How Uttaran turns the tide in Bangladesh
Uttaran is a Bangladeshi social development organisation that supports the poor and vulnerable in their struggle for human rights and social justice. Zahid Shashoto works for Uttaran, which means 'transition' in the Bangla language. He strongly advocates the Locally-Led Adaptation principles implemented through the Reversing the Flow (RtF) programme. He shares his experiences with these principles in the first year of the project by answering 5 questions.
How does Uttaran carry out the RtF project?
"Like the RtF programme's aim, Uttaran also supports communities trapped in a cycle of structural marginalisation and vulnerability due to climate change. This support focuses on strengthening their water and land security at a landscape level. In the past, many community members lost their ability to advocate for themselves as institutions and governments made decisions on their behalf.
We empower community members by giving them a voice at the conference table and village meetings. Our approach focuses on working together; we work for and with the communities, specifically partnering with the 8 villages we serve. Our engagement with external actors involves the local government. Only when necessary, we escalate to higher authority levels to get specific tasks done, such as getting licenses for pipe connections in the water network."
What does the Reversing the Flow model offer Bangladesh?
"The model does not fund preconceived ideas. Instead, it empowers individuals to think independently and collectively find solutions that facilitate transitions without external interference. Our focus is not on numbers but on quality-related values. For example, landless community members have been living on river embankments for generations, partly due to the caste system. Through RtF, they can use funding to buy land and start building more permanent shelters. But explaining to them that this option is available can be a slow process, as the idea of buying land and relocating closer to amenities is foreign to them.
The idea that everyone can think for themselves is complex. When I asked a group of villagers about their most urgent needs, the most common response was "roads". Yet, when I spoke with them individually, their narratives changed. Slowly, their priorities started to shift and they emphasised the importance of shelter, fresh water, health care, education and livelihood. By engaging with them one-on-one, we could give everyone an equal voice.
At this stage of the project, our priority is to ensure that the poorest members of the communities have access to their fundamental rights. If we overlook individual needs, we may end up creating a seemingly successful landscape that, in reality, reinforces existing vulnerabilities and marginalisation. And make no mistake about it: In traditional communities, the voices of the cast classes are less strong. A divorced mother has fewer rights; a Hindu widow has even fewer. Uttaran is committed to turning this tide."
But everyone benefits from a road in the village, right?
"Let me explain about the road in this particular case. This road would have connected to shrimp farms owned by one family. While it would certainly have helped the shrimp farmer, what good is a road when there is no shelter? For most people, a road does not improve your personal situation or address any shortcomings you may have. So, what is the point of asking for one?"
"We empower community members by giving them a voice at the conference table and village meetings."
What do Dutch and Bangladeshi water experts have in common?
"We have artificial polders and deltas like you. But here, they have completely changed our landscape from farming practices to mobility and made us more vulnerable to climate change. Our river and its floodplains are not connected anymore. Monsoon water stays waterlogged inside the polder for 6 months, nowadays forcing mass migration. We used to harvest rice 3 times a year, but now the only item we can farm in this saline water is shrimp."
What role does RVO play in this process?
"For example, a community recognises the necessity of activating its canal, but lacks the knowledge to make it happen. What type of pipeline do we need? How strong should it be? And so on. Engineers have this knowledge, and with RtF's finance, Uttaran as a hub, provides support to the community by engaging public or private engineers to design the canal.
Another critical aspect is that, through RVO's Reversing the Flow programme, the community can use the funding as they see fit. Besides addressing water and climate issues, the RtF mission is fostering a shift in the social landscape. This is the transition Uttaran wants to make. By empowering the communities and supporting their initiatives, our goal is to reshape the landscape to better adapt to climate change and improve overall well-being. People need basic services, as they now lack permanent shelters, access to fresh drinking water and health care. These are fundamental necessities for a sustainable livelihood. We are at the start of this transition."
Reversing the Flow (RtF)
RtF supports communities in vulnerable situations by strengthening their water security and voices in landscape or watershed governance. Under RtF, projects are community-owned. Local communities manage the funds received. Also, they plan and implement water and climate adaptation activities. Community ownership enhances the projects' sustainability and increases their resilience to climate change. Local partners (RtF hubs) support communities in organising and leading these actions.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
