Thanapara Swallows Development Society is currently looking for a volunteer! We are seeking a motivated individual who would be teaching English local young people in the period of January – March 2014.

You have a unique opportunity to get to know incredibly friendly and hospitable country of Bangladesh as well as to support its people!

More information can be found in the attached document.

Do not hesitate and contact us on [email protected]!
 
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For three days Thanapara Swallows became home of a team of filmmakers. Ten actors, director, and about sixty another staff members came to shoot their movie in Thanapara surroundings. The whole company spent two days hardworking in Miapur village. The staying planned for two weeks was unfortunately cut on the third day. The manager and director promised to come in the next year and finish their work.
You can see more pictures from the shooting process on Thanapara Swallows Facebook.


 
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The 30th of June was the last day of a Gamcha making training which took place in Anapampur village near Thanapara. The participants spent three months learning, how to make a traditional Bangladeshi gamcha. The training was organized as a part of Thanapara Swallows Combating Domestic Violence Project. The five participants were clients of the project who decided to change their lives and gain new skills. After finishing the training the women are fully able to produce gamchas for local market. “Our goal was to support the women in their empowerment,” the training leader said. “If they had the chance to earn money, they would have much higher control of their lives. The problem just is, that the women don´t have enough capital to buy the weaving machine,” he added. 


 
On June 22, Thanapara Swallows Development Society held another health camp within the water and sanitation program, supported by Emmaus International. The camp took place in Maipur Village, distributing medicine for local arsenic affected men and women. The camps are usually held once month in the villages to be better accessible to those who need them.

 
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Thanapara Swallows hosts three interns from Czech Republic for two months. Marketa, Stepanka and Iva have arrived to Thanapara in the night of 4th June. The new interns are classmates from the university where they study International humanitarian and social work. A part of their studies is to complete the internship in NGO at least for six weeks.

Why did they choose the Thanapara Swallows? “I’m really interested in Fair Trade production so when I found the organization’s website it was clear choice. The organization offers many interesting programs so girls could join me and concentrate to their specialization.” said Marketa. “For examples Stepanka is interested in participatory mapping of water and sanitation and I would like to focus on combating domestic violence.” completed the answer Iva

Now the Czech interns work in Thanapara Swallows almost one week. What is their job description? “Now we are working on Public Relations of Thanapara Swallows uploading the websites. Also we are trying to figure out the management of organization and to get deeper understanding of it.” Explain Stepanka.

 
The women from the embroidery section in Thanapara Swallows Development Society Handicraft Program were deciding about the level of meeting the Fair Trade principles. The organization management includes the producers into the decision process and helps them understand the ideals of Fair Trade production. Thanks to education and capacity building the producers are fully competent to vote about meeting eight of the Fair Trade principles.

The voting process occurs at least once a month. The participants express their opinion by placing buttons to cloth sacks. While the sacks mean Yes and No the workers divide ten buttons regarding their own opinion to each of standards. The whole process is completely anonymous.

The last results were quite positive. The workers proclaimed, that there is absolute gender equity and that the organization hires no children for labour. Promoting Fair Trade, Capacity building and Fair Wages were also principles that Thanapara Swallows meets really successfully.