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Community Empowerment Programme (CEP)

The Cabinet division of the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) with the financial assistance of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)constructed 35 cyclone shelters at Banshkali, Anowara, Chokoria and Kutubdia upazila under Chittagong and Cox's bazar districts which were worst affected by the devastating 29 April,1991 cyclone.

As per agreement with the Cabinet division of GOB, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) has implemented different rural organizational and social development related activities starting from March 1994 and continued up to June 2000.

After the expiry of agreement with Cabinet division, the BDRCS is running this programme in a sustainable way in the name of Community Based Disaster Preparedness Programme-CBDP (IFAD). At present this Programme is known as Community Empowerment Programme (CEP) & operational in six upazilas namely Banshkhali, Anowara, Patiya, Chokoria, Pakua and Kutubdia under Chittagong and Cox's Bazar districts. The Programme may be extended to other areas in future.

Activities of the Programme

1. Group activities like formation of groups, training and motivation of the group members.
2. Formation of Shelter management committees (SMC), providing training and equipment’s to the committees.
3. Proving credit to the groups, recovery of credits, and collecting savings from the groups.
5. Maintenance of cyclone shelters includes repairing and paintings etc.
6. Tree plantation in the vicinity of cyclone shelters and in the community areas.
7. Lease of ponds under different shelters to generate funds.
8. Minor repair of Cyclone Shelters with locally available funds

Major Achievements

1. Cyclone shelters are being used for saving lives in time of disasters and at normal period for schooling and other social purposes.
2. Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are formed and cyclone shelters are managed by local users committees.
3. Minor maintenance of cyclone shelters is done by locally generated funds.
4. Community level livelihoods security increased through utilizing soft credit facilities.
5. Women empowerment strengthened through implementation of programme activities
6. Community level disaster preparedness awareness increased.