SpeedTrust, the Society for People’s Education, Empowerment and Development, is a voluntary organization involved in development activities for the poor and socially disadvantaged people, especially for women, adolescents and children, in the southern coastal part of Bangladesh. It was emerged in 1999 at Barisal city with a view to empower and poverty reduction of the people through promoting livelihood and be responsive to create access to the rights on local resources and service institutions.

SPEED Trust also works with different stakeholders like civil society, associations, farmers’ societies, local Government representatives, Government institutions, local journalists, students and teachers for achieving rights, strengthening local government’s system and introduces information and communication technologies with a view to increase accountability and transparency in all levels.

VISION & MISSION

Vision:
A society free from curse of poverty, illiteracy and all forms of exploitations where all people are enjoining their rights.

Mission:
Enable poor and disadvantaged people to enjoy the benefit of rights on natural resources and intuitional services moving towards major improvement in their livelihoods.

SPEED TRUST GOVERNED BY

A 7-member Board of Trustees, those are well known in social work and involved in different welfare activities in Barisal city, executes Speed Trust since the beginning.

STATUS

SPEED Trust was registered in Trustee act of 1908 under the ministry of Law, Justice and Parliament Affairs and also registered from NGO Affairs Bureau, Government of Bangladesh.

STRATEGY STATEMENT

Speed Trust emphasizes strategically important activities relating to the process that generates people’s critical analysis of their external situations. This process of critical analysis helps the people to face the exiting realities and the power structures of the society with visual forms and at the same time equips them to take a challenge for more just, poverty free and good governed society through breaking the culture of silence.

Speed Trust also enhances well linkage with horizontal and vertical levels both between community and different sectors through collaboration and collective action by disseminating information at all levels.

STRATEGY

• “Effect improvement in the life of the poor through arousing genuine seriousness to change their own conditions.”
• “Making the poor skilled through training”
• “Assist them to undertake IGA/Small Business by making fund available to them.”
• “Bridging Relationship between the poor and Government institutions for utilization of local recourse by them.”
• “Assist them to develop their business through providing Market information and establishing Market linkage”
• Increasing literacy rate among the poor through facilitating establishment and management of primary school and non-formal education center.”
• “Making the poor interested in giving education to their children through awareness raising campaign.”
• “Creation of an enabling environment so the poor can enjoy their rights to Land, Health services and other necessities of life.”
• “Enabling them to enjoy their rights through promoting of good governance, transparency and accountability of Government offices.”
• “Enabling the people to raise their voice against stop violence against Women and children through awareness raising campaign.”
• “Enabling the people to right to the information through develop ICT centre.”

ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES
Commitment, Teamwork, Innovation, Excellency, Accountability

SPEED TRUST BELIEVES
Extreme Poverty must be targeted
Gender equality is a prerequisite for development
Development is a process
Greater participation leads to greater commitment
Government’s responsibility for poverty elimination
Call for rapid responses
Democracy accelerates development
Environment must be respected
Experience is the best practice
Development organization beyond the politics.

CORE PRINCIPLES

Empowerment, Gender equality, Sustainability, Measurable Impact, Expansion

OBJECTIVES

•    Increasing the ability and critical awareness of men and women in the community.
•    Facilitating the improvement of livelihood of the socially disadvantaged and the poor people, especially women, adolescents and children, of the community
•    Facilitating advocacy and networking in policy dialogue and good governance on local and regional issues
•    Facilitating for strengthening local institutions and local government
•    Introducing ICT and it’s alternatives at the grass-root levels
MAJOR ACTIVITY-1

Awareness raising and mobilization
•    Stop violence against women
•    STI & HIV/AIDS
•    Combat trafficking
•    Birth and marriage registration
•    Health rights
•    Environment campaign
•    Day observance

MAJOR ACTIVITY-2
Poverty alleviation
•    Skill development
•    Training and orientation
•    Capital, logistic support and market linkage & Formation of village model firms
•    Disaster preparedness and management
•    Food production and nutrition
•    Water and sanitation
•    Early Child Education and NFE

MAJOR ACTIVITY-3
Rights and governance
•    Policy advocacy
•    Networking, Workshop and Seminar
•    Press conference
•    Mass gathering
•    Dialogue and bridging with local government and govt. departments through Participatory Video.

PROGRAM OUTLINE
•    Poverty Alleviation: This program will include skilled and Capacity development training, Financial Support, Market linkage and Information dissemination etc.
•    Rights and Governance: This program will include Promoting Good Governance, Combat Trafficking, Land Issues, and Strengthening Local Government etc.
•    Literacy: This program will include Early Child Education, non-formal education, continuing elucidation and Management of formal education etc.
•    Health and Nutrition: This program will include Health awareness and services, Training on Nutrition, Develop Homestead Gardening, Village Model Farm etc.
•    Water and Sanitation: This program will include soft and hardware support.
•    ICT: This program will include ICT related activities such as promoting community radio.
•    Disaster preparedness and management: This program will also include awareness raising, trainings, campaign, advocacy, material development, hardware support and rehabilitation etc.,/p>

MAJOR FUNDING PARTNERS
•    ActionAid Bangladesh
•    Manusher Janno Foundation
•    Concern World Wide Bangladesh
•    Practical Action (ITDG)
•    Save The Children-USA
•    Helen Keller International

WORKING LOCATION
SPEED Trust works in the following Upazilas and Districts of the coastal area of southern part of Bangladesh:
•    Bauphal
•    Dasmina
•    Kalapara
•    Patuakhali Sadar
•    Barisal Sadar and its ten Upazilas