Helen Keller Intl Bangladesh

13/03/2026

11/03/2026

"Some mornings we didn't know if there would be food by nightfall." said Mazeda, a mother of five in Bangladesh. 🇧🇩

She used to wonder if there would be enough food, but now, she runs a vegetable farm, co-owns a fishing boat, raises livestock — and sleeps peacefully! 💜

Now, Mazeda shares, "My children are fed, studying, and dreaming of brighter futures." 🥰

Read how 500 women launched their own businesses, established a community savings groups, and built sustainable livelihoods—impacting over 2,300 family members. Link below. ✨

[Image description: A man and woman stand together surrounded by their three goats and cow.]

https://helenkellerintl.org/our-stories/unlocking-financial-independence-in-bangladesh/

03/02/2026

“Sometimes we feed our children whatever we can afford, not knowing what nutrition they truly need. Now I feel hopeful that my child can grow healthy again,” shared a mother from Sattola Slum in Dhaka.

Helen Keller Intl Bangladesh, together with the Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN) and Friends In Village Development Bangladesh - FIVDB, launched the Food Basket Distribution under the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition project to support children with acute malnutrition. Mothers and caregivers received food baskets that help children recover, grow stronger, and return to a healthier path.

Families in urban slums face daily challenges that can limit children’s access to nutritious food and healthy growth. By focusing support where it is needed most, we can help families strengthen their resilience and ensure every child has a fair chance to thrive.

Speakers emphasized that building a child's future begins with empowering families. Good nutrition is about dignity, strength, and giving every child a fair chance to thrive. In communities where healthy options are limited, these baskets offer real support for caregivers working for a better tomorrow.

We express our sincere thanks to the Government of Bangladesh and IPHN leadership for their guidance and partnership, which make these nutrition efforts possible.

Funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and implemented by Helen Keller Intl, Vitamin Angels, and iDE, Transforming Lives works closely with families across Bangladesh to improve nutrition for underserved women and young children.

Healthy children uplift families, and strong families build a stronger tomorrow.

24/12/2025

Helen Keller Intl Bangladesh hosted a Learning Sharing Workshop for its project, “Building Resilient Futures: Advancing Livelihoods and Financial Inclusion for Marginalized Communities,” on December 23, 2025, in Dhaka. The event brought together government officials, development partners, and community representatives to reflect on lessons learned and explore future pathways.
The workshop was graced by Dr. S. M. Abu Sufiun, Honorable Director General of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), as Chief Guest. Ms. Pooja Pandey Rana, Country Director of Helen Keller Intl Bangladesh and Nepal, delivered the welcome address. Special guests included Dr. Md. Akram Hossain Chowdhury, Project Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), and Dr. Md. Amimul Ehshan, Deputy Director of the Department of Fisheries (DoF).
Participants included senior officials from DLS, DoF, DAE, the Department of Youth Development (DYD), and the Department of Women Affairs at national and subnational levels, along with union chairmen, development partners, media, and Helen Keller Intl Bangladesh staff. Project participants also shared inspiring stories of positive change achieved through the initiative.
In his remarks, Chief Guest Dr. S. M. Abu Sufiun stressed the need for strong collaboration between government and NGOs to promote climate-resilient, integrated livelihood approaches in flood-prone areas. He praised the project’s role in expanding sustainable livelihood opportunities for marginalized communities and pledged grassroots-level support aligned with its recommendations.
Ms. Pooja Pandey Rana highlighted the project’s potential for scaling integrated livelihood and financial inclusion models across climate-vulnerable regions. She noted that women have strengthened and diversified climate-resilient livelihoods while improving access to financial services.
Md. Mahabub Hassan, Project Manager, shared key learnings and a scalable model to further enhance income generation and financial inclusion for disadvantaged women.
A panel discussion on “Sustainable Livelihoods for Women’s Empowerment” featured representatives from DAE, Union Parishad, DYD, DLS, and development partner iDE. Panelists discussed practical strategies to strengthen agriculture- and livestock-based livelihoods in vulnerable haor regions like Sunamganj, focusing on market access, fair pricing, quality inputs, and sustainability. The session emphasized the role of local institutions and concluded with a collective commitment to inclusive and resilient livelihoods.
The workshop ended with a vote of thanks by the chairperson, Dr. Md. Mahmudul Hasan, Deputy Country Director of Helen Keller Intl Bangladesh.
Over the past year, the project has been implemented in the Dakshin Badaghat and Palash unions of Bishwambharpur Upazila, Sunamganj District, contributing to resilient futures for marginalized communities.

21/11/2025

Discover how Helen Keller Intl is continuing its life-saving work in Nepal to prevent malnutrition among at-risk children.

14/11/2025

Everyone living with diabetes is at risk of diabetic retinopathy, which occurs when uncontrolled blood sugar damages blood vessels on the retina. 👀

As rates of diabetes have increased in Bangladesh, so have the number of people at risk of diabetes-related vision loss. Since 2009, we've partnered with healthcare facilities in the country to help improve early detection and expand access to treatment. 🤝

Last year, we helped screen more than 20,700 people in Bangladesh for diabetic retinopathy and referred 2,850 for further treatment to help preserve their vision. 💜🤍

09/10/2025

Learn how Helen Keller Intl is supporting clear vision for garment workers in Bangladesh through one-stop eye care centers in the workplace.

18/09/2025

Imagine a world where every mother and child—no matter how remote or underserved—has the nutrition they need to thrive. This is the vision of Transforming Lives Through Nutrition, a consortium led by Helen Keller Intl, Vitamin Angels and iDE, with support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Together, we are working across 12 countries, including Bangladesh, to improve maternal and child health through proven nutrition interventions and stronger health and food systems.

In Bangladesh, Helen Keller Intl has expanded this mission with two leading partners—the Center for Natural Resource Studies- CNRS and Friends In Village Development Bangladesh - FIVDB. At a partnership signing ceremony in Dhaka, leaders from all three organizations affirm their shared commitment to the health and nutrition of the country’s most vulnerable communities.

Through this initiative, CNRS will deliver targeted nutrition programming in Babuganj and Sadar sub-districts of Barishal, while FIVDB will reach families in Sunamganj Sadar, Sylhet, as well as two urban slums in Dhaka North City—Sattola and Beguntila. By combining local expertise with a global vision, this partnership is paving the way for healthier futures for pregnant women, young children, and their communities across Bangladesh.

11/09/2025

Helen Keller Intl Bangladesh, successfully hosted a four-day Start-up Workshop for the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (Transforming Lives) Project (transformingnutrition.org) from September 6–9, 2025, in Gazipur, Dhaka. The event brought together 50 participants, including staff from implementing partners Center for Natural Resource Studies- CNRS and Friends In Village Development Bangladesh - FIVDB, to align on project goals and strategies. Pooja Pandey Rana, Country Director of Helen Keller Intl Bangladesh and Nepal, inaugurated the workshop, outlined the project’s vision, objectives, and expectations.
Distinguished guests at the inauguration included Philomena Orji, Program Director of Transforming Lives; Ireen K. Mutegi, Associate Director; Bazle Mustafa Razee, Executive Director of FIVDB; Anisul Islam, Director of CNRS; Mohammed Soeb Iftekhar, Associate Director of Programs at iDE Bangladesh and senior officials from Helen Keller Intl, CNRS, and FIVDB. The session was moderated by Dr. Md. Mahmudul Hasan, Deputy Country Director, and Dr. Jatan Bhowmick, Project Manager.
Over the four days, participants participated in interactive sessions led by project experts. The agenda included project objectives, outcomes, lessons learned from Year 1, and upcoming steps. Technical discussions focused on nutrition interventions such as Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation, Vitamin A supplementation, breastfeeding promotion, deworming, Infant and Young Child Feeding, and acute malnutrition screening and treatment. Sessions also addressed strengthening food and agriculture systems, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL), communications and branding, and key operational areas including finance, procurement, IT, and human resource.
is a consortium project funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and implemented in 12 countries across Asia and Africa by Helen Keller Intl, Vitamin Angels, and iDE. Its goal is to improve the nutrition of pregnant women, infants, and young children worldwide.
In Bangladesh, CNRS will oversee implementation in Babuganj and Sadar sub-districts of Barishal, while FIVDB will manage activities in Sunamganj Sadar under Sylhet Division and two urban slums under Dhaka North City Corporation.
Together, these efforts will strengthen systems and community practices in Bangladesh to ensure better nutrition outcomes and healthier futures for women and children.