Manikganj Manikganj is a district located in central . It is a part of the division, with an area of 1,379 square kilometres. It is one of the nearest districts to Dhaka, only 70 kilometres away from the city. It bound by the district in the north, Dhaka district in the east, Faridpur district in the south, the Padma and Jamuna rivers Photo credit: BRAC and the districts of and Rajbari in the west. The main Ayesha Abed Foundation was started in 1978 as part of BRAC’s development interventions to organise, train and support rural women through traditional handicrafts rivers are the Padma, Jamuna, Dhaleshwari, Ichamati and General information Targeting the ultra poor Kaliganga. Specially targeted ultra Population 1,440,000 poor (STUP) members 561 This city is surrounded by rivers. As Unions 65 Others targeted ultra a result few of the sub-districts are Villages 1,873 poor (OTUP) members 780 affected by river bank erosion every Children (0-15) 860,000 Asset received 561 year. The people of Manikganj Training received 561 Primary schools 607 are mostly involved in agriculture. Healthcare availed 561 BRAC started its operation here Literacy rate 56% Soft loan received 780 in 1974. Right now, most of Hospitals 7 BRAC’s core programmes, such NGOs 83 Education Banks 35 as microfinance, education (BEP), Primary schools 5 health, nutrition and population Bazaars 98 Pre-primary schools 170 (HNPP), targeting the ultra poor Shishu niketon schools 176 (TUP), community empowerment Adolescent development (CEP), skills development and At a glance programme (ADP) centres 159 human rights and legal aid services Community libraries (HRLS). Apart from that, BRAC has (as of December 2016) (gonokendros) 53 also established a few of its social enterprises here, directly helping Microfinance Health, nutrition to create job opportunities for Branches 31 and population hundreds of women. Village organisations 1,835 Health workers Members 44,050 (shasthya kormi) 51 Baliati Zamindar Place, Fort at Borrowers 43,009 Health volunteers Fordnagar, tomb of Shah Rustam Progoti (shasthya shebika) 537 and Gauranga Math are some of Small enterprise clients 8,266 the tourist attractions in the district.

www.brac.net Community empowerment Community-based organisation (polli shomaj) 282 Union-based organisation (union shomaj) 39 Popular theatre 8

Skills development Number of master craft persons (MCPs) 32 Number of trades 5 Number of learners 70 Number of graduate learners 59

Human rights and legal aid services Human rights and legal education (HRLE) shebikas 351 HRLE graduates 92,507 Legal aid clinics 9

Social enterprises Ayesha Abed Foundation 2 Sanitary napkin and delivery kits 1 Nursery 1

Although every effort has been made to include and verify the accuracy of relevant information in this fact sheet, users are urged to check independently on matters of specific interest. Report any discrepancies/suggestions to [email protected]. This document was last updated on 31 December 2016, is revised yearly and made available on www.brac.net/visitors.