Knowing this common scenario, driven by passion to help the needy, the dream to eradicate illiteracy and love for children, my friend's mom started a scholarship program, a non –profitable voluntary centre, the Mattri Chaiya Biddya Niketon or MCBN, for the less fortunate children of Kishoreganj.
The kids of kishoreganj and their houses made of tin roof and thatched grass. One side is for sleeping and other side is for their cow or goat. Kishoreganj is located in the north-east of Bangladesh. It has thirteen upazillas and a total population of 3.5 million. The total population of Katiadi is 125'001 with a literacy rate of only 20.3% compared to the national average of 32.4%.
The main objective of this is to provide primary education to young children that due to economic reasons are not enrolled in the school public system. Mattri Chaiya Biddya Niketon’s programme follows the primary school curriculum and currently offers classes for both boys and girls from kindergarten to class 1 level, with plans to eventually include higher level classes.
HOW DOES THE SCHOOL FUNCTIONS?
A working team of 3 people (of which 2 are the founders of MCBN) ensures classes are held 6 days a week from 1500hrs -1700hrs (Saturday to Thursday). Besides primary education, it is planned for other activities to be gradually introduced, such as home visits of absent or difficult children, parents’ day, mother gatherings, informal discussions with students and Uthan Boithok.
The MCBN will ensure that children continue to study and that all the students entering kindergarten stay enrolled until class 2 at first and hopefully beyond as the centre’s curriculum expands.
THE CURRENT FUNDING SITUATION
At the moment the school has enough funds to cover the following costs:
- enrollment for 35.children (providing a stipend, biscuits and milk, books and pencils, uniform and shoes) for 3 – 6 months
- the renovation and the rent of the school premises (including a playground)
- the purchase of the classroom essentials, such as an alphabets posters, blocks and blackboard.
The chosen kids holding their school supplies and wearing their first set of clothing; with the teachers at the back and the newly painted classrooms 
Winter clothes were provided to them last February 2011 The teaching is provided by 3 teachers on a voluntary basis at the moment, but future funding will be necessary to pay for the teachers’ fee. A fee of Taka 2’000 per month is planned as fees for each individual teacher, whilst the Head teacher will be paid an extra 500 Taka.
FUTURE FUNDING NEEDS
MCBN wishes to extend its offer to other children in the future and therefore is seeking private sponsors to either sponsor individual children and/or contribute to the function costs of the school (teachers’ salary and administrative costs).
Because this is a newly-founded programme MCBN encourages private donors to contribute on a one-year basis at first, which will allow the centre to evaluate after the first initial year the results of the programme and to verify whether the calculated costs are effectively sufficient.
Funds required sponsoring a child:
Per child Costs/per year
Stipend Tk.100 x 12 = Tk.1’200
Biscuits and milk Tk.100 x 12 = Tk.1’200
Books and pencils Tk. 50 x 12 = Tk. 600
Uniform and shoes (twice yearly) Tk. 500 x 2 = Tk.1’000
TOTAL = Tk.4’000 Annually
Funds required covering the school costs for a year:
Content Costs
Teachers yearly salary Tk.102’000
Administrative costs (year) Tk.18’000
TOTAL = Tk.120’000 Annually
Presently there are 3 teachers. However, it is foreseen that an extra teacher (a woman) will be engaged once funds are available. In the city as well as in the country, teachers are paid for the full year term, even though the school has long break during the ‘Ramadan‘ and Eid holidays. Children will continue to be paid the usual monthly stipend during the closure for the holidays.
The administrative costs include the monthly rents for the school (Tk.1'000) and office room (Tk.500/-) premises.
A bi-annual audit will be carried out by a third party accountant on a volunteer basis and a copy of the report together with a copy of the receipts will be provided to every individual sponsor. Monthly monitoring of the activities (this will include the attendance sheet) and the related expenses will be ensured by the back-up teacher and will be available to all sponsors if required.
Sponsors will also receive regular progress reports of the child(ren) they are funding allowing them to keep a close contact with the children benefiting the education provided by the centre.
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I’ve been to the school twice and to the children’s houses too. And everytime we are there, mothers kept on asking us to please accept their children also in the school. Even if we really want to accommodate everyone, we can’t shoulder everything right now. And we also have to choose the worthy ones and not only the “opportunist”. Some mothers want their kids to be in the school because of the stipend that these kids will get.
The second time I went there, we invited the Filipino Grand Alliance of Bangladesh or FGAB to join us. The FGAB was the first group, apart from us family and friends, who shared their blessings to Mattri Chaiya. They organized a fund run last June 12, 2011 as part of the Philippine's Independence Day celebaration and the benefeciary was MCBN. They haven't seen the kids that time, just the school profile, so we thought it would be good if they can see where their "help" went.
It feels good to help those who are in need, and seeing them, the kids, smiling back at you whenever they receive a small candy or food are priceless moments. I hope someday, with our little help, they will be able to have a better future.
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