Chevron, Brac funded Jibika project ends

A programme was recently held at Brac Centre in Dhaka marking the end of a Jibika (livelihood) project run in areas adjacent to Chevron-operated gas fields in Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts.

Launched in 2015, the project was funded by the US energy company and non-government organisation Brac, which also oversaw it in partnership with Sylhet-based development organisation "IDEA".

The project worked to establish "village development organisations", a forum for organising villagers into self-help groups, and provide skills training and seed funds to enable the development of enterprises. It overall supported over 22,470 people (around 4,216 households).

M Makbul Hossain, director of operations at Brac, Md Ahsan Kabir, additional registrar of the department of co-operatives at the Ministry of Local Government Rural Development and Co-operatives, Eric M Walker, president of Chevron Bangladesh, Muhammad Imrul Kabir, director of corporate affairs, and Lauren Godfrey, senior manager of education at Brac USA, were present.

Shyam Sundar Saha, programme head of integrated development programme at Brac, presided over the event, says a press release.

ASM Sofrul Islam, programme coordinator of Jibika, Laila Sultana, secretary to Donokandi Shoboj Sharbik Sharbik Gram Unnayan Shomobay Shamity, and Md Rubel Ahmed, chairperson of Tukergao Surma Sharbik Gram Unnayan Shomobay Shamity, were also present.