The Bangladesh Blether
A newspaper of the Boys Brigade World Mission Fund - Issue 1

Trade School transforms Albert's life

Metal work trainingAlbert is 19 years old and lives in a village 50kms from Jessore in Bangladesh. His family is very poor and although they managed to send him to the local school, they were not able to pay for him to go to college in Jessore. Albert begun to help his father tend the crops in the fields and thought this would be his life from now on. However he was overjoyed when one day in church, a notice was read out encouraging local young people to enrol for a 6 month skills training course. The best thing of all was missing that the course was going to be held right there in the church grounds!

Albert was first in the queue for enrolment, the next day and met the Principal of Christ Church Trade School (CCTS), Jessore where he heard all about the course and how CCTS has been training young people in trades such as carpentry, metal work, electrics and motor mechanics, to a standard where they can find employment on completion of the course, for many years. The 2 year course has been so successful, that it was felt important to reach out to the more rural areas. This special 6 month course would train people in one trade only. Albert decided to join the metal work course and as you can see in the photograph, he is already becoming familiar with different machinery.

Albert told me "This opportunity has transformed my life; I now will be able to gain full time employment and help to support my family. My dream is one day to have my own welding business."
Boys Brigade support Vocational training in Bangladesh

Boys Brigade companies all over Scotland are raising money in 2006 for CCTS Mobile Vocational Training programme. This provides opportunity for young people both male and female in rural Bangladesh to gain skills in a particular trade. CCTS is run by the Social Development Department of the Church of Bangladesh. The Church, although very small in membership, numbering only 16,000 in a population of around 140 million, provide a huge social outreach to people of all faiths, in the fields of education, healthcare and training.

CCTS Vocational Training

To allow a young person to complete a six month training course costs £150 or £25 per month. Some BB companies are hoping to raise enough to sponsor completely one person. Other companies will raise enough for one or two months of an individuals training. Fundraising ideas vary from sponsored events to bring and buy sales. Each event planned helps to raise awareness of the needs of others in a different part of our world and how each of us can help to make a difference to someone’s life.
Kishori-Kishori Shangha (The Boys and Girls Brigade in Bangladesh)
  • The Brigade was introduced to Bangladesh following a visit to Scotland by a member of the Church of Bangladesh and the first organiser was Rev Matthew Bickett, a Church of Scotland Missionary.
  • Since the introduction to Bangladesh in 1978 of the Brigade, there are now over 50 companies.
  • Most groups will have a band of drums and cymbals and enjoy music as part of their activities.
  • Weekly meetings are held in the open air.
  • Often many groups will meet together for a whole day rally to enjoy a picnic, sports, worship and display activities.
  • The children learn valuable lessons including first aid and agriculture.

Playing the drumsDrums and cymbals are used by children and young people in the celebration of special occasions. For example they may use them on Palm Sunday, Easter Day, Christmas Day, at Brigade Rallies or to welcome visitors.

They do not use them every Sunday in worship, as we use our instruments. The drums and cymbals are too precious for regular weekly use; they are only used for very special occasions.

Here are two ideas to help you fundraise for the Project.

Bangladeshi Bash
Hold a gig where both music from Scotland and Bangladesh are played, serve food and drinks from both countries. Charge a ticket price with proceeds going to the BB WM Project for Bangladesh.

Make a drum money box
Decorate a container such as a jam jar or savoury snack tube in the style of a Bangladeshi drum. Collect loose change from your youth members, and then once the drum is full, take it back to your company for the BBWM Project.
(You could run your own competition for the best decorated drum!)

These are just two ideas; no doubt you’ll have many more – ‘happy fundraising’!
Bangla Bytes
  • Bangladesh lies on the delta of four large rivers which flow from the Himalayas. The rivers are called, the Ganges, the Jumuna, the Brahmaputra and the Maghna.
  • Bangladesh is slightly more than half the size of the United Kingdom: 144,000 square km, but its population is more than twice that of the UK.
  • The capital of Bangladesh is Dhaka.
  • Bangladesh gained its independence from Pakistan, in 1971.
  • 80% of Bangladesh’s population work in agriculture, with rice being the most important product.
  • On average there is one doctor for every 5000 people in Bangladesh, that compares to one for every 650 in the UK.
  • The main faith practised in Bangladesh is Islam, with minorities of Hindu, Buddhist and Christianity.
  • Around 15% of Bangladesh is forested, the three main forest regions are Madhupur jungle, the tidal forest in coastal Sundarban in the Ganges delta and the tropical rain forest in the Chittagong Hills.
  • The Royal Bengal Tiger can be found in the Sundarban forests.
  • Over 80% of the “Indian” restaurants in the UK serve Bangladeshi food, so if you loved it, it was probably Bangladeshi!
  • Bangladesh has one of the wettest climates in the world. It receives more than 1,525 mm of rain each year which mostly falls in the June to September monsoon and this accounts for many of the flooding problems Bangladeshi’s face.

BANGLA BRAIN BUSTER

What word can you read from all the highlighed squares?

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  1. A yellow fruit grown in Bangladesh
  2. The staple product of Bangladesh
  3. Often the result of heavy rain in Bangladesh
  4. Boys and men do this in Bangladesh’s rivers and coast line
  5. The Bangladesh Buffalo pull these
  6. These instruments are often used in celebrations
  7. The largest animal you will find in Bangladesh

Activities
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The Boys' Brigade (Church of Scotland) World Mission Fund