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LOSAUK An Organization of people's action for socio-cultural and economic development |
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Theatre for Development workshop
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What is LOSAUK ? LOSAUK is a development based research institute, located at south-west coastal area of Bangladesh and the region is called Khulna, third city of Bangladesh. It is to note that LOSAUK belongs to southwest coastal part where “Sundarbans” the biggest mangrove forest is located. Sundarbans is popular to the foreign tourists as a jungle of Sundry trees. There are a vast number of islands of various shapes and size. Spotted deer and Royal Bengal Tiger have glorified Sundarbans of Khulna. There are various historical temples & mosques as well as traditional culture & customs have made this southwest coastal part attractive for all the tourists to know more all out of this region. LOSAUK is a non-profit making organization and the organization was founded in 1987. Dr. Nazmul Ahsan is the Founder. The organization implements donor’s project and makes partnership for development work. It has experiences to work with both national & international donor agencies. The yearly turnover (budget) of the organization is 70,00,000/-(US$107672.30) approximate. LOSAUK has seven members’ executive board and four members advisory committee. The main focus of the organization is made on research, awareness, advocacy and networking. Contact person : Nazmul Ahsan (Ph.D) Founder Chairperson LOSAUK, Khulna, Bangladesh. Address : 2, Farazipara Road, Khulna-9100, Bangladesh. Phone & Fax: 880-41-725940 Mobile: 880-1711-458166 Email: losauk@khulna.bangla.net losauk@bttb.net.bd Web Site: http://www.losauk.org Location of LOSAUK : LOSAUK is situated inside Khulna city. Khulna is the district as well as divisional town, south-west part of Bangladesh. It is 68 km far from Jessore airport and one hour & 25 minutes road journey from the airport to the office premises of LOSAUK. Nearest sea port is Mongla and it is 42 KM far from Khulna City. LOSAUK is situated at 2, Farazipara Road, Khulna, Bangladesh. It is 120 KM far from Satkhira district. Source of Funding : Mainly donor’s support, sale of printed materials, sale of cultural program, subscription of members & advisors and the rent of the premises LOSAUK target groups for the development: · Underprivileged women and adolescent girls. · Children · Unemployed youth · Rural artists and · Disabled and Hijra as well as socially neglected community Working area: Present greater Khulna and 11 districts of Khulna Division which is well connected and maximum 3 hours road journey from each district to reach LOSAUK. Management and staff pattern:
Director appoints all part time and full time staffs with the approval of EC (Executive Committee). Program coordinator, cultural field workers along with information and research officer implement programs of the project. Director controls the administration and the chairperson cum head of the executive body is the contact person of the organization as well as the honorary responsible person for supervising and monitoring of the projects and its work. He executes the program. Membership
Success stories of LOSAUK:
Past, Present and future.
When the organization was set up it was 1987. A few
likeminded people together planned to found LOSAUK with a view to
developing folk culture and theatre as well as urban cultural performance
for the entertainment of the people. From 1989-90, LOSAUK determined to shape
the organization in a broader way and in 1990-91, LOSAUK was registered with
NGO affairs bureau and in 1994 received the registration of Society Act.
When the organization was founded, LOSAUK was registered with Social
Welfare department and plan of operation that LOSAUK did was promotional
at the beginning.
Achievement
of LOSAUK from 1990-1995
Program
of capacity building:
LOSAUK directly supported 11 (eleven) organizations to
develop their capacity to work independently. Organizations are Anirban,
Darshana, Gram Theatre, Dhaka, Sachibunia Sanskritik Sangha, Palli Sriti
Opera, Batiaghata, Bangoshri Opera, Rajmahal Opera, Nazrul Academy,
Pratinidhi Sanskritik Sangstha, Kala Kendra, Daulatpur, Khulna, Theatre and
Natya School, Dhaka. LOSAUK helped them with cash money, books, musical
instruments and technical assistance. Training Program:
During that period (1990-1995) LOSAUK had arranged more than 20 training
workshops and 400 trainees received training from well known cultural
& theatre personalities both from national and international. Among
those experts, Chandra Verker, Dr. Christina Nygren, Kamaluddin Nilu,
Golam Sarwar, Prabir Guha, Dr. Sanat Kumar Mitra, Dr. Ajit Kumar Ghosh,
Anjan Das Gupta, Kamruzzaman Runu, John and Prof. Syed Monjrul Islam.
Publications:
During this period, LOSAUK published six books, 20 posters, 20 brochures, two bilingual bulletins: Jatra and Lokokatha and these two bulletins are still publishing both quarterly and six monthly. 20 oil paintings and its exhibition on Human Rights Issues were also done.
Establishment of training venue:
LOSAUK set up one own training
venue called Khulna Laboratory Theatre Auditorium where small performances,
workshops,
seminars could be held.
Launching non-formal School
program:
LOSAUK continued 5 non-formal
schools and provided full support including all logistic supports and
honorarium to local teachers. Places are: Krishnanagar, Dargatala, Jabusha
and Khulna City Corporation. In Khulna City Corporation, there were two
non-formal schools run by LOSAUK.
Folk Cultural Performance:
LOSAUK arranged more than 40 (forty) open-air folk cultural
performances for entertainment of the public.
Imparting various revenue earning
training:
LOSAUK worked for underprivileged adolescent girls and
imparted training, sewing and skill development training and 200
adolescent girls could derive the benefit and they are now engaged at
various working places and earning their livelihood. South Asian Cultural Festival:
LOSAUK arranged South Asian Cultural festival with the
support of ACFOD, Thailand in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Three leading
organizations from Bangladesh including LOSAUK and four organizations from
India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan attended the festival. It was a tie,
developed with all these South Asian Countries and was an exchange of
culture through participation and performance. Two innovative works and
publication: LOSAUK brought out one bilingual audiocassette box contained
ten TDK cassettes called History of Bengali Music in Sound and Dr.
Karunamoy Goswami edited it. Auchin Pakhi (unknown bird) a documentary
film on humanitarian idea of Fakir Lalon Shah was published and Mr. Tanvir
Mukammel directed & edited the work. The Ford Foundation financed the
program.
From
1996- to 2000 Achievement was so far made in continuing previous years
works and a few works were developed in research- on Low Cost Theatre,
Theatre for Development, Cultural activities, rights based approach and
networking. Networking:
LOSAUK developed 10 (ten) adolescent city slum girl network
groups, 4 (four) woman net work groups, 2 (two) children network groups, 9
(nine) cultural network groups and 4 (four)
jatra network groups.
Regional Jatra Conference: This is one of the successful network programs and the
interest of jatra artistes and their rights were duly considered and the
network was active.
Behavioral change and social marketing program: LOSAUK shifted from its promotional work to direct awareness
and advocacy works and various issues were put forward through cultural
& theatre tools to make people aware and transformed. There were 100
performances launched during this period at 15 villages, 4 unions of
Batiaghata & Dumuria thana of Khulna district.
International TFD (Theatre for Development) workshop):
Being supported by Dhaka British Council, Royal Norwegian
Embassy and Japan Foundation Asia Center, experts from 4 continents where
13 international TFD experts and 50 national TFD experts and activists
joined International Theatre for Development workshop held at Khulna
Laboratory Theatre Auditorium of LOSAUK in Khulna, Bangladesh. 7 (seven) days
workshop were successfully performed and many donors took initiative to
recognize TFD process, a tool for development.
Construction of Institute of Cultural Research
(ICR) : At the end of 2000, LOSAUK advanced to construct ICR at Krishnanagar, near Khulna University and with this approach, it was an initiative of LOSAUK to begin its work as an agent of social mobilization, change and transformation. Construction is completed but it needs more decoration and has to be equipped for proper use.
Achievement
of LOSAUK from 2001 to 2005: TFD course offered:
LOSAUK experimentally offered 9
months certificate course on Theatre for Development and 100 activists
came out successfully during 3 years time and many national and
international experts were involved in conducting that course.
Initiation of conducting HE link
program:
In collaboration of Dhaka University, King Alfred’s
College, Winchester, UK and Khulna University, LOSAUK developed TFD and
TIE course jointly working with other partner institutions both for
introducing those subjects both at Dhaka University and Khulna University.
Theatre in Education was introduced as a course paper at English
discipline of Khulna University and TFD was introduced as a course paper
at Theatre & Music Department of Dhaka University. Short courses and ToT Programs:
LOSAUK offered three months short course on TFD as well as
weeklong ToT programs were conducted during this time period. More than 8
programs were held & certificates were given. Formation of cultural core team:
LOSAUK formed a small cultural core team and 12 members team
with developed skill continue program of LOSAUK at grass roots level for
social mobilization. Issues i.e. social cultural, health related i.e.
reproductive, nutrition & HIV/AIDS and
environment are taken as theme of the issue for community development and
mobilization.
Yearly Lokomela (Folk cultural
fair): LOSAUK has been performing its yearly folk cultural fair for community entertainment and community development by reducing the gap between urban and rural people as well as to popularize rural culture among the urban audience and present generation. It is held at the end of December every year. Human Rights Approach:
At the end of 2003 LOSAUK has developed human rights approach
by assessing both needs and rights of the common mass through advocacy and
awareness. Priority has been made and any issue that goes against the
interest of the mass communities, underprivileged people and socially
neglected communities, LOSAUK by developing a cell takes initiative for
mobilization and transformation and also links them with those
organizations provide services to fulfill their needs.
Future
plan of LOSAUK that begins from January 2006 for coming five years
Partnership Program:
LOSAUK wants to implement various systematic project programs
through formation of national and international partnership. Project implementation under
consortium:
LOSAUK wishes to go under any
like-minded national and international consortium or to build a consortium
by their own initiative for implementing projects with a view to
developing communities, people, community culture, heritage, belief and
both social & economic initiatives.
Equip LOSAUK Institute of Cultural
Research (ICR):
LOSAUK wishes to decorate its
complex institute for community development and grass root development
works. Human Rights approach and advocacy:
Minorities, disabled, underprivileged, social, cultural &
community people are the prior target groups of LOSAUK and for the
development of those people, right based approach in the way of addressing
their needs under project program for establishment of their rights and to
meet their needs have considered as project themes and works of LOSAUK.
Combat woman and child trafficking, worst form of child labor, rural
migrant issues, HIV/AIDS & STD and violence against woman, corruption
and water & sanitation are the important issues that LOSAUK has
decided to design in its project proposal to launch projects all over
Bangladesh. Health related issues and
alleviation of poverty: LOSAUK has prioritized the health sectors and health issues
as nutrition and HIV/AIDS to eradicate poverty. The work on health issues under project program have
been initiated with due consideration. Use of culture as a component for BCCM:
This is another approach that LOSAUK has developed for its
future plan and it is the target of LOSAUK to reach the grass root level
for social mobilization, mass transformation and developing community by
eradicating poverty. Priority of Environment: LOSAUK is located at South West Coastal part where water logging and bio diversity issues as well as wetland issues are the prior issues which LOSAUK has given much priority for its next project programs. |
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Loke Nattya O Sanskritik Unnayan Kendra |
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