Dipshikha “Non-Formal Education, Training and Research Society for village Development” is a rural development organization. The word Dipshikha was derived from two Bengali words – Dip and Shikha. Dip means light or lamp and Shikha means flame or spark of light. So, the meaning of Dipshikha stands as sparkling flame of lamp, which never puts out and continues illuminating people and places. The sparkling fame of light is the symbol of socio- cultural and economic development of people through ‘helping people help themselves’. Dipshikha helps people in such a way that they can proceed forward from ignorant to wisdom and knowledge, from illiteracy to literacy, from conservatism to modernity, and from narrowness to broadness. Thus Dipshikha has commitment of mass education, leadership development, democracy, economic emancipation, social empowerment, and so forth. Dipshikha teaches people to love each other and to be kind to each other so that they can build up brotherhood and friendship among themselves. Where there is brotherhood and friendship, there ever exist peace and just.
Dipshikha was initiated by a group of social workers, schoolteachers and youths in 1978 in a village called Rudrapur under Mangalpur Union Parishad of Birol Upazila, District Dinajpur. With the simple and modest beginning in a small village, Dipshikha is gradually expanding in its contiguous areas according to the people’s needs and demands. Dipshikha is now working in 9 Upazilas of 3 districts.
Areas of Operation
Dipshikha’s strategic choice area.
- Formational and life oriented education
- Appropriate agriculture
- Health, hygiene, water and sanitation
- Skill development for employment and entrepreneurship promotion
- Women capacity building
- Saving and income generation activities
- Person with Disabilities (PwDs) development
- Promotion of renewable energy for green environment.
- Formation of association/self-help group(social dev. for calming their right and sustainable development.
- Emergency relief and rehabilitation (occationally)
Formational and life oriented education
The objectives of this component are to increase literacy rate, formational education and life orientated quality education and cultural awareness. On the basis of these objectives Dipshikha provides educational facilities to develop school going habits and encourages higher education for the children of development partner group members/families. Specific activities of this component are:
- Pre-school activity
- Vocational skill development training
- Formational education up to Class X level (METI-School)
- Cultural development
Appropriate agriculture
This component provides agricultural training like- crops and vegetables cultivation, livestock, nursery raising and fish cultivation, etc. To increase agricultural production Dipshikha introduces improved technology and distributes inputs among the marginal farmers. Dipshikha has Central Agricultural Farm at Ghoraghat, Rudrapur, Bakultala and Tarash. The farmers get practical knowledge from these farms and apply them in their own field. Following are the specific activities of this component:
- Raising demonstration plots for dissemination of appropriate agriculture technology.
- Provide with practical training to the farmers on modern agriculture.
- Development of livestock and fisheries.
- Provide agricultural services to the farmers.
- To conduct agricultural research in collaboration with other organizations.
- Environment protection activities.
Health, Hygiene, Water and Sanitation
This component creates awareness among the village people about personal hygiene, health and family planning, latrine uses and use of safe water. The group members/families realized the importance of nutrition, mother and childcare, antenatal and post-natal care, birth control and cleanliness. The villagers also got information about the Government or non- government health facilities in the locality. Dipshikha has preventive health care services centers in the villages. Following are the specific activities of this component:
- Water and sanitation
- Mother and child care
- Primary treatment
- Health awareness activities
- Health education in pre- schools and local schools
- Adolescent girls health education
- Motivational and informational activities
- Referral cases
Skill development for employment and entrepreneurship promotion:
Dipshikha Training Cell/Project arranges human and skills development training like- tailoring, new business creation, electrical, etc in co-operation with the related components for the group members/families and staff.
Women Capacity Building
The protection of women rights and to create scope for women participation in the development process is very much essential. Dipshikha takes up special activities for women empowerment. It was observed that a great number of female folks were prevented form contributing to the development activities. So it was most essential to encourage them to take part in development activities. Women are formed into Forums and Councils to express their needs and aspirations and to increase their contribution in their family as well as in the society. Following are the specific activities of this component:
- Involvement with family development plan
- Formation of women associations and forums
- Entrepreneurship development training
- Skill training
- Arranging exposure
Saving and Income Generation:
Group/Family is the basics of Dipshikha development strategy. In the group meetings and during family visit the members discuss and identify their problems and find possible means to overcome them. For self-reliance the group/family saves money and takes up income generating activities to increase their income. Up to November 2020 a total 9844 group members/families are involved with savings and credit activities. The activities of this component are:
- Group members/families savings.
- Training, workshop, exposure, etc.
- Credit for income generating activities
Person with Disabilities (PwDs) development
The activities of this component are:
- Therapy service
- Assistive device support
- Medicine support
- Inclusive Education
- Income generation activities,
- Disable rights,
Promotion of renewable energy for green environment.
The activities of this component are:
- Support for Solar home system
Formation of association/self-help group(social dev. For calming their right and sustainable development.
Association/Self –help group formation on the basis of their needs by the target families is the final part of Dipshikha Integrated Family Development (IFD) approach for continuing the development trend and calming their rights. Women and Farmers association/self –help groups are formed separately by following the 4th step formation process
Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation
After any natural disaster and calamities, Dipshikha takes relief and rehabilitation program for the affected people on the basis of assurance of fund.