Organisational expertise in the field of education and development

With the objective of Divine & Humanitarian Service, Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) was established in 1958 by Hazrat Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah (r), an eminent educationist and philosopher. DAM is one of the leading NGO in the education sector in Bangladesh and functioning as the Literacy Resource Centre of ACCU since 1995 offering a multitude of services in the field of literacy and life-long learning across the Asia-Pacific region. Its activities include development and management training, piloting of innovative projects, development of teaching leaning materials, promoting use of ICT for improvement of quality of life, research and policy advocacy. With its special interest and long experience in the field of education, DAM has been operating a teachers training college, institute of primary and non-formal education, vocational training institute for working children, institute of technical and vocational education, university of science and technology, institute of information & communication technology and book promotion house etc. The package of development services of DAM at the community level covers a wide range of programmes like NFE for all age groups from children to adult illiterates, continuing education at different levels including equivalency programmes, skills training, credit support for income generation, environment preservation, support for human settlement, disaster preparedness, etc.

At the national and international level, DAM works in collaboration with other organizations through membership in networks and undertaking joint projects. DAM is a member of national networks like Campaign for Popular Education, Federation of NGOs in Bangladesh, Coalition for Urban Poor, Bangladesh Shisu Adhikar Forum, NGO Forum for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Voluntary Health Services Society. DAM enjoys Operational Relationship with UNESCO, and has the Consultative Status (Category II) with UN ECOSOC. It works very closely with UNESCO, ACCU, ICAE (International Council of Adult Education), ASPBAE (Asia-South pacific Bureau of Adult Education) and a number of international and UN bodies.

DAM's vision of the desired future of the disadvantaged communities of Bangladesh is reflected by their improved living conditions in social, economic and spiritual sense. According to the Perspective Plan (2006-15) of the organization, DAM would reach its vision through increased access of the target communities to public and private services in the four interconnected areas of Lifelong Learning, Livelihood Development, Health care and Human Rights & Social Justice with Environment being a crosscutting area. DAM's work would be characterized by few key strategies: a) Community based and driven – meaning that interventions at community level will start by a process of community mobilization in the shape of the formation of action groups, thematic committee or any other type of community-based organization. Pro-active role of local government is identifying community needs and coordinating local level services will be a built-in strategy in the community level activities. b) Multi-sector/multi-dimensional – meaning that DAM specifically aims at designing interrelated interventions in different sectors as to achieve a more comprehensive answer to the sustainable development of a community. c) Learn Micro- Apply Macro – meaning that DAM increasingly aims at using its countrywide experiences at community level to influence policy development at a higher national and international level. d) Mainstreaming of Gender Equality and Environment – DAM will ensure its programmes are developed and executed in a gender sensitive way. Environment, though considered of high importance for the standard of living conditions of its target communities, will not be treated as a separate programme area. Instead all of its interventions will be developed and implemented with explicit attention for environmental protection and preservation.