Uttaran’s Profile

Community Mobilization, Poverty Eradication, and Environmental Justice

The organization was founded with the aim of building a society free from all inequalities where everyone can access and is aware of their basic rights. Being a people centred organization, Uttaran has been using a rights-based approach to alleviate poverty, diversify livelihood opportunities and empower poor communities throughout the southwest region with gradual expansion to other parts of the country. For the last 36 years Uttaran has been working for the most inaccessible and vulnerable districts of Bangladesh.

Uttaran, which means ‘transition’, in Bangla language has been living up to its name through a myriad of development interventions since 1985 from Jatpur village of Tala upazila under Satkhira district to uphold the rights of the poor and underprivileged. The organization was founded with the aim to building a society free from all inequalities where everyone can access and is aware of their basic rights. Being a people centered organization, Uttaran has been using a rights-based approach to alleviate poverty, diversify livelihood opportunities and empower poor communities throughout the southwest region with gradual expansion to other parts of the country. For the last 35 years Uttaran has been working for the most inaccessible and vulnerable districts such as Satkhira, Jashore, Khulna, Bagerhat, Barisal, Bhola, Barguna, Patuakhali, Feni, Noakhali, Laksmipur, Jamalpur and Cox’s Bazar. In 2019-2020, with an annual expenditure of BDT. 1,038,530,860 (One hundred three crore eighty-five lac thirty thousand eight hundred and sixty taka only) Uttaran was able to directly benefit 300,100 households concentrating specially on the landless, underprivileged women, outcastes and untouchables who are victims of socio- economic classification, hierarchic caste system and a male-dominated society. Through a network of 48 offices, one training centre with well-developed communications and operating procedures along with 515 experienced and highly qualified staff and 1,120 volunteers, Uttaran has strong credibility among the communities and as well as the Government of Bangladesh.

Mission

A society with gender, class and caste equality

Vision

Equip the disadvantaged people with the tools needed to deal with their social, environmental, health, economic and cultural issues and concerns.

Strategy

Organization and capacity building for the poor

• Ensure sustainable livelihood practices for women and poor

• Ensure women and poor’s entitlement to social services (education, health, safety net)
• Raising voice, influence and agency of poor through advocacy, campaigns, lobbying and networking
• Mainstreaming of rights, gender and inclusion issues
• Building pro poor partnership
• Result Based Management (RBM) practices

Legal Entity

Legal entity and registration

1. Registration number by Department of Social Welfare – Sat – 6/85

2. Registration number by NGO Affair’s Bureau – 0255
3. Registration number by Micro credit Regularity Authority- 01366-02704-00277
4. Registration number by Joint Stock Company, S-11188

Our Participants

The organization works with extreme poor communities prioritizing landless communities, women, untouchables and religion-ethnic minorities.

In 2019 – 2020 we were able to reach 300,100 Household directly

Our Management

The overall governance for Uttaran rests with the General Committee which is made up of 21 members. The General Committee elects the Executive Committee for a period of two years. In Annual General Meetings, the General Committee has to ratify policies and programs which have been adopted by the Executive Committee consisting of 7 members, its main decision-making body. It also approves the audited account and budget for the coming year, as per government legislation. General Committee meets annually while the Executive Committee sites quarterly. But in reality, the EC has to sit more than four times as per organizational needs. It performs such functions as entrusted to it by Constitution. The Executive Committee appoints the Director who is responsible for coordinating the overall programme and administrative matters. The Director is assisted by six programme coordinators, Internal MEAL team, Accounts and Finance team, Audit Team, Administration and Safegaurding Committee.

Our Policies

Personnel Management Policy
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
Anti Discrimination Policy
Data management Policy
Diversity and Inclusion Policy
Environment and Social protection Policy
Anti-bribery
Risk Management Policy
Financial Manual
Procurement Policy & Procedure Manual
Internal Auditing Guidelines
Anti-Fraud and Corruption Whistle Blowing Policy
Value for Money Policy
Conflict of Interest Policy
Gender and Development Policy
Savings & Credit Management Policy
Partnership Policy and Strategy
Policy on Child Protection in Emergencies
Anti Sexual Harassment Policy
Retaliation and Anti Harassment Policy
Cost Allocation Policy
Asset Safeguarding Policy
Whistle Blower Protection Policy
Anti Terrorism/ Combating Financing Policy
Anti Money Laundering Policy
Branding Guideline
Asset Transfer Guideline
Monitoring & Evaluation Framework
Primary Organization Policy
Gono Unnyan Federation (GUF) Policy
Motor Cycle Uses Guideline
COVID resilient village guideline
Inventory Management Policy
Food Bank Management Policy
Training and Staff Development Policy
Accounts & Management Training Manual
Disaster Response Contingency of Uttaran
Draft Constitution of Panni Committee

Programmes

Rights, Gender and Social Justice (RGSJ)
Food Security and Nutrition (FSN)
Disaster and Humanitarian action (DHA)
Climate Change and Water Governance (CCWG)
Education and youth action (EYA)
Integrated Rural Development (IRD)

Offices:

• 48 offices
• 515 Staff in Uttaran’s family (45 % female)
• 1120 Volunteers

Major Achievements

1. Advocate and facilitated for 44,448 HH who received 18034.21 acres of khasland from the Government of Bangladesh
2. Impacted atleast 24,720 people through the youth led social development projects
3. Quality education assured for 250,000 children and youths (Primary, Secondary and Technical Education)
4. Two rivers saved by advocating for Tidal River Management with the support for Government of Bangladesh.
5. 35,370 primary school students received proper dietary and hygiene support with the assistance.
6. “Since 2000 Uttaran has responded to all major disasters through 67 projects spending around BDT
7. 1,749,238,720 to reaching over 3,585,939 people in Coastal districts of Bangladesh.
   In addition, Uttaran is also working for the Rohingya Population from Myanmar who were faced with severe violence and fled to Bangladesh”
8. 131,280 individual household members from 819 villages or 151 unions throughout Satkhira, Khulna, Jashore and Bagerhat district
9. WASH 100% Sanitation coverage in Satkhira
   Legal Aid Service provided for over 10,000 people
10. Direct Agricultural support for 105,000 HH
11. Non-Agricultural support for over 50,000 HH
12. Uttaran’s Institutions
13. People Forum of Uttaran
14. Contribution Towards SDG

Annual Turnover of Uttaran:  Year Turnover (BDT.)

• 2019-2020 – 1,038,530,860
• 2018-2019 – 1,149,981,59
• 2017-2018 – 1,057,176,898

National and International Audit Following national and international audit firms audited Uttaran’s account and found transparent fund management.

• Rahman Rahman Huq (KPMG)
• Hoda Vasi Chowdhury & Co. (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu)
• ACNABIN BAKER TILLY INTERNATIONAL
• A. Qasem & Co.
• Howladar Yunus & Co.
• Aziz Halim Khair Choudhury (PKF International)
• A. Wahab & Co. (Moores Rowland International)
• S. F. Ahmed & Co. (ERNST & YOUNG GLOBAL)
• Khan Wahab Shafique Rahman & Co.
• Rahman Anis & Co.
• J. R. Choudhury & Co.
• M. M. Hossain & Co.
• M. N. Islan & Co.
• S. K. Barua & Co.
• Masih Muhith Huq & Co. (IGAF Worldwide)
• Ashraful Haque Nabi & Co.
• Azad Zamir & Co.
• Islam Kazi Shafique & Co