This latest report provides details on FFM’s Children welfare & Education Projects in Bangladesh from 2011 to 2018. Our works include Children Sponsorship program, building of schools & dormitories and orphanage support and so forth providing them with education, food, shelter and security.
Background –
On the 19 June 2011, Ven U Khamachara Mahathero of Bangalhalia Agapara Buddhist Welfare Orphanage (BABWO) sent out a worldwide appeal and an email to Firefly Mission informing us that the 120 children in his orphanage is facing food crisis.
BABWO is located in Bangladesh at the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a remote different part of the country where the indigenous and tribal people are majority and has inhabited there since the 16th century. The region is surrounded by forests, lake, hilly terrains, and mountains with a new dimension in culture and ethnic diversity. Eleven different indigenous and tribal ethnic groups live in this region who are mostly Buddhists.
FFM responded to their appeal and on the 5 July 2011, sent a team lead by Bro Goh Kuan Seng visited BABWO to do the due diligence. The first donation of U$7,800 were given to BABWO to tie them through the food crisis.
Since then, FFM has worked out a systematic support with their coordinator, Mong Mong Thun Marma, who is also the Charity Adviser & Overseas Coordinator of BABWO. A children sponsorship program and various development & support projects were carried out to help the children in the region of Chittagong Bangladesh.
FFM Projects
- BABWO Children Sponsorship Program
- Donation of blankets, uniforms, food etc to 4 Orphanages in Chittagong Hill
- BABWO 2nd storey Dormitory
- SSSBO Junior High School
- Buddhist Temple Orphanage Dormitory Extension (BTO)
- BABWO Outdoor Stairs
- BABWO Temple Orphanage Landslide – retaining wall project
- Buddha Shishu Ghar (BSG) Security Fencing Project
- Lotus Children Home Dormitory
- Lotus Children Home Deep Tube Well Project
- Agrabansha Orphanage Girl’s Hostel and stairs
1) BABWO Children Sponsorship Program
| BABWO | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| No. of Sponsorship | 88 | 120+ | 120+ | 120+ | 120+ | 120 | 120 |
Since 2012, FFM has establish a children sponsorship program and has been supporting 120 children. The children staying in BABWO are children who has lost both parents or lost 1 parent and are from very poor families. Some of the children are also part of the Sangha members. Before the FFM children sponsorship program, the children will only able to have 1 meal a day. With FFM children sponsorship of S$360 per annum per child, the sponsorship allows the children to have 3 meals, clothes and education.
Through the years, we have witness that the children have grown up in health and their education results have also made remarkable progress. Older kids who have grown up and started working also made effort to return to BABWO to help and assist the younger children.
2) Donation of blankets, uniforms, food etc to Orphanages in Chittagong Hill
Through BABWO, we have reached out to other orphanages in the area and provided blankets, uniforms and food since 2012. The 4 Orphanages are:
(i) Sanghamitta Seba Sangha Buddhist Orphanage (SSSBO):
- Money for food
- Stationery items like Geometry box, exercise note books pens, steel made scales
- Electric generator, water safety tank, solar panel and also motor.
- 160 pieces blankets
(ii) Buddhist Temple Orphanage (BTO):
- Money for food
- Blankets
(iii) Buddha Shishu Ghar (BSG):
- Money for foods
- 90 pieces Blanket and 81 pieces jackets
(iv) Bangalhalia Agapara Buddhist Welfare Orphanage (BABWO):
- 169 pieces school uniform
- Water bottles
- Stationeries and books
- Desktop computer for office use
3) BABWO 2nd storey Male Dormitory Project
Building: 2 storey male dormitory together with electricity, fans, tables and beds
Benefit: 120 children
Cost: BDT2,035,530 (US$25,129)
Completion: Jan 2013
4) SSSBO Junior High School Project
Building: 5 classrooms
Benefit: 177 children
Cost: BDT2,760,215 (S$44,552)
Completion: May 2013
Sponsor: Anthony, Mei and Benjamin Wong
5) Buddhist Temple Orphanage (BTO) Dormitory Extension Project
Building: 1st Floor Dormitory Extension and Furniture Project
Benefit: 90 children
Project completion: Apr 2015
Cost: BDT2,450,051 (S$43,097)
6) BABWO Outdoor Stairs Project
Build: Stairs from BABWO to the water point
Benefit: 120 children
Completion: Apr 2015
Cost BDT265,783 (S$4,746)
Sponsor: James Phoon
7) BABWO Temple Orphanage Landslide – retaining wall project
Build: Clear and build retaining wall
Completion: Aug 2015
Cost: BDT974,502 (S$17,630)
8) Buddha Shishu Ghar (BSG) Security Fencing Project
Build: Security fence around the BSG
Benefit: The children and Bhante of BSG. Reduce the insecurity from disturbances outside the orphanage boundaries
Cost :BDT 650,000 (S$10,230)
Complete: Dec 2013
9) Lotus Children Home Dormitory Project
Building: Male Dormitory complete with electricity wiring, furniture and toilets
Cost: BDT 3,331,617 (S$57,905)
Project completion: Mar 2017
10) Lotus Children Home Deep Tube Well Project
Build: Drill deep tube well with 2 tanks 1000 ltrs and 1 tank 5000 ltrs
Benefit: Suffering from shortage of water, particularly, during the dried season, in addition the present water ring-well from which LCH water facilities provided, does not provide enough water and the available water contains substantial iron in the water.
Project cost: BDT489,920 (S$7,848)
Project completion: Mar 2018
11) Agrabansha Orphanage Girl’s Hostel Project
Building: 1 storey girls hostel with fans, lightings & mattress. Repair to external stairs
Total project cost: BDT1,665,485 (S$27,758)
Project completion: Jul 2018
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Firefly Mission would like to express its deep gratitude and thanks to all the people who have made this partnership project possible.
- Venerable U Kemachara Mahathero BABWO
- Mong Mong Thun Marma Charity Adviser & Overseas Coordinator, BABWO. Bangladesh.
- Bro Goh Kuan Seng, FFM Coordinator,Bangladesh
- Volunteers of Firefly Mission Singapore
- Other well-wishers and volunteers, too numerous to be named
