Building Democratic Grassroots Institutions
RUSTIC's fundamental institutional philosophy asserts that sustainable poverty alleviation cannot occur through top-down external aid alone. Since 1994, Program 6.1 has served as the bedrock of all interventions across southwestern coastal Bangladesh, mobilizing landless laborers, marginal farmers, coastal fishermen, and disadvantaged women into structured grassroots federations.
Primary groups consisting of 20 to 25 members meet weekly to conduct democratic proceedings, manage their own micro-savings funds, identify local socio-economic vulnerabilities, and coordinate directly with local Union Parishad bodies to claim public service entitlements.
6.1.1 Primary Group Formation & CBO Federation
Organizing 20–25 poor women and men into primary units, which subsequently federate into Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Union-level apex advocacy forums.
6.1.2 Local Resource Mobilisation (LRM)
Promoting community self-reliance through internal capital formation, pooled procurement of agricultural inputs, and leasing of common-property water bodies for community aquaculture.
6.1.3 Leadership & Civic Governance Training
Equipping grassroots leaders with meeting facilitation, conflict resolution, book-keeping, gender mainstreaming, and Right to Information (RTI) advocacy skills.
Program Performance Indicators
- Active Peoples Groups: 276 Groups (212 Female, 64 Male)
- Enrolled Members: 5,240 Members (4,090 Female, 1,150 Male)
- Local Resource Mobilization: Supported by Ashoka Innovators (USA)
- Coverage Footprint: 118 Villages/Communities in 11 Upazilas