“Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim”

Introduction:
On 1 January 1989, the local youth community initiated the establishment of the non-governmental development organization “Dustha Manab Unnayan Society (Dmus)”.

With the founders’ own funds, the organization started providing financial assistance to the sick, distributing winter clothes to the needy, organizing sports among the youth, repairing neglected rural villages, and conducting social reform activities.

Impressed by the self-humanity activities of this organization, the then social worker of the area, Mr. Md. Zahir Uddin Howlader, donated 10 percent of the land to set up its own office. On 9 November 1992, the organization built its own office building on that land and registered it with the local Social Services Department for the purpose of work.

To involve the neglected, deprived, and extremely poor people of the coastal towns surrounded by rivers and canals in income-generating activities, trade-based training is provided and project-based loan assistance is provided.

To provide housing security to the homeless people, houses are being constructed with the financing of the Bangladesh Bank's Housing Assistance Fund. To spread educational programs among the neglected, deprived people, the PLCHD-1 project and basic literacy programs are implemented with the financing of the Non-Formal Education Bureau.

The Adolescent Project and the Maternity Project are implemented with the financing of the Department of Women's Affairs. The Mother and Child Health Service Project is implemented with the financing of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to ensure health services. Training programs are conducted with the financing of the Ministry of Public Administration. Forestry programs are implemented with the financing of the Forest Department for environmental protection. To involve the disabled in the mainstream, the Livelihood project was implemented with the support of CDD with the funding of Christophe Blind Mission-Germany. To ensure good governance among the neglected and oppressed groups, training programs for skill development were implemented with the funding of Brati Samaj Kalyan Sangstha.

In collaboration with Stepstep Twos, training programs for skill development were provided with the funding of Manusher Jonno Foundation to ensure the rights of the landless groups. Training, discussion meetings, and FGDs were conducted with the funding of SAP Bangladesh to ensure the rights of the disadvantaged and oppressed women groups.

To free the youth from addiction, tobacco and tobacco product control programs were conducted with the funding of WBB Strat in collaboration with Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance. Treatment and equipment programs for the disabled groups were conducted with the funding of the National Disability Development Foundation. With the support of LRD, training activities related to land rights are conducted.

Health service training and health-friendly sanitation activities are conducted among the poorest of the poor with the funding of Bangladesh NGO Foundation. Khan Foundation's support training and material assistance are provided to strengthen the local government system.

Local administration, public representatives and civil society citizens have played an integral role in conducting these activities. The cooperation of a group of skilled workers of the organization is the lifeblood of the neglected population of the southern region.