SETU undertakes poverty alleviation, social protection, equal rights to economic resources, capacity building of the poor against environmental and other impacts.

Poverty Alleviation

SETU ataches due priority in poverty alleviation in order to improve the living standard of those who are lying under poverty line.

 

The underlying causes of poverty include vulnerability, migration, social exclusion, lack of assets and income opportunities. The growing income inequality is of major concern.

 

The economy of SETU’s working area is mostly characterized by the rural economy where unemployment, underemployment are very high. A major portion of those people lives in extreme poverty and they are recognized as ultra poor. SETU has laid special emphasis to make the program more goals oriented with a view to accelerating the poverty alleviation process.

 

Tackling unemployment of women, men and youth that needs to be addressed for poverty alleviation is the question of gender gap and mainstreaming process. SETU undertakes different initiatives as need based action to overcome the poverty of ultra poor and most vulnerable groups.

 

SETU’s initiatives to reduce poverty are to encourage the creation of opportunities in the form of new micro-entrepreneurship and through the potential of new employment. As impact in long run economic growth of target audience is achieved through improving of human capital for furthering their overall emancipation.

 

SETU has been implementing Poverty Alleviation Program with financial and technial assistance of Palli Karma-Shahayak Foundation (PKSF) since 1993. Presently SETU implements the program through on line service. This program covers total 48 Upazilas of 12 districts. Total 5,023 Nos. of groups were formed with 85,468 members who have accumulated Tk. 54.08 crore as their savings. Total borrowers are 55,843, total amount of loan outstanding is Tk. 160.49 crore. Poverty alleviation program is managed through 86 branches and 14 regional offices.

 

Goat Rearing

 

SETU distributes Black Bengal variety of goat among 20 nos. of needy families of several villages of Kushtia district. Goat rearers’ groups were formed with them providing awareness on group solidarity, technical knowhow on mini goat farming, employment generation etc. which assist them to develop mini goat farms at family level.