CEDAR ELEMENTS

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Since 1989, some University Post-graduate intimates established Concern for Environmental Development And Research (CEDAR), which makes difference all the way. This is exclusively involved for the progress of humankind. It is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit, non-government development organization registered under the Societies Act and Foreign Donation Registration Act of Bangladesh.

CEDAR is the first in Bangladesh to initiate intervention program for preventing HIV/AIDS in particular of truckers (transport workers) community. On behalf of the local NGOs in the country, we are also the first to have been started a web-based fight to corruption and mal-governance.

Experience of CEDAR revealed that development is a matter of across-the-board and the process of development should start with holistic approach and integrated way. Besides, all the cross-cutting issues related to any development should be addressed to make it be meaningful and sustainable.

CEDAR has been executing Poverty Alleviation, Education (Non-Formal), Mother and Child Health, HIV/AIDS Prevention & Control, Good Governance and Human Rights Program with the financial assistance from GOB, Local and Foreign donors.

1.1. Our Core Objective

CEDAR has three core objectives- freedom from poverty, freedom from ignorance and freedom from oppression.

1.2. Our Vision

CEDAR visualizes a Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty, environmental degradation and all forms of exploitation based on age, sex, religion and ethnicity and a society which is economically productive, equitable and genuinely democratic within 2020.

1.3. Our Aims

• Promoting good governance, accountability and transparency through research, strategic communication and policy advocacy
• Promoting minority rights and fight against exclusion
• Establishing experience-sharing networks
• Awareness creation on the risk-factors for infecting HIV/STD
• Providing care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS
• Promotes and catalyses universal education among underprivileged children
• Promoting girl child education
• Equipping children with skills for life
• Providing conducive learning environment through community participation that supports learning
• Advocacy for quality education
• Promoting income generation activities by providing micro-credit to disadvantaged in particular of rural women
• Supporting enterprise development where it provides livelihood opportunities for disadvantaged people
• Promoting appropriate technology, ICT and resource conservation for livelihoods
• Building the capacity of organizations through management training, advocacy and networking support
• Advocacy for patients’ rights and health for all
• Delivering health and social services, particularly in community settings
• Addressing causes of ill health, including sanitation and drinking water supply
• Promoting health services, health education, health insurance and raising social capital
• Promoting independence for people with disabilities and their families through child development, education, daily living skills, mobility assistance and employment training
• Increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to participate fully in society by strengthening the capacity of social service organizations

1.4. Our Development Goals

CEDAR’s development goal is to catalyze liveliness and activism in ensuring fundamental freedoms, social justice, equal rights and equal opportunity for all, especially the disadvantaged and deprived. We have a mission to conduct an extensive, intensive, and participatory process of sustainable development through empowering of the poor.

1.5. Our Concern, Belief and Values

• CEDAR is concerned for environmentally sustainable development
• It is concerned for human dignity, especially for the poor, indigenous and minority
• It believes in accountability, transparency and better governance
• CEDAR believes in participation and team work
• It believes in fundamental human rights
• It believes in gender equality and equity
• It believes in quality services and professionalism
• CEDAR values diversity and cross-cultural understanding
• It values partnerships based on honesty and respect
• It values the innovation and creativity generated by shared endeavor

1.6. Major Themes of CEDAR

1.6.1. Social Justice and Governance

• Promoting good governance, accountability and transparency
• Strengthening and supporting civil society organizations
• Promoting minority rights and fight against exclusion
• Cultural exchange and Peace-building
• Experience-sharing Networks

1.6.2. HIV/AIDS

• Awareness creation on the risk-factors for infecting HIV/STIs
• Prevention education and awareness building
• Providing care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS
• Supporting orphans and vulnerable groups

1.6.3. Campaign for Quality Education

• Promotes and catalyses universal education among underprivileged children
• Achieving 100% universal access, enrollment, retention and quality education for all
• Promoting girl child education
• Capacitating teachers to be effective as facilitators of learning
• Promoting the culture of reading
• Equipping children with skills for life
• Providing conducive learning environment
• Community participation that supports learning
• Improving the quality of primary & secondary education, particularly in math, science and English
• Intervention support in student’s health
• Advocacy for quality education

1.6.4. Secure Livelihoods and Enterprise development

• Promoting income generation activities by providing micro-credit to disadvantaged in particular of rural women
• Supporting enterprise development where it provides livelihood opportunities for disadvantaged people
• Appropriate technology and ICT for livelihoods
• Promoting resource conservation
• Building the capacity of organizations through management training, advocacy and networking support

1.6.5. Health and Social Well-being

• Advocacy for Patient rights and Health for All
• Intervention in Arsenic problem
• Delivering health and social services, particularly in community settings
• Addressing causes of ill health, including sanitation and drinking water supply
• Promoting health and health education
• Promoting Health Insurance and raise social capital
• Access specialized medical services through Tele medicine

1.6.6. Disability

• Promoting independence for people with disabilities and their families through child development, education, daily living skills, mobility assistance and employment training
• Increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to participate fully in society by strengthening the capacity of social service organizations