Poverty Alleviation Program

In Bangladesh, the income per person is appx. $2734 dollar as report in the year of 2023-2024 fiscal year. In this country, though the income per person gradually increased but equal distribution of resources is not happening. Especially the income of the people living in the north and offshore areas of the country is very low. Moreover, there is a difference in wages between urban and rural areas. SATU focused to eliminate this discrimination and trying to uplift the people who outreach, ultra poor and neglected in the society.

In this regards, SATU trying to alleviate poverty through implementing Savings generation, micro-credit program, ultra poor project, entrepreneur project, Seasonal Loan Project, Risk Prevention Program and Disaster Management Program. Under these programs, SATU organized 114,649 members in 6278 homogeneous groups, disbursed Tk.4551.88 crore among 375695 borrowers from its inception to till date. It is reported that, As per April 2025, outstanding of the organization is Tk.423.95 crore of which 87,638 borrowers.

Ultra Poor Program :

Under the Micro-credit program, Ultra Poor Development is one of the core programs of the organization. In Bangladesh, there are 19.2% people lives below the poverty line. Till the date, 90% of the extreme poor families have monthly income of around 24 dollar i.e less than one dollar per day(As reported BBS). SATU organized Ultra poor in a groups and providing supports to improve their live & livelihood. SATU started this program from 2005 with the support of PKSF.

Urban Micro Credit :

On the other hand SATU has been implementing Micro-credit Program through organizing urban and suburb deprived families that have no necessary fund to operate their small business due to they have no opportunity to get bank loan. SATU organizing the urban people and providing support to operate small business, farming and others.

Micro-Enterprise :

This program is providing its best efforts in rural areas for turning the endeavor of the poor population from poverty alleviation in to small enterprise; create employment opportunity for reducing poverty and above all making the foundation of the rural economy strong through socio-economic development. With the financial assistance of PKSF, SATU implementing this program since 2005. Under the rural micro-credit program, those members who became successful in utilizing and repaying consecutive loans. SATU is implementing this program for these members to move ahead with their efforts. Under the micro-enterprise loan program, type of project proposal, marketing probability, future improvement probability, creating employment opportunity etc. issues are being taken into consideration and potential members are providing with loans.

Women Empowerment :

Half of the total people of Bangladesh are women. The development of country is not possible keeping the half outside the development activities. One of the goals of sustainable development is women empowerment by establishing gender balance and eliminating poverty. Like the development countries, the people of Bangladesh, has been suffering from different problems. The people of Bangladesh, is lagging in education, health, food, shelter and security. The women are the worst sufferer among the deceived people. Women are the poorest of the poor. Most of the women are weak in education, health and economic & social aspects. These weaknesses are the root causes of the deception, deprivation and oppression. The state has honored both men and women equally. In spite of that equal right has not been established in every sphere of life. The principal aim of national women development policy is to establish equity among the men and women in every stem of national life. To achieve this goal, SATU has taken the following programs for women development.

• To build up organization of women
• Employment generation
• provide health services
• provide adult education
• build up awareness and skills
• access to family planning
• environmental thinking
• impart advocacy.


The program implemented in Lawhati Union under Delduar Upazila in Tangail District with the support of Andheri Hilfe, Germany from 1995-2002. The women are being organized and defendant for implementing these programs. Their income has been increased by taking micro-credit. As a result, their dignity in the family and society has been increased. They are adopting family planning and becoming more environment conscious.

Food Security and Nutritional Improvement Program :

Due population increase, climate change and unplanned building of houses, roads and industry has greatly led to food shortage in the current world. On the other hand, though enough food is produced in the world but due to its uneven distribution different countries are suffering from food insecurity. Due to the increase of price of fuel oil, use of organic fuel oil around the world, population increase, climate change and unplanned building of houses, roads and industry has led to decreased agricultural land and is ultimately responsible for food storage in the current world. Apart from it, due to global recession, investment in agriculture sector has declined that is inflicting a negative impact on agriculture production. Those families who have little resources and who are trying to come out from ultra-poor status and few of them suffer from long term hunger situation. But those families who have accepted poverty, they are subjected to long term hunger and suffering from malnutrition. To overcome the situation, SATU focused to ensure access balanced diet for the family members in a whole year. To achieve the objectives, SATU implemented Food Security and Nutritional Improvement Program during 2005 to 2008 in 30 villages of Kalihat & Ghatail Upazila under Tangail District for 1500 distressed, ultra-poor women. They have provided with small loan for income generating activities, cultivating vegetables, rearing milch cow in order to improving nutritional status, health care for mother and child and standard of life.

Small Weaver’s Development Project :

Tangail District is famous for cottage handloom especially Pathrail and Balla of Delduar and Kalihati upazila respectively are for women saree. The weavers’ of these areas could not chage their lots involving in the weaving for long, for want of capital, exploitation of moneylenders and middlemen, lack of renovation in pattern and design, problems of direct marketing etc. All these are the cause of not expanding the business widely here. Noticing their bad economic condition, SATU started implementing the Small Weavers Development project in Pathrail by the help of Canadian CIDA from 2002. It solved the capital problem of 930 small weavers by micro-credit. Besides, they were trained to raise consciousness about personal healthcare, leadership building, male-female relationship and developed skill of designing, color combination, using micro-credit marketing and enterprise. In addition, 48 women weavers selected out of them were trained. The small weavers were encouraged to use natural color, reducing chemical for the benefit of their health and trained to manage waste color. All members of the project were women so SATU raised their awareness about women rights, gender discrimination and child labor. Under this project, a marketing group was formed for securing fair price. The weaver’s group members organized a Saree Mela for developing market and network and sent them to participate in different Saree Melas for sharing experience. They built a separate lady’s corner in famous Bajitpur hut for generate entrepreneurship among the women weavers. Leaders of the community, attended at the seminar that organized by SATU for building good relationship with schedule bank and weaver members in order to extend hands of the both parties. Workers of this sector made conscious to bargain their fair wages by holding workshops, displaying posters and documentaries. Out of this project, developed technical skills of the weavers, built self-confidence and enterprise, created employment, raised health awareness, some members got relief from the exploitation of moneylenders, increased income, knowledge in market management, conscious about rights, empowered and established dignity.

Aquaculture Extension Project ::

Social Advancement Through Unity-SATU has been implementing the Aquaculture Extension Project” in Tangail since 2002 with the assistance of WorldFish Center and USAID. The goal of the project is to uplift the livelihood of rural people through modern and low-cost aquaculture and other agro-based income generating activities. In 2004, the organization demonstrated a total of 850 ponds/plots among which fingerling production where demonstrated in 151 ponds and 4 rice fields and table fish production were demonstrated in 489 ponds and 206 rice fields. In association with these it has demonstrated GIFT tilapia seed production in 6 rice plots. Aquaculture Extension activities of SATU covered 113 villages under 6 upazilas of Tangail District namely Tangail sadar, Delduar, Kalihati, Ghatail, Nagarpur and Mirzapur. Under this project, in 2004, SATU provided one foundation training to 300 new families where 564 male and 336 female family members were participated. SATU also provided follow-up training to total of 2343 male and 1515 female to carry out the demonstration properly. The participation of women in different training encouraged them and ensured their participation in aquaculture and other income generating activities. SATU also conducted a successful on-farm research in 2004 with assistance of WorldFish Center and USAID to develop backyard monoculture of Koi, Singh and Magur (Cat Fish) appropriate for the poor and landless.

Environment Development ::

SATU from its inception has been implementing programs for developing environment. Today the environment of the world is endangered. Overpopulation, excessive use of natural resources, inconsiderate use of fuel oil, too much vehicle movements, industrialization, greenhouse effect, climate change etc. are the reasons that are continually polluting the environment. It is fee that development and environment pollution are interrelated. Therefor currently while preparing safeguard and improve the environment. In this regard, SATU has taken initiative to ensure safeguard and improve the environment by achieving the following objectives.
    • To build up awareness to control the increase of population
    • Manage and mitigate various natural calamities
    • Cautions in using fuel oil
    • Gather experience in domestic waste management
    • Sanitation facilities development
    • Increase awareness on tree plantation and cutting down trees.
Besides that, SATU has taken initiatives to develop sanitation facilities among the organized group members. Sanitary Latrine and safe water are essential for hygienic life & environment. The vulnerable poor, backward people are deprived of these essentials for poverty and unconsciousness. SATU implementing sanitation facilities development & ensuring safe drinking water for hardcore people with the financial support of different donors and PKSF. Since 2022, SATU has been implementing BDWASH program with the financial assistance of PKSF in Bhaluka & Muktagatcha Upazila under Mymensingh District and Jamalpur Sadar upazila under Jamalpur District among the inhabitant of the stipulated area. Up to May 2025, SATU has distributed twin pit sanitary latrine among the 1127 families and provided supports to access safe drinking water for 110 families. On the other hand SATU emphasized on tree plantation in its working area. Every year SATU distributing saplings among the targeted people with in the working area.

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