On Tuesday 11th March 2008 a good crowd of almost 50 people met at St Peters’ Church Hall in Pedmore to enjoy a meal together and to hear about some of the projects supported by Christian Aid in Bangladesh. This “Supper from Bangladesh” had been arranged by the Stourbridge Christian Aid Committee and was supported by people from many different Churches in Stourbridge and beyond. There was a good contingent from St Thomas's and also people from as far away as Cleobury Mortimer and Stourport.

Christian Aid works by directly supporting local projects in developing countries. Muhammed Shaffiuddin (or Shaffy as he is known) is the Director of one such project in Bangladesh. He was in England at the invitation of Christian Aid to give a first hand account of his work to Churches, to children in schools and to other groups such as ours.

In 1987 Shaffy set up the Gono Kallayn Trust (GKT) – which means "Peoples' Welfare Trust". Christian Aid supported GKT from the beginning to help it get started but Shaffy was delighted to tell us that given that "kick start", GKT was now able to carry on its good work on its own; generating its own resources and , he was pleased to say, freeing up Christian Aid to move on and support new projects elsewhere.

GKT targets its work to help distressed women and children, landless farmers (who make up half of the 80% of Bangladesh's population who live in rural areas), ethnic and religious minorities, people living in the remote island areas as well as the old and disabled. It helps such people build livelihoods for themselves. Through village based hatchery and poultry schemes the very poor can be lent a few chickens or ducks : they start to breed from them and build up their own flock for eggs, meat and further growth. Other projects lend small amounts of money to help people start their own businesses. Once these ventures are started and growing GKT gives them further advice and support by linking them into the normal markets for goods and by getting finance and investment from the normal banking system - thus launching them as self-sufficient enterprises.

Another important aspect of GKT's work can be characterised by the slogans "Power to the Powerless" and "Let the ultra-poor speak out". GKT helps to set up Peoples’ Ward Committees and trains people to take part as locally elected councilors. In a country where women have few rights, GKT encourages the inclusion of women in the local judicial committees. It trains them to take part in the local village courts especially against domestic violence, dowry, property rights etc.,

Shaffy told a moving story of one young woman they had helped. She had been more or less excluded from her family following the breakdown of her arranged marriage to a very much older man. With no education and little self esteem she had to start looking after herself. GKT gave her basic education and training. They then helped her develop a small business selling eggs door to door. Over time her self confidence was built up to such an extent that she is now a leading member of the village council and has her own income.

This is the main aim of GKT; to give people with nothing a start in life so that they can then develop and look after themselves. It is the same principle for Christian Aid which has given a start to GKT and can now leave it to carry on its good work alone, allowing Christian Aid funds to be used elsewhere.

We all enjoyed an interesting evening, good company together and a really good curry meal supplied by “Harry’s of Lye”, a Bangladeshi restaurant. It was a good introduction to Christian Aid and, for some who had not experienced it before, a good introduction to one of the West Midlands’ culinary delights and traditions – the curry!

Hugh Williams