Celebrating 75 Years of CARE Bangladesh: A Legacy of Compassion and Change

The 75th anniversary celebration of CARE Bangladesh marked a significant milestone in the organization’s journey of humanitarian aid and development. The event brought together dignitaries, partners, and community members to reflect on the impactful work done over the decades and to envision a future filled with hope and opportunity.

Key Takeaways

• Historical Significance: CARE Bangladesh has been a pivotal player in humanitarian efforts since its inception in 1949.
• Community Impact: The organization has transformed millions of lives through various programs focused on poverty alleviation, women‘s empowerment, and disaster response.
• Future Vision: The event emphasized the importance of continuing to innovate and adapt to the changing needs of communities.

A Journey Through Time

The celebration began with a warm welcome from the hosts, who highlighted the rich history of CARE Bangladesh. Established in 1949, the organization has evolved from delivering care packages to war-torn Europe to addressing urgent humanitarian needs in Bangladesh and beyond.

The event featured speeches from key leaders, including the country director, who shared inspiring stories of resilience and transformation. One poignant story was that of Farida Begum, a widow who, after losing her husband and her livelihood to a cyclone, found hope through CARE’s income-generating projects.

Celebrating Achievements

Throughout its 75 years, CARE Bangladesh has achieved remarkable milestones, including:

• Empowerment of Women: Initiatives aimed at educating and empowering women have been at the forefront of CARE’s mission, helping to uplift entire communities.
• Disaster Response: The organization has played a crucial role in disaster preparedness and response, providing immediate relief and long-term recovery support.
• Sustainable Development: CARE’s focus on sustainable practices, particularly in agriculture and climate adaptation, has fostered resilience among vulnerable populations.

Looking Ahead

As the event concluded, attendees were encouraged to reflect on the future. The leadership emphasized the need for continued collaboration with local partners and communities to tackle ongoing challenges such as poverty and inequality.

The celebration also included the launch of a publication documenting CARE’s journey over the past 75 years, showcasing the stories and achievements that have defined its legacy.

Conclusion

The 75th anniversary of CARE Bangladesh was not just a celebration of the past but a call to action for the future. With a commitment to social justice and gender equality, CARE aims to continue its mission of creating a better, more equitable world for all. The event served as a reminder that while much has been accomplished, the work remains unfinished, and together, we can inspire future generations to dream bigger and strive for excellence.

Sources

• 75 years of CARE Bangladesh | The celebration of 75 years of CARE Bangladesh has begun. Join us as we go live! #CAREBangladesh75Years #CAREBangladesh75 শুরু হয়ে গেছে কেয়ার… | By CARE Bangladesh | তিথি হিসেবে মোহাম্মদ কামরুল হাসান, সচিব ministry of disaster management কিছুক্ষণের মধ্যে আমাদের সাথে জয়েন করবেন. আ মোহাম্মদ সাইদুর রহমান director general NGO বুরু. চিফ অ্যাডভাইজার অফিস. আমাদের সাথে আরও আছেন. হার excellences এর ব্রিটিশ হাই কমিশনার টু বাংলাদেশ. আমাদের সাথে আছেন reed asslement mission director USI বাংলাদেশ. এবং আমাদের সাথে জয়েন করেছেন care global এর অনেক senior leaders. আমরা wait করছি আর কিছুক্ষণের মধ্যেই আমরা আমাদের অনুষ্ঠান শুরু করতে যাচ্ছি. আমরা আপনাদেরকে অনুরোধ করছি আপনাদের আসন গ্রহণ করবার জন্য. আমার নাম আমার না অনেক লেখাপড়া করো রিশ্রা কিন্তু আমার মায়ের? Hello, আমার ইস্কুলে যাইবার দেয় না. হ্যাঁ. আমার মায়ের কোল গরিব মানুষের আবার লেখাপড়া কিসের? কোন লেখাপড়া করণ লাগতো না. ফেটে ভাত জোটে না আবার লেখাপড়া করতে চাই. আপনারাই কন. এইটা কি ঠিক? সবাই কত সুন্দর **** করে স্কুলে যায়. কত কিছু শিখে. কিন্তু আমি আর ইস্কুলে যাইবার পারি না. কেউ কি নাই? আমারে একটু সাহায্য করবো. আমারে লেখা পড়া করার সুযোগ কইরা দিবো. এইটা কি? এটা তো একটা অনেক বড় বাকশাল না ভালো লাগে. দিঘি তো ভিতরে কি আসে? ভিড়ের ভিতরে কত জিনিস এটার মধ্যে আমার বইও আছে. তাইলে কি আমি ইস্কুলে যাইবার পারব? মারে তো এখন ইস্কুলে দাও কি রে ফাতেমা কি ফাটা কই যা ইস্কুলে যাইতাছে ইস্কুলে যাই ভাই আমার নোট. ইস্কুলে যায়. কিছুই তো বুঝবার পারতাসি না. ছবি তো আমার গেসে ও চাচা কিছু বুঝা আমিও কিছুই বুঝবার পারতাছি না চাচা দিনে দিনে দেশটা কেমন জানি. যাইতাছে হ্যাঁ? তাই তো কই চাচা. আমারও তাই মনে একটা অসহায় অবস্থার মধ্যে আছি. সেইটা কাউরে বুঝাইবো কিভাবে যে কি করব তাও বুঝতে পারতাছি না আমার ঘাড়ের উপর বাবা, মা ছোট ভাই বোন সবার দায়িত্ব. বাবা বাবা অনেক সব খেতে খামারে কষ্ট কইরা কাজ কইরা আমারে কলেজে পড়াইসিল. বাবারও বয়স হয়েছে. আমি বড় মেয়ে. কিভাবে যে কি সামলাবো কিভাবে? কোন জায়গায় চাকরি নিতে গেলে সবার ওই একই কথা. মাইয়া মানুষ দিয়া কি পোলা মাইটার কাম হয়? আপনার আইকন। আমার লেখা পড়ার আমার লেখা পড়ার কি কোনো দাম নাই? মাইয়া মানস বইলা কি পইরা থাকব আরে এইটা কি? এইটা তো একটা বাক্স মনে হইতাছে. এইটার মধ্যে কত seen দেখি তো. Love you তার মানে আমি আমি মোটরসাইকেল চালাবো. পোলামাইঞ্চির মত. মোটরসাইকেল চালায় চাকরি করতে যামু. আমি মোটরসাইকেল চালামু. কিরে? আলাউদ্দিনের সেরেক নাহি. সবাই খালি এইখানে আইতাছে. আর এক টা একটা কইরা উঠাইতাছে. চিনা চাচা. কেউ এমনি দে. কেউ এমনি দে. ও চাচা. দে. যাইতাছে. তো যাইতেই. আছে. ও চাচা. আমার আর সহ্য হইতেছে না. আমারও এদিকে আয়. কি কনসাস আছে? কই যামু? দেখি. এইটার ভিতরে কি আছে? চাচা মা কি কয় ডন লাগে আমার কি আসে চাচা আপনি যান আরে আয় না চাচা দেখ চাচা না চাচা এই চাচা কথা কইয়েন না দেখতাছি দেরি করস কেরে? চাচা এহ. ভূত পেত্নী থাকবার পরে ভূত ওই শিমুল গাছের মতন. দেহেন না? হ্যাঁ. তেমনি মাইয়া মানুষ. আচ্ছা. কানে গেল? আ ও খোদার. এবারের বাংলা সব নিয়ে গেলো আমার ভেঙে গেলো. এখন সারা রোবন করবো কেমনে? বাগান হোসল করবো কেমনে? কিছুই বলতেছি না. আমার. ঘরের খাও নাইবো কোত্থেকে? এতগুলো মানুষ কি খাইয়া বাইচ্যা থাকবো আমরা? এটা কি? বাক্স মনে হইতেছে তো মনে হচ্ছে কি জানি আসে. কি এগুলো? ধানের বীজ মনে হইতেছে? কতগুলো ধানের বীজ. তাইলে আল্লাই আমার দিকে চোখ তুলে চাইছে. এতগুলো ধানের বীজ যাই. বীজগুলো এবার জমি দেবে পালানোর চেষ্টা করি. মনে হইতেছে আল্লাই শেষ পর্যন্ত আমার দিকে. চোখ তুলে চাইছে. আমার মনে হয় তালে এবার দুঃখ যাইবে আল্লাহ. হচোসা এদিকে আয়. কি চাচা? তাড়াতাড়ি আয় না. অন্নেষ আছে. কি কয়? এইটার ভিতরে এমন দুঃখই হইবো. ঘুরচাস. শসা. চাচা কেমন আইতাছে? হেলতা. হইতাছে. আর পারি না. এই পোয়া কিশোরী রে. একদিন ধান ভাঙা আর পোষায় না. একটু জিরা লই. ওই মোরল চাচাজীবন গিফটটা. এর বউও এমন কিপটা. কত কইরা কইলাম. একটু দাদা পানি নাই. তারপরে আমার বেতনটা আজকে দিল না. আজকেও খালি ভাতের দয়া থাক তুই. আগে পয়সাটা মইরা গেল. অপুষ্টি আসে. মা রে ওরেও কি বাঁচাতে পারুম না. এইটা কি? থালা কোত্থেকে লেখাউল মাংস আমার সরো মাস্টার আছে পয়সা আছে এই রে টি মায়েদের. কি করে খাবার? তার মানে? সরো মাছ খাইলো আমি পুষ্টি খাব? দুলালে বাদরে কই তুইরা চড়ে মারিস কিনা দিতে আমারে চাই এই কঞ্চি ও শসা এখন হ্যাঁ কি হয়েছে আপনার? এইবার দেখবোই. চাচা আপনি যান. আমার ডর লাগে. ওই ডর লাগে. চাচা. এদিকে আয়. চাচা. বোম টম থাকবার পরে. জায়ন নাতনি. সুযোগ নাই. এদিকে হায় কইতাছি আয় না. দেখতাছি. এই তো ছাতু করেন. অ্যা আমি মোরাল. আমার গাছে আবার ছাতা দিছে. রাখলাম. হ্যাঁ কঞ্চি. সাহায্য করেন, ঘুমাইতে পারতাসি না. চাসা ইয়ে আলাদিনের সেরা দিনের সেরা ও চাচা আমি দেইখা লই. আমার পরানরা জুড়াইয়া গেছে. এইটা হইলো গিয়া আঙ্গুর পরিবর্তনের পথ প্রদর্শন. গত পঁচাত্তর বছরে এই দেশের আত্ম সামাজিক উন্নয়নের জন্য যে কাজ করছে. এ হলো গিয়া. ও উচ্চ উচ্চসম্ভি. আমার তো একটা পরিবর্তন হইসে. কি কনসো, তাইলে আমি খামু কি কইরা? কয় কি আমি জাগাই, তুইও তাই খাইবে. আচ্ছা ঠিক আছে. আচ্ছা. আই. আমি চিন্তা করছি. ও চাচা. এখন ভালো হইয়া যাইমু. এটা সম্ভব মন থাইকা কইতাছি আচ্ছা আচ্ছা ঠিক আছে তাইলে. হ্যাঁ. কিন্তু কইছেন এরকম বহুতবার. চাচা. জি. যদি ভালোই হইয়া যান. তা আমার বেতনটা যদি একটু দিয়ে দিতেন. ভালো কথা কইসে না. তোমার বেতন না. আজকেই দিয়া দিলাম. এই শ্বশুর. ওরে তোরা কে কোথায় আবাসি গো? তুই আয়. বৌদি আয়. মোরো চাচা পাগল আমি. পাগল হয়ে গেছো. না না না and this BM pack of the care box, has translated a cross demographics and generations to create lasting and transformational change among the communities be serve from it’s humble beginnings as a justure of support from the American people to war torn Europe during the Second World War. The legacy of the iconic care package has inspired CARE’s journey across the decades. Through long term development programs focused on marginalized communities. Care has addressed urgent humanitarian needs and supported the fight against poverty in more than a00 countries globally. Caring forward the tradition of those early acts of compassion and with our continued focus on development and social justice. Care remains committed to creating a better, more equitable world for all. With the core belief that gender equality is essential to ending global poverty. Care tirelessly to ensure that women and girls are protected, educated, and given opportunities to realise their full potential. Creating such empowerment not only transforms lives but also uplifts entire communities driving sustainable development. Together, let us continue to inspire and dream bigger, to create lasting impact for generations to come. May the celebration of the last 75 years in Bangladesh serve as our compass for a future filled with hope and possibility. With deep gratitude, we acknowledge and appreciate your support for being here with us today to commemorate this remarkable milestone. What a beautiful day today. We you gathered? Not just to celebrate a remarkable journey but also to recognise the countless lives touched by KR Bangladesh over the years. It’s a historical moment for all care by the staff, volunteers, partners, donors and communities that we are celebrating this auspicious 75 years of care in Bangladesh. We really honor to have all of you together at this very moment. Good morning everyone. It’s a great honor to welcome you to the 75th anniversary celebration of Care Bangladesh. As the host for this momentous occasion, I am Ronak Jahan, director Uma Ali Youth Empowerment Program and. And I am Tony Michael. I am the director for strategic partnership, advocacy and coms. You will be amazed to know that today we have most of our senior leaders of our partner organizations, INGO communities, high officials of different government and non-government organizations and of course senior leaders from most of our donors and supporters. In this ah what else do we need to celebrate? What else do we need to thank? So this is a very beautiful moment for all of us. We would like to thank you again. To give this beautiful moment a great start. We had a great performance by the Care Bangladesh staff. On the KS historical box content. And to keep that momentum on, latest begin our opening plenary session. Listening from our country director Mister Ram Das. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Amdas. Yeah, thank you. Good morning. Excellencies guests, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen I warmly welcome you all to this momentous occasion of observing 75 years of a service to the people of Bangladesh. I would like to start with a few words. On the magical performance you just saw on the stage on the care pack. More than a year after World War second concluded in Europe the residents of Lahabraf in France continue to struggle for survival. The homes remain leveled And the stomachs chronically empty. On May 111946. Relieved arrive from across the ocean on a cargo ship. American traveler and steamed into the war torn cities harbour with a shipment of food and hope. About 15000 brown cardboard boxes. Paid for by the cooperative of American remittances to Europe. Care. Which had been founded the previous year to bring humanitarian aid to millions starving in post war Europe. These first care packages contain everything from milk powder, and liver loaf, to margarine and coffee, to soap and diapers, and school supplies and medicine, as well as fabric, thread and needles. At the cost of ten dollars, people in America could send the food donations to friends and families back in Europe. Soon however, people began donating provisions to those who didn’t, they didn’t even know. Addressing boxes, to a hungry occupant in ashed cottage. Or a school teacher in Germany. During those uncertain times an unusual time the signed received of the care package came back all the way to America. To the sender. With most of the postal and telecommunication systems. Devastated across Europe. That was the only proof. That the near and dear ones were alive. Package recipients who are still alive today. Emotionally remember how his small gesture save the day for them. Once a story is about Renet Santa. Renet Centre was one of those anonymous recipients. Born in 1939. Santa knew nothing other than the war. While growing up in West Prussia. We had nothing. Absolutely nothing. centre says. A year after war’s conclusion, Santa was a student of the school in West Germany with a piece of chalk and a slate her only school supplies. One day, a Red Cross nurse arrived with a care package to the students. And even though the moment occurred 70 years ago, the memories remain vivid in centre’s mind. It was a maroon red and white kale letters on it. I opened it and the first thing that hit me was this beautiful white paper that fell like silk. A pencil with a eraser, a toothpaste and a toothbrush. Santa says I was so in awe and speechless at this white paper that I ran home with this package. To my mother. For the next three us she continue to receive care packages filled with clothes and food. It was so overwhelming that we received these packages. You have no idea how it change the lives and outlooks, centre says. 70 odd years later, a small village in Bangladesh. Farida Begum, 55 year old resident of Sharan Kola in Bagherhat. Of Bangladesh faced numerous challenges. After the untimely death of her husband. Death ridden Farida, courageously shouldered the responsibilities of the family. Providing her daughter and son by selling vegetables and walking as a household help. The devastating cyclone Amfam of twenty twenty. Which wrecked havoc across the Bay of Bengal region. Affected by approximately 10 million people in Bangladesh. And an estimate half a million families potentially lost their homes This father was in Farida’s suffering when a crops when a crops in the poultry farm which were only source of livelihood were destroyed. She managed to stay afloat with a high interest loan. After more than three years, Kez, loss and damage project brought a glimmer of hope in our life. She was one of the many recipients of the income generating project. Received funds through digital transfer. This support change the life. She invested in poultry and goats. She also received 11 types of seeds from the project. Which helped diversify his her farming. Farida is one of the many stories of resilience in the region of Bhagarat. Two stories. Almost eight decades apart. Evokes emotions of care and empathy. Helping people to rise. We are gathered here today to celebrate that momentous 75 years of journey K started to work on this land in October 19 forty-nine. From humble beginnings, we have grown into a thriving community. That has made significant impact In the lives of millions of people. 75 years is a lifetime As life passes through its moments of triumphs and tribulations successes and disappointments, highs and lows Here Bangladesh had its moments too. Each of these moments shaped the organisation and strengthened its edifice. On which it stands today. Towering yet humble and grounded. It’s a moment of pride. Reflection and gratitude As we honor not just a years that have passed but the incredible journey we have undertaken together. This is also a tribute to the care staff. The first ever recruit in 1949. Till today We have been instrumental in building this organisation. Brick by brick. To what it is today. It is a hard work that has sharpened us towards allowing us to adapt. grow, and thrive in an ever changing world. I’m aware that we are standing today on the shoulders of joints. This is also an occasion to pay rich tributes to the deep and emotional partnership with the people of Bangladesh. It’s a vibrant civil society organizations. It’s governments over the years and our donors who all believed in us and trusted us. As we celebrate this anniversary, let us also look to the future. The next chapter for organisation is filled with promise and opportunity Together we can continue to innovate. Embrace new ideas. And tackle the challenges that lie ahead. Our legacy is not just what we have accomplished. But also how we inspire future generations. To dream big and strive for excellence. In closing I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each one of you over here. Thank you for your dedication, your passion, your belief in our mission. Let us celebrate our past, embrace our present, and step boldly into the future together. Here’s to 75 years of success and to many more to come. As long as there is poverty, there is inequality and there is injustice. Our work remains unfinished. Warm welcome to all of you again. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you so much Ram. It’s always inspiring listening to Ram. So, I’m going out of the podium. Just trying to be out of the box, something like that. It, the audience lives very frizzy and it’s something very very scary. No. Very formal. Alright. So, by the time we got ready with the next presentation Uh let me excite you saying that are we here today? Hello. Hello. No, no, no, no, no, you’re not here. So, yeah, okay. Are we here? Hi, good morning. Morning. Alright, excellent. Thank you so much. It’s really exciting day because it’s, it’s, it’s not a project launch, it’s not a research launch. It’s a 75 years of care. So, we are celebrating it and I’m really really humbled and honored to see such a high profile guest in front of us and and they made this occasion really memorable and successful with their presence. We have our supporters and donors with us. We have our partners. You’ll be excited to know that around 52 partner organizations, senior leadership, join us today in this occasion. And ah our care staff, not all, some of our volunteers, ah our media friends, everybody within this room. So I am really feeling excited, blessed that this day came and we we able to celebrate. And ah the celebration comes in we always feel excited when we we learn from our senior leaders. And and right now the leader that I’m I’m thinking about she wanted to join this ah this occasion. But due to ah lot of different you know overlapping priorities. She couldn’t make this time. But she send her message. Can you guess? Who is she? She is our president and CEO care, Michelle Nan. So, a clap for Michelle and we will be listening her now. Yeah. Happy seventieth Cara Bangladesh. What an extraordinary milestone of contribution and accomplishment and impact. Lives change, communities, transformed, and ultimately enormous possibilities that have been unleashed throughout the country. Uh and not only that but you’ve also influenced CARE’s work around the world. Your creativity, your innovation has set the stage, set the standard, set the expectation for transformational work that has carried here for a world and will continue to do so. So, we look forward to continued big, enormous things ahead and thank you to all of our partners in government and civil society. You’ve helped us make a difference and we are only getting started. It’s okay, It’s okay. It’s okay. Alright, yeah. So ah can we give a applause to Michelle and also for our colleagues from care who joined. And ah there are number of senior leaders from care. Ah global team came this far in and joining this event and probably not all of them ah will be speaking today but somebody will definitely speak. Ah can I request the podium for to fix? So that we can really invite. Ah Yeah. So, this time we’ll be listening somebody who take his time and join this moment And ah He is with us. I would request Who? Guess so let us welcome Ranil Da Silva. Ranil please join us on stage. He is our Yes Ranil is our COO and CFO care. A big applause for Ranil. Please Ram John, just, just, just hang on for the podium. Can any volunteer help us with the podium, please? It look like a magic that it’s vanished. Alright. Or or you feel comfortable with the, alright, yeah, Polyvis here. Just hang on. Yes. Ladies and gentlemen, Ranil Da Silva. Can you hear me okay? Great. Hi, good morning everyone. Really nice to be here. Um thanks Tony for a warm welcome. Um and thank you so much to our honorable guest who’s sitting here. Very nice to have representation from the NGO community in in the Bangladesh government. Um USAID well presented by Reid and our honorable excellence from excellency from the British High Commission Sarah. Welcome. Um and most of our guests here very big thank you to you know, Ram, our country director and Ramesh Singh who’s our previous country director. Now, there was a regional director in Asia to be you know, giving us the opportunity to celebrate the 75th anniversary about you know K Bangladesh Country Office. So, it’s really nice to be here. 75 years is a really long time, right? When you think about it, I think when care establishes presence and impact you know in back in 1949, right that’s really about four years after the first care package was delivered in in Europe, right? So, it’s a really a significant event celebrating 75 years in Bangladesh. So, I would like to really give a warm a round of applause for the the real hard work that you guys have done. Um as a country of his team. Um I just arrived morning so I’m a bit wary. Um you know I landed at 2 AM and and our lovely friends from the country office met me. All very well dressed up. Even in a suit. At at 2 AM in the morning to meet me at the airport. So I was very humbled and privileged to to have that level of you know excitement and welcoming to the country office. So I get to visit many many country offices in my role. Um but this is a really a warm welcome at 2 AM in the morning. So so thank you so much. Uh for people who pick me up and and and brought me into the into the even today But as I was you know coming from from the US, I was reflecting back a lot. You know, 75 years, people who set up this mission and the country office are probably not here to really see the benefits and the impact it has had in the community, right? You know, often, the things that we do has a real impact in the future and quite often we don’t get to see it in our in our generation or in our lifetime. So, the things that was established probably 75 years ago from our forefathers setting up the vision and the mission for this country office. Ah they are probably not here to really see the benefits and the impact it has had in the community. Right? So so we are very blessed to spend a lot of time here in Bangladesh. Doing a lot of exciting programs. I think the work that we do in the climate space is really innovative. Ah I think it’s one of the few country offices in the care world that does a lot of work on the climate space. Right? So it’s very exciting to see that. Ah the work we do in Bangladesh around women and economic empowerment especially in the garment sector. I think that’s pretty impressive. Um the work that we do especially on the humanitarian space. Supporting all levels of different crisis across the the country. I think that’s really impressive. So you should be very proud of what you have achieved not only as a country office but also in partnership with many many local partners. Right? So I think that deserves a round of applause. So thank you very much for your efforts here. So as we as we look to the future, hopefully we’ll have another exciting 75 years ahead of us. And we might not be here to see the benefits of this. But I think the work that you and the country office team with the local partners, with the the local civil society, with the governments, and and also with the support from many many institutional funders like USAID, FCDO will help us to really make a huge impact in the local communities, right? As we move towards especially around working more with local partners, working more more with the local communities. I think the impact that we can make as a country office is going to be significant. So, I know most of the global leadership team couldn’t be here. We we saw Michelle Nunn speaking, you know, just before I came on. It’s a very, very busy couple of weeks for us. We just finished the board meetings in the US and I’ve just gone on a flight and came straight here but the team is really excited about the work that we’re doing in Bangladesh. Quite often, we also consider Bangladesh is one of the the innovative country offices that we can scale our program into other country offices that care managers. Right? So it’s you are in a very exciting place in this country office. And Bangladesh is one of the largest country offices that we have in our portfolio. Right? Um CARE has a $1. 4 billion dollar portfolio and Bangladesh country office is around 30 to 40 million out of that portfolio. So it’s quite a large program. So the most important thing is what we can leave behind as a legacy and and how we can impact the next generation going forward, right? There’s a lot of work being done by the country office teams with their local partners specially around the youth. I think that is our future. I think it’s really important to think about how do we adapt our programming, how do we think about innovating, you know, to do more exciting work that’s much more relevant to the new generations, right? Uh we see a lot of work being done across the at care especially in Bangladesh with empowering women. Right? Women and girls are the forefront of our mission. So, it’s really important to see what work we do going forward as a country office in partnership with the local partners and the civil society. So, as we celebrate this 75 years, I just want to really thank you from the bottom of my heart as the as a leadership team. The work that you do is very impressive. I know it’s hard in in in a lot of context that we operate in. It’s not easy work. Um and the and the passion and the values that you bring in as a country of his leadership team and the country of his team members is really extraordinary. So, so I would really like on that note to really thank you and I’m so happy to be here and celebrating the 75 years of care and looking forward to spending the next week or so and and really getting to know you as well and special thank to all our partners who are present here. I know 50 plus partners, is that right, Tony? Uh so, really excited that you’re here partnering up with us and we look forward to that partnership Really, you know, making an impact your communities, across the country so that we can be creating a lot of value and impact across globally. So, thank you very much and really nice to be here. Thank you so much ah mister Anil Da Silva for your motivational speech and we are very grateful to you for the way you travel here and join us. Thank you. Ah now I would like to call upon stage our senior director Sajiya Tarin, senior director finance grants and awards to hand over ah the crest ah to mister Anil the Silva. Thanks to both of you. To make this 75 years a great celebration and moment of joy for Care Bangladesh staffs, volunteers and partners, we have created a theme song. We are really very proud to share that. This is fully produced by internal collaboration. So, means that it’s by the care people. The lyrics has written by our coms director Tony Michael and also he is the composer of this song. And the song sang by our KR Bangladesh staff. So, let’s enjoy the theme song. On the open you. You like the song. Seriously our I so can we give a big hand for those you made this. All the care colleagues participated and with the passion, they are not professionals. Believe you me, they are the guys from accounts, admins, finance programs but they they gave it from their heart. Genuinely. And and it’s it’s from the bottom of the heart. Definitely. So, you will be listening this song around the day. So, now, then other part probably one of the major attraction for for the days that you know 75 years when it comes. Oh, I can see go and join us. Hi, Goan. Thank you for joining us. Ah, applause for our resident coordinator, Yuan, Gwen Lewis. She just joined us. Thank you, Gwen. So, ah what I am saying that when this kind of ah moment comes, actually what we do is that we try to look back. That okay what we have done, last 75 years. So, now think about like nineteen 4-nine when we started. And on that time, of course, there is no internet, of course, there is not no that much devices that we have right nowadays to document how we started. It’s it’s really difficult. But actually we we always feel that okay, if we could have something at, that we can really, really hand over to the new generation saying that this is what we have done. And it’s really difficult because not always, all, all the datas, the beautiful pictures that we always look for or historical moments. That was well captured or well documented. But still we give our fullest passion to make it happen. To come up with a publication that can have, that can really document what we have done. So, we tried our level best. And ah we did what not. I mean we went to our former staffs. Those who retired. We went to our former partners. We went to different government ministries. Lot of people they retired. And we approached them. Ah that whether they have anything that really really give us ah to look back and go back to those moment and and also capture that. And and make a publication on. So there are lot of effort passion was there. Last three, four, 5 months, we were just working on that. And there are number of people who were really really engaged to that. So, I would like to invite all of our guest to come stage to launch that publication of 75 years celebration and requesting Ram and Ramesh ji to please ah take all our distinguished guests from the front, our special guest and chief guest, to come on the stage ah so that we all can launch this publication together. So, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together, inviting all our guests. Probably, yeah, and also I am requesting our EMT members. Ah, deputy program country director, May Rule by ah Mayor Rule Islam, deputy program county director. PS, Shamin Jahan, our finance director, Tarina, our director, Zera, and yes, so all the EMT members, please come, join on the stage. And at the same time, I must say some of the people’s name who were really ah really, really, really contributed intensively. Ah Nushat Preetha, Kaiser Rizvi, hi. Ah Amit Bhai and ah Sheema Apa. Yes. So, yes, the big crowd I know but it’s a big moment of course. So, you guys are the center of attraction. So, and also our volunteer please hand over the publication so that they can unwrap and guys, you got ready and our journalist friends, please come together. This probably the PR photo that we are looking for tomorrow. So, I don’t want to disturb you guys to take the best shot out of it. So, yeah and this publication is not in the goody bag that you got. But ah don’t get upset. Ah before we end it will reach to you. Ah that does the commitment. Yeah. So Can we have some audio on that? Three of those can we have some audio on that? Yep. Yeah, so those who are holding the book, make sure that you are holding the right way. Yes, alright. Excellent. So, on the count, we will unwrap it and and and show. So, are we ready? So, big clap. Yes, this is how we want to launch the book. Please hold it like this. Fantastic. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Please take your seats. Thank you so much. Thank you very Thank you sir. Thank you so much for all your participation. So, as we all know that in our INGO and development arena, we work very closely with even as a care global humanitarian organization. One of our biggest ally is even and in terms of learning, sharing and sharing technical skills in terms of policy influence and advocacy in terms of humanitarian response and in all this air in us of a regular work UN is our biggest ally. It’s great pleasure and honor for us that when we celebrate the UN residence coordinator is in this room. And she made her valuable time to spend this morning with us. On this occasion. Ladies and gentlemen, please wake welcome Miss Gwen Lewis upon stage to share her speech Thank you very much and it’s really an honor to be here. Um and I like to just start by congratulating CARE on this extraordinary moment to celebrating 75 years in Bangladesh. Um it’s a very important achievement and I think the work in Bangladesh over the years really speaks for itself. Um and I think it’s also a very important moment to take stock because I think in Bangladesh we’re experiencing very extraordinary events at the moment and we’ve heard from young people across the country about their values, their priorities and what they’d like to see in the country in the coming years and ehm I think this is really a moment not only to think about all of the achievements but also the opportunities and the vision ehm for the country moving forward ehm all of us at the moment are thinking through the planning and how we can support the government and the people whether it’s around poverty alleviation which is one of eh CARE’s eh cornerstone and flagship programs whether it’s on maternal and child health, food security and has already been mentioned women’s empowerment. Care has eh supported marginalised communities and supported local and national government, civil society, academic institutions eh over over the many years in Bangladesh and I think I’d like to highlight just a few of of the key achievements and our joint work because care is also a key partner for the United Nations and and has also been a leader in terms of some of the work that we’re doing particularly on the humanitarian on the on the Rohingya side. One of the the the most important approaches that I think the organization has taken over the years is really around local capacity development and community engagement to ensure that the people who are ehm who are part of the community are really involved in the programming whether it’s some disaster preparedness and development efforts so that the marginalized groups, young people, women and the most affected are leading and are are seen as leaders ehm within their community. And one of the model that has been extraordinary has been around ehm for example the village savings and loan association work where we’ve seen eh women ehm and eh young people and marginalised groups ehm being included financially in systems eh across the country. We’ve seen financial literacy being promoted and entrepreneurship. Another area of CARE S work that has been really important is around climate adaptation and their leadership on ecological adaptation and natural resource management and care has not only implemented programmes on the ground but probably more importantly has engaged on the Delta Plan eh 2100 has helped with policy and driven eh programs that has allowed communities to be in the lead on sustainable agriculture practices and enhancing disaster preparedness and again the focus has been on eh vulnerable populations ehm such as women ehm and some of the programs that I have seen around mangrove restoration and sustainable agriculture have really been extraordinary and and they’re really tailored to the local environment and the economic needs needs of the the local communities and and are adapted to to meet those needs. Another key area of work that has been very striking has been on eh women’s leadership in those climate resilience eh programs and the climates mark agricultural techniques just sharing and and allowing women to actively ehm participate in decision making eh processes. Ehm the YouthNet for climate justice ehm is one of also CARE’s flagship programme and it supports youth advocacy and community mobilisation and also I think is one of those programs where we we see the voices of young people informing eh their communities and and their own futures. One of the areas of work that eh I have also been very impressed with ehm has been on the Rohingya eh crisis and a role in in humanitarian work. Um gender-based violence prevention has been a critical as we all know in the Rohingya response and since twenty 17, CARE has been a leader in this area. Has also supported more broadly on the healthcare programs, on the site management, support, water and sanitation, food security, and has also been a voice to try and find solutions more sustainable solutions for Renga refugees in terms of thinking through livelihood development for example but also disaster risk reduction work within the camps. Um CARE’s work in Cox Bazaar goes beyond the humanitarian aid ehm and really tries to foster the longer term resilience through capacity building and programming, vocational training, disaster preparedness and community driven development. And I think the advocacy work that the organisation does for voluntary repatriation and dignified solutions for the Rohingya population has also been key. And we’ve worked eh jointly ehm ehm to ensure vulnerable populations are able to receive the necessary care and support. One of the things I appreciate very much since I’ve been in Bangladesh myself over the past couple of years has really been Ciara’s willingness to lead on some of the initiatives and particularly in terms of the humanitarian response work. Uh CARE is a global leader obviously in initiatives such like as such as the UNFC triple C, the climate action network, the global center on adaptation but carers brought some of that work to the local response and under the, Facebook.