Livelihood support items distributed in Khulna

KHULNA, Oct 7: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday distributed computers, sewing machines and food carts among beneficiaries of the “Livelihood Support for Urban Poor Communities in Bangladesh” project being implemented under the supervision of Khulna City Corporation (KCC).

UNDP-Bangladesh resident representative Stephen Rodrigues distributed the items among the beneficiaries at Selfie Park in the city’s 7 no. Ghat area. KCC Chief Executive Officer Razib Ahmed attended the programme as the special guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Stephen Rodrigues said he had witnessed the challenges faced by people in the area and how they were coping with those challenges.

“People in this region are living under difficult conditions due to climate change-induced water-logging, shortage of drinking water, inadequate sanitation and lack of employment opportunities,” he said.

The items were distributed with technical assistance from UNDP and financial support from the Global Development Fund (GDF) and China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), aiming to increase the income of poor families, create self-employment opportunities and improve their living standards.

Under the programme, 10 beneficiaries received computer sets, 10 sewing machines and 10 food carts from 19 Community Development Committees (CDCs) covering 17 wards of Khulna city.

KCC Chief Planning Officer Abir Ul Jabbar, UNDP Dhaka Senior Programme Specialist Tanvir Mahmud, Strategic Communications and Outreach Specialist Kirtijai Pahari, International Technical Advisor and Manager Yugesh Pradhan and Project Analyst SM Abdullah Al Masum addressed the programme. CDC Cluster Leader Rokeya Khalifa and beneficiary Saleha Begum also spoke.