement from the perspective of women who
live there.
Coming home
from work
by Munni, 21, Tongi
Tea at Crescent
Bazaar
by Liza, 20, Khulna
Water is another
name for life
by Shompa, 20, Naogaon
16
MAXIMIZING
OUR REACH
Understanding poverty
Stories from the slum dwellers
As part of its eorts to understand urban poverty in Bangladesh,
UPPR launched the We Tell photo project, a special initiative to
highlight the experiences of girls and women in the slums of
Bangladesh.
Thirty women and girls from three slums in Tongi, Khulna and
Naogaon participated and documented their lives and those of
their communities. Tutored by a professional photographer and
provided with digital cameras, the participants explored issues
and themes of their choosing.
The results are intimate and striking portraits of families and
communities at work and play. The images capture more than
the difculties of everyday life but also its joy and vibrancy.
By putting the camera in the hands of these women and girls,
UPPR hopes people will get a new insight into the realities of life
in a poor urban settlement from the perspective of women who
live there.
Coming home
from work
by Munni, 21, Tongi
Tea at Crescent
Bazaar
by Liza, 20, Khulna
Water is another
name for life
by Shompa, 20, Naogaon
16
MAXIMIZING
OUR REACH
LEGAL
SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT
OTHERS
HEALTH
Connecting slum dwellers to the city
Breakdown of beneciaries
partnerships & linkages
per sector in 2013
18
697
Linkages
established
2009-2013
141
Partnerships
established
2009-2013
UPPR supports community organizations to
establish partnerships and linkages with
other service providers. Collaborations with
no exchange of funds are termed linkages
while those where the community organiza-
tions pay for the services provided by
another entity are termed partnerships.
Partnerships and linkages are established
with the recognition that no one project can
meet and address all the dierent socio-
economic needs of poor urban communi-
ties eectively. In particular linkages provide
a sustainable source of support for commu-
nities.
For example, CDCs have established part-
nerships with private clinics so medical
treatment for their members is provided at
a lower cost.
UPPR has also worked with community
leaders to increase inclusion of their mem-
bers in Government programs such as
social protection schemes. As a result CDCs
have begun connecting their members with
longer lasting Government support.
In the four months since her husband had an
accident at the rice mill where he used to
work, Shampa has been the sole earner in
her household. As an assistant on a construc-
tion site, she earns 180 Taka a day. For the
last six years Shampa has been working from
8am to 530pm, mixing sand and cement
before passing it on to other workers.
From her salary, Shampa has been saving
10Tk every week and has started to pay back
a loan she took from Golap in 2013. She has
been building her own house. In addition
Golap have provided a stipend to help cover
her daughters education expenses.
Her husbands accident left him without his
right hand nger. When they could not aord
the necessary treatment, Shampa relied on
Golap and its Community Development
Committee (CDC). CDC leaders presented the
case to the Medical College Hospital with
which they had established a linkage in 2011.
Shampas husband was nally treated for
free at the hospital.
10%
7%
14%
69%
Human rights
Family law
Women rights
Tailoring
Handicraft
Beauty parlour
Social protection
Education
Infrastructure
Family planning
Nutrition
Inmunization
Shampas story
In 2013:
286,871
urban poor
benetted
19
LEGAL
SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT
OTHERS
HEALTH
Connecting slum dwellers to the city
Breakdown of beneciaries
partnerships & linkages
per sector in 2013
18
697
Linkages
established
2009-2013
141
Partnerships
established
2009-2013
UPPR supports community organizations to
establish partnerships and linkages with
other service providers. Collaborations with
no exchange of funds are termed linkages
while those where the community organiza-
tions pay for the services provided by
another entity are termed partnerships.
Partnerships and linkages are established
with the recognition that no one project can
meet and address all the dierent socio-
economic needs of poor urban communi-
ties eectively. In particular linkages provide
a sustainable source of support for commu-
nities.
For example, CDCs have established part-
nerships with private clinics so medical
treatment for their members is provided at
a lower cost.
UPPR has also worked with community
leaders to increase inclusion of their mem-
bers in Government programs such as
social protection schemes. As a result CDCs
have begun connecting their members with
longer lasting Government support.
In the four months since her husband had an
accident at the rice mill where he used to
work, Shampa has been the sole earner in
her household. As an assistant on a construc-
tion site, she earns 180 Taka a day. For the
last six years Shampa has been working from
8am to 530pm, mixing sand and cement
before passing it on to other workers.
From her salary, Shampa has been saving
10Tk every week and has started to pay back
a loan she took from Golap in 2013. She has
been building her own house. In addition
Golap have provided a stipend to help cover
her daughters education expenses.
Her husbands accident left him without his
right hand nger. When they could not aord
the necessary treatment, Shampa relied on
Golap and its Community Development
Committee (CDC). CDC leaders presented the
case to the Medical College Hospital with
which they had established a linkage in 2011.
Shampas husband was nally treated for
free at the hospital.
10%
7%
14%
69%
Human rights
Family law
Women rights
Tailoring
Handicraft
Beauty parlour
Social protection
Education
Infrastructure
Family planning
Nutrition
Inmunization
Shampas story
In 2013:
286,871
urban poor
benetted
19
Partnerships and
linkages
UPPR works in collaboration with UN agen-
cies, NGOs and the private sector. Through
partnerships with other service providers,
UPPR helps the urban poor access services
and achieve sustainable poverty reduction.
Partnerships and linkages can help UPPR in
unlocking the potential of urban poor women
through skills development. An example of
this is the partnership with the Bangladesh
Garment Manufactures & Exporters Associa-
tion (BGMEA) and the International Labour
Organisation (ILO). With this partnership a
large number of poor and underprivileged
women from the UPPR communities are
trained and connected with one of the 5,000
garment factories under the umbrella of the
association.
With the support of partners, UPPR also helps
poor children to access education as a way to
break free from the cycle of poverty. We work
with organizations like the Sheba Foundation,
a non-prot organization, which helps com-
munities in Chapai to run a pre-school, and
Grameen Prodip, which gives support to
UPPR community organizations in running an
adult literacy programme.
Maximising access to
nancial services
UPPR and Dutch-Bangla Bank Ltd. have introduced
DBBLs Mobile Banking Services to UPPRs operations.
Starting as a pilot, the services will be used to pay
grants to beneciaries in Savar and Tangail. Once the
grant is approved, the beneciary can withdraw the
amount at the nearest UPPR Community Resource
Centre (CRC) or from any of DBBLs bank branches and
ATMs.
The linkage will not only result in smoother running of
UPPRs nancial operations but will enable the urban
poor to further access nancial services. Beneciaries
will have access to banking services (including services
such as utility payments and the topping-up of phone
credit) without any annual fees. It will further allow
beneciaries to access savings and loan products
through the formal banking sector.
20
UPPR has supported communities to establish Community
Resource Centers (CRCs), where slum dwellers can access NGO,
private sector and government information and services, such as
job applications and health and agricultural extension service
information. At the same time, the Government of Bangladesh,
supported by the Access to Information (a2i) project, has been
establishing Pourashava Information and Service Centers (PISCs)
throughout Bangladesh, which provide e-services, such as birth
registration, university admission, passport and citizenship
certicate application, and mobile banking, apart from the informa-
tion on government circulars and notices. The centers also provide
citizens with computers, internet and telecommunication services.
In an eort to streamline the service provision of the CRCs with the
Government-run centers as well as to upgrade them to enable
e-services, UPPR and a2i are working together to upgrade the CRCs
to PISCs.
UPPR, the Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority
(WASA) and Sobar Jonno Pani Limited (SJP) work
together with the communities in Bhashantek to con-
nect these to the city water supply. Following the
expansion of the water network to Bhashantek, fami-
lies are connected in their own houses to the WASA
pipelines. WASA supplies clean drinking water to
Bhashantek and communities commit to paying for the
water, while SJP the responsible entity before WASA,
collecting payments at the household level for water
plus an additional charge to cater for the management,
maintenance and operation of the local water network.
With time, it is envisaged that the community and
DWASA will become the main stakeholders of SJP in
Bhashantek.
Expanding access
to basic services
Increasing access
to information
21
UPPR has supported communities to establish Community
Resource Centers (CRCs), where slum dwellers can access NGO,
private sector and government information and services, such as
job applications and health and agricultural extension service
information. At the same time, the Government of Bangladesh,
supported by the Access to Information (a2i) project, has been
establishing Pourashava Information and Service Centers (PISCs)
throughout Bangladesh, which provide e-services, such as birth
registration, university admission, passport and citizenship
certicate application, and mobile banking, apart from the informa-
tion on government circulars and notices. The centers also provide
citizens with computers, internet and telecommunication services.
In an eort to streamline the service provision of the CRCs with the
Government-run centers as well as to upgrade them to enable
e-services, UPPR and a2i are working together to upgrade the CRCs
to PISCs.
UPPR, the Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority
(WASA) and Sobar Jonno Pani Limited (SJP) work
together with the communities in Bhashantek to con-
nect these to the city water supply. Following the
expansion of the water network to Bhashantek, fami-
lies are connected in their own houses to the WASA
pipelines. WASA supplies clean drinking water to
Bhashantek and communities commit to paying for the
water, while SJP the responsible entity before WASA,
collecting payments at the household level for water
plus an additional charge to cater for the management,
maintenance and operation of the local water network.
With time, it is envisaged that the community and
DWASA will become the main stakeholders of SJP in
Bhashantek.
Expanding access
to basic services
Increasing access
to information
21
BECOMING
ONE CITY
Becoming one city
To support our communities to establish a dialogue with its Government representatives, UPPR works with Local Government Institutions
(LGI) to increase their awareness of the needs of the urban poor and their capacity to address them. UPPR is a project of nite duration. By
mainstreaming our best approaches into the LGIs ways of operating we can ensure our contribution to urban poverty reduction continues.
Strengthening institutions
UPPR looks to build the capacity of LGI sta to take over its
work. UPPR is working closely with the Pourashavas and City
Corporations to provide the necessary orientation to council
members and relevant sta of LGIs, including Slum Devel-
opment Ofcers. In 2013, all Municipal Town Planners and
Engineers in the 23 towns were trained on the Settlement
Land Mapping (SLM) methodology and how SLM can be
used for city planning and community development work.
Institutionalising UPPR approaches
UPPR has developed Joint Action Plans with local govern-
ment institutions in the 23 towns where it operates. The
plans outline the transfer of responsibilities from UPPR to
LGIs, like the monitoring and backstopping of the savings &
credit groups. Further, they elaborate on the provision of
focused and targeted support for LGI sta to perform
functions previously undertaken by UPPR town teams.
Inuencing policy
2013 was an appropriate time both to reect on the work of
UPPR and look beyond March 2015. As the Government of
Bangladesh and partners plan for a new generation of
poverty reduction programmes, UPPR has been supporting
the national dialogue by sharing its experience and lessons
learned. In particular, UPPR is advocating for a multi-sectoral
approach where communities and local government
institutions jointly take the lead.
Making services sustainable
Materializing LGIs commitment to address urban poverty
is critical. By the end of 2013, there was evidence that
Pourashavas and City Corporations are willing to
co-nance the implementation of UPPR activities in 2014.
As demand for infrastructure activities was greater than
the remaining budget, towns were invited to contribute
funds. Four towns agreed by December and 13 further
towns are due to make commitments in January 2014.
23
Mapping poverty in urban
settlements
COMMUNITY
HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT
FUND
$
$
$
Housing &
tenure security
UPPR has a two-track approach to improve
tenure security. Firstly, it works for inclusive
urban planning. Using Settlement Land
Mapping (SLM), UPPR helps slum dwellers
to map the low income settlements and
plots of vacant land in the wards in which
they live. Trained community members
assess the poverty level of each settlement
using sixteen indicators which include
access to water, electricity and roads.
Details on the vacant plots are recorded in
case a settlement is destroyed or is in
danger of being evicted and alternative
living space is needed. UPPR works with
Mayors to endorse the maps and include
them in the Town Plans.
Secondly UPPR supports the development
of new models of security of tenure. For
example where communities are at risk of
eviction, UPPR supports them in negotiating
with landowners in order to nd a solution
which safeguards the community. UPPR
also works with communities to develop-
ment Community Housing Development
Funds from which the urban poor can take
loans for housing purposes.
Using GIS maps, communities mark low-income
settlements & plots of vacant land in 29 towns
16 INDICATORS TO DETERMINE POVERTY
22
towns
endorsed
Settlement
Land
Maps
5
towns
24
established
Moyna looks at you through one glassy eye,
due to a cataract problem, and smiles. One
reason she is happy is that we are sitting in
the house she bought in 2013. She did so
with a loan of Tk 8,000 from the Golap
savings and credit group along with Tk 2,000
of her own savings.
Moynas life has not always been so cheerful
and she still has to work hard every day. She
was married when she was 12 and works at a
rice mill for four days a week. Sometimes she
does nightshifts, working until ve in the
morning. Moynas husband has not worked
for some months due to health problems.
In 2009, Moyna was categorized as being
extremely poor by her neighbours in Golap.
The community gave her a grant to start
selling rice at her home. This supplements
her income from working in the factory.
Today Moyna has already paid half of her
loan back to the group.
Challenges remain for Moyna. Access to
healthcare is an issue as the local clinic is not
equipped to deal with her cataract problem.
All the while her income must sufce for the
needs of her famliy. Yet when asked about
how she feels, Moyna smiles again and says
she is proud of how far she has come.
Moynas story
HOUSING
TENURE
SECURITY
&
UPPR supports
communities to
negotiate better
arrangements with
their landowner
Maps are handed-
over to Local
Governments for
the recognition
& inclusion of
urban poor
25
15
settlements
Moyna looks at you through one glassy eye,
due to a cataract problem, and smiles. One
reason she is happy is that we are sitting in
the house she bought in 2013. She did so
with a loan of Tk 8,000 from the Golap
savings and credit group along with Tk 2,000
of her own savings.
Moynas life has not always been so cheerful
and she still has to work hard every day. She
was married when she was 12 and works at a
rice mill for four days a week. Sometimes she
does nightshifts, working until ve in the
morning. Moynas husband has not worked
for some months due to health problems.
In 2009, Moyna was categorized as being
extremely poor by her neighbours in Golap.
The community gave her a grant to start
selling rice at her home. This supplements
her income from working in the factory.
Today Moyna has already paid half of her
loan back to the group.
Challenges remain for Moyna. Access to
healthcare is an issue as the local clinic is not
equipped to deal with her cataract problem.
All the while her income must sufce for the
needs of her famliy. Yet when asked about
how she feels, Moyna smiles again and says
she is proud of how far she has come.
Moynas story
HOUSING
TENURE
SECURITY
&
UPPR supports
communities to
negotiate better
arrangements with
their landowner
Maps are handed-
over to Local
Governments for
the recognition
& inclusion of
urban poor
25
15
settlements
FINANCIALS
Financial review
UPPRs main donor is UK aid with additionall
resources from the Government of Bangladesh
and UNDP. We are committed to maximising the
impact of each dollar spent to improve the lives
of the poor.
2013 Expenditure
SETTLEMENT
IMPROVEMENT FUND
SOCIO ECONOMIC
FUND NUTRITION TRAINING & EQUIPMENT
PARTNERSHIPS MANAGEMENT & PERSONNEL M&E
TOTAL
$23,732,372
27
$9,439,084
$207,077 $5,719,016
$6,617,677
$109,209
$960,080 $680,229
$104,712,903
Budget Funds Spent
$91,169,071
Cumulative
FINANCIALS
New initiatives in 2013
Programme to Accelerate
Improved Nutrition
In 2013, UPPR started the distribution of iron and folic acid (IFA)
supplements to 2,800 pregnant and breastfeeding women as
well as 15,900 adolescent girls. De-worming tablets and multiple
micronutrient supplements are also supplied to 11,700 children
between 12-59 months and 9,700 adolescent girls. This project
component will continue until August 2015.
Research, Evaluation
and Learning Unit
RELU began operating in 2013 to improve UPPRs measure-
ment and reporting of results. It has carried out four studies
including a quantitative analysis of multidimensional poverty
and a participatory measurement of womens empower-
ment. RELU has increased the quality and diversity of UPPRs
reporting, delivering a redesigned website; greater use of
social media; and the launch of a quarterly newsletter.
28
To ensure high quality delivery of UPPR funds for the benets of slum dwellers
MAU was established in 2013 to strengthen internal
controlsand nancial systems in UPPRs 23 town oces.
MAU has reported an improvement in the nancial man-
agement, governance and risk management systems
across the towns. Average compliance with operational
rules reached 92 percent in December 2013, up from 72
percent at the end of 2012.
UPPR has been advising the Government of Bangladesh and
partners in the development of a national urban poverty reduc-
tion program. To realize the Governments long-term plan of
achieving greater decentralization to local governments and
enable more eective urban governance the envisaged program
has a focus on strengthening local government institutions and
community structures to benet 9 million urban poor.
Mutual
Accountability Unit
National Urban Poverty
Programme
29
MAU was established in 2013 to strengthen internal
controlsand nancial systems in UPPRs 23 town oces.
MAU has reported an improvement in the nancial man-
agement, governance and risk management systems
across the towns. Average compliance with operational
rules reached 92 percent in December 2013, up from 72
percent at the end of 2012.
UPPR has been advising the Government of Bangladesh and
partners in the development of a national urban poverty reduc-
tion program. To realize the Governments long-term plan of
achieving greater decentralization to local governments and
enable more eective urban governance the envisaged program
has a focus on strengthening local government institutions and
community structures to benet 9 million urban poor.
Mutual
Accountability Unit
National Urban Poverty
Programme
29
None of our work would be possible
without the funding and guidance of
our donor, UKaid, and the commitment
of the Government of Bangladesh to
take forward the ght against urban
poverty. The dedication of our sta, the
expertise of UNDP and UN-Habitat, and
the inspiring communities we work
with were behind our impact in 2013.