Friendship (NGO)

Friendship

Founded	2002
Type	Non profit and non government organization
Website	http://www.friendship-bd.org

Friendship is a French - Bangladeshi non-governmental organization that works with poor and marginalized communities in Bangladesh^[1] in remote chars and riverbanks in the North, poorer areas in Northeast, cyclone-prone areas in the South, and most recently the hard-to-reach indigenous communities in the coastal belt of the country. It was established in Bangladesh in 1998 to provide basic medical services to riverside communities. The initial focus area was the flood sediment islets (chars) and riverbank areas of northern Bangladesh. The organization provided primary and secondary healthcare, and then expanded its scope to education.

In Pakistan, the organisation has worked in the earthquake affected areas in 2005 and with Internally Displaced People (IDP) in 2008.

History

Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital

Friendship started operations with the Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital (LFH), originally an oil barge brought from France by French sailor and aviator Yves Marre. It was converted into a floating hospital, and with some financial support from Unilever began mobile medical work along Bangladeshi rivers.^[2]

In 2011 Friendship acquired the former Rainbow Warrior II from Greenpeace. After the handover at Singapore, the ship, renamed Rongdhonu, was refitted at Chittagong for use as a medical centre along the Bengal coast.^[3]

Friendship’s work areas

Cultural Preservation

Most of Friendship’s activities are concentrated in Gaibandha and Kurigram districts in northern Bangladesh with some activities in Barguna, Bagerhat and Patuakhali in the southern part of the country, with most focus on Kuakata of Patuakhali district. Recently tapped into providing healthcare to people in the coastal areas of Bangladesh.

The working area is currently divided into 2 parts - healthcare and other interventions (Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Tangail, Pabna, Dhaka, Gopalganj, Pirojpur, Bagerhat, Patuakhali, Barguna and the coastal belt) and other interventions without healthcare (such as those in Mymensingh). Friendship also provides emergency relief (Rajshahi, Magura, Jessore, Khulna, Barisal, Narsingdi, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Chittagong, Rangamati).

Friendship's runs various programs in its working areas;

• Healthcare, Nutrition and Population: provides health-care service via its hospitals
• Education and Good Governance: provides rural education
• Sustainable Economic Development: provides alternative income source
• Disaster Management and Infrastructure Development: provides disaster risk management and preparedness, rehabilitation and reconstruction, and immediate emergency relief
• Cultural Preservation: conserve arts and skills that are on the brink of disappearing, document their history, and promote their supporting technologies.

In 2006, Runa Khan Marre of Friendship was awarded a Rolex Award for Enterprise for work in preserving traditional Bengali boat-building skills.^[4] From 2007 Friendship sponsored overseas exhibitions on traditional Bangladesh sailing, first at the French National Maritime Museum in Paris, and then at Brest and Douarnenez.^[5][6]

Friendship International

Friendship International has branches in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France, UK and Germany.

References

External links

• Website