Who Are We?

Manob Kallayan Swabolombi Songstha (MKSS), a non-profit, non-political, and non-communal local social welfare organization, was established in 1990. It was officially registered with the Social Services Department in 1991 and the NGO Affairs Bureau in 1996. Since its inception, the organization has consistently and efficiently implemented successful programs aimed at improving the living conditions of its disadvantaged beneficiaries.

MKSS's welfare-oriented development programs encompass a variety of initiatives, including the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) Program, raising awareness among the hardcore poor, landless, and assetless individuals, as well as providing primary healthcare services. Additionally, the organization is involved in the Out-of-School Children Program (sub-component of PEDP-4), coordinated with the Bureau of Non-formal Education (BNFE), and monitors the Program for Literacy and Continuing Education for Human Resource Development (PLCEHED). Furthermore, MKSS is engaged in diverse projects such as the Ananda School (ROSC) Program, basic literacy initiatives focusing on sanitation, safe water, cottage industries, integrated fish culture, integrated agriculture development, and nursery and forestry sector projects. Other projects include the CARE GO-Interfish project, Social Investment Program, Flood Emergency Response Project, Non-Formal Primary Education Program, Child Care Center, Health Care Center, Food Security Projects, BDWUB Project, Livelihood Empowerment and Agro Forestry Project, Life Skill Education for Adolescent Development Project, Disable Development Project, and Relief Operation Project. The organization remains dedicated to its mission of promoting social welfare and sustainable development in the local community.

WORKING AREA:

MKSS works in several Districts- Gaibandha, Rangpur, Kurigram, Bogra, Jamalpur, Natore, Pabna, Nilphamari, Sirajganj, Joypurhat, Barishal, Patuakhali & Dhaka City with several Upazilas- Sadullapur, Gaibandha Sadar, Palashbari, Saghata, Phulchhari, Sundarganj, Mithapukur, Kaunia, Rangpur Sadar, Pirganj, Pirgacha, Ulipur, Sariakandi, Dewanganj, Baraigram Bhangura, Nilphamari Sadar, Dimla, Jaldhaka, Sirajganj Sadar & Joypurhat Sadar.

MISSION & VISION:

Mission MKSS is to attain qualitative improvement of the living conditions of the target group. the destitute deprived and hardcore poor men & women raising their consciousness, developing human resources, and providing facilities and support for their self-reliance through employment, self or wage, itself working as guide & catalyst. The vision is to establish a society based on equality and justice, where none will remain hungry. deprived or oppressed, the fundamental needs of the underprivileged will be met and they live as equal citizens with dignity and rights. The ultimate goal is to bring the target group into the mainstream of development Empowerment of women and gender equality being necessary preconditions are also components of the mission.

AIM & GOALS:

Mission MKSS is to attain qualitative improvement of the living conditions of the target group. the destitute deprived and hardcore poor men & women raising their consciousness, developing human resources, and providing facilities and support for their self-reliance through employment, self or wage, itself working as a guide & catalyst. The vision is to establish a society based on equality and justice, where no one will remain hungry, deprived, or oppressed, the fundamental needs of the underprivileged will be met and they live as equal citizens with dignity and rights. The ultimate goal is to bring the target group into the 7 mainstream of development Empowerment of women and gender equality being necessary preconditions are also components of the mission.

OUR AIM & OBJECTIVES:

The ultimate goal of MKSS is to improve the living conditions of the people in its working area through the implementation of multi-objective development projects. To achieve this, the organization will undertake and execute programs, including but not limited to: 

(i) Socio-economic development leads to the self-reliance of the disadvantaged community—women, men, children, and youth—by instilling in them the desire for development through community efforts. 

(ii) Strategies to reduce poverty among the hardcore poor, focusing on planned family, health, nutrition, blindness, mother and child healthcare, etc.

(iii) Improvement of village roads, plantation, re-excavation of ponds for pisciculture, eradication of illiteracy, water conservation, and sanitation initiatives.

 (iv) Organization of landless and assetless communities, providing training on appropriate Income Generating Activities (IGAs).

 (v) Disaster management, relief, and rehabilitation through partnership and collaborative programs. 

(vi) Information sharing, social research, and organizing training, seminars, workshops, etc. 

(vii) Addressing social and human rights issues, and engaging in VGD (Vulnerable Group Development) target group activities.

POLICIES, PROCEDURES & GUIDELINES:

The Organization is governed in a participatory and decentralized manner. An Executive committee consists of 7 members elected by the General Council who take up the responsibility of the execution of the organization. The Executive Director on behalf of the executive committee conducts overall management and is an ex-officio as the secretary of the E.C. The E.C. convenes a meeting to make the necessary decisions and review the progress of the organization after every 3 months and the general Council brings together at least once in a year. The E.C. is responsible to the General Council for its activists. There is a core management team consisting of not more than 29 members and headed by the Executive Director. This team is responsible for implementing the policies as well as Organizational management affairs.

Our Management Systems:

The management set up of Manob Kallyan Swabolombi Songstha – MKSS comprises a General Body of 29 members. an elected Executive committee of 07 social workers an Advisory council of 02 local experts/ dignitaries and regular staff-strength field officials. Office support staff and volunteers. At Sadullapur MKSS owns a piece of land with its office buildings thereon. For receipt and payment of funds, MKSS maintains accounts with Sonali Bank Limited. Sadullapur Branch ( post office- Sadullapur. District: Gaibandha. Bangladesh which is jointly operated by its Chairman. Secretary and Treasurer. 

Monitoring and Evaluation System of MKSS: Since the success and failure of a project depends largely on systematic and efficient monitoring and evaluation of activities generally done by the implementing organization, MKSS is very dean to perform the said jobs in all eases of its program planning and implementation process. Due attention and priority are given to timely monitoring and evaluation of the program performances of the project during and reporting period. The tasks included under monitoring and evaluation activities are as follows-

∙ The day-to-day performances of the concerned staff are observed, reviewed and feedback taken at the end of each working day. 

∙ Day to day problems and limitations faced by all classes of staff are critically analyzed and probable solutions are given from all levels of supervisory and management staff.

 ∙ A monthly meeting to review the progress and problems of a program is held at the end of 1st week of the successive month with all levels of staff where success stories are narrated and the solutions to problems are given regularly. 

∙ Planned quarterly review meetings of a project are held timely. Progress and problems are recorded and their due solutions are given along with organizing and recognizing program monitoring techniques. 

∙ Half yearly internal evaluation study is undertaken and feedback is provided to all levels of implementation and management staff including EC members of MKSS. 

∙ Annual evaluation of project activities is done with the help of resource persons from networking NGOs and EC members of MKSS. The findings of the evaluation are shared and disseminated among all stakeholders.

ESTABLISHMENT & LEGAL STATUS:

Moved  by  the  inhuman  conditions  of  the  distressed  and  disadvantaged  sections  of  society,  some likeminded social workers grouped together and established MKSS in 1990 with the avowed objective of serving  distressed  humanity.  It  is  registered  with  the  Social  Welfare  Directorate,  Government  of Bangladesh, vide No-276 dated 11-08-91, Health Reg No. O-80/96, as well as the NGO Affairs Bureau, and the number is 1031 dated 17-04-96.

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL AWARDS:

Received  the  National  Award  for  Best  Participation  in  Education  in  1998  from  the  Government  of Bangladesh,  the  100%  Sanitation  Coverage  Award  in  2003  from  Care  Bangladesh,  and  successfully achieved the goals of the Micro Credit Summit (Washington D.C.) in 2001.