Message from the Chairman

Md.Zahidul Islam Joy
Chairman & CEO
Arafah Shakti Foundation (ASF)

Arafah Shakti Foundation (www.asf.com.bd) a National NGO of Bangladesh, completed its 24^th year of successful activities for poverty alleviation in 2013 and stepped into the 10^th just like a tree growing in a successful trend.

ASF (Social Development Organization) is regarded as the private organization of Bangladesh. It started its journey with the noble vision of diversifying activities into the area of poverty alleviation. ARAFAH SHAKTI FOUNDATION  started its operation way back from June,2002.

The satisfactory achievements in the year 2024 have created passion among the staff of ASF to bring more success in the next year. The plan for 2013 includes a target for reducing poverty through arranging different activities of self-reliance.

Over the year, ASF  made some special achievements including education program, health program, great success in implementing relief and rehabilitation activities after the devastating disaster experience by the country.

Our special care and attention was focus upon the orphan, widow women, and divorcee and to destitute people.

In fine, I wish and pray to the Almighty to bless us with strength and purity as it was in2010 so that we remain ever strong in our journey no matter how rough the path is. May Allah the merciful, bestow peace, happiness and success upon us.  Wish you all even happier and more rewarding days in the coming year.

Introduction of the Organization

Arafah Shakti Foundation- ASF is a non-government, non-Profit, voluntary & social welfare organization established in 2000 by active initiatives of some social workers for the socio-economic upliftment of the poor and land less people of the country lead by Mr. Zahidul Islam Joy a committed Social worker. Since its inception, the organization has been working for institutions building of the poor especially distressed women, girls and disadvantaged children. Main thrust of ASF’s program is to organize the rural and urban poor men and women into groups in order to enable them to manage and control for themselves, identify their problems and also find out solutions as assertive population. ASF believe in non-directive, bottom up, integrated and participatory development framework and acts as a catalyst with its concerned.  The organization has been implementing its development activities/projects through a strong and skilled staff team with assistances of National and International donors including Bangladesh Government.

Background of ASF

ASF is a Non-Profit, Non-government organization established in the year of 2000 by some local development workers for the socio-economic upliftment of the poor and land less people of the area. The organization since its inception has been working for institutions building of the poor with special emphasis on distressed women, girls and disadvantaged children. Main thrust of ASF’s program is to organize the rural poor men and women into groups in order to enable them to manage and control for themselves, identify their problems and also find out solutions as assertive population.
The dimension of rural poverty in this area is much worst in comparison to most of the rural set up of the country. Thought agriculture is said to be the only profession of 95% of the people still the plough able and is not adequate to absolve a huge quantity of agricultural labour and provide employment and food for the mentioned number of population.

Unlike all other part of the country here women skill and potentiality has got no scope for further growth due to the scarce of scopes and opportunities created by the vested interested groups of the patriarchal society. So, women and girl child’s in this area are very much neglected and ignored by the family as well as biological need of the male and the role as child-bearing instrument. As the role of women is performing household responsibilities and not been able to visualize any income, hence their say and opinion don’t have any value in the family as well as in the society. The death rate of the children have been increasing simultaneously as their living and growth are unfortunately very much linked with the survival of their parents, especially on the condition of the mother of the children. Fundamental needs like food, cloth and shelter education are to be met by their own effort.

The futures of the children in this area are very uncertain and they may have to live with the greater form of misery and deprivation if the issue of their deprivation and exclusion of the local resource have not been dealt with efficiently. ASF has started functioning to address case of their deprivation and exclusion and to establish the right and voice of the children living in poverty discrimination in real sense.