Ashraf Foundation at a Glance

01. Background of Establishment:

Ashraf Foundation was established in the year 1991 by a group of young men and women aimed at help the poor and underprivileged peoples of the society to improve their overall socio-economic status. It is founded on a set of believes concerning the basic problems of the rural people like-illiteracy, ill health, unemployment, oppression/ civic inertia & environmental hazards. Peoples have their inherent power to solve their own problems, but they lack opportunity, resources & civic rights. The development philosophy of Ashraf Foundation  is essentially humanist, holistic and people-centered approach that aim to empowering people through develop their potential inherent powers (intellectual, productive, physical & political/organizing) to enable them to take responsibility of their self-reliance and sustainable development.

02. Objectives:

Objectives:

·       To organize the target peoples into group to develop unity, solidarity among them and thus develop a collective strength and institutional bases so that can ensure their individual and collective development.

·       To help them develop their consciousness and awareness about their position in the social system.

·       To help them develop their self-image, self-confidences and creativity and thus make them fit for their desired changes.

·       To rehabilitate the disable of the society through proper supports and services.

·       To provide technical, training, and credit supports to group members for initiating income-generating activities towards improve their economic condition.

·       To provide other support and services in the process of their socio-economic condition.

·       The target people can ensure the maximum and appropriate utilization of the available local resources for their development.

·       Aware people about drug abasement and anti-trafficking against women and children.

03. Working Development Approaches, Strategies & Development Partners of AF:

·       Development Approaches :

Ø  Participatory development.

Ø  Building partner /sister organization.

Ø  Partnership collaboration–networking.

Ø  National and international development organizations.

Ø  Democratic culture at grass-roots.

Ø  Community based resource management.

Ø  Indigenous knowledge based development.

Ø  Holistic development.

Ø  Right based.

Ø  Strengthening grass–root level civil society, culture at grass–roots Decentralization Gender mainstreaming.

Ø  Grassroots civil society builds up.

·       Strategies:

Ø  The organization works as an animator, stimulator and cooperator in the process of development and improvement of the situation of the target peoples. The organization intervention supports and services are guided on the principal “build on what they have and people themselves build their own fortunes.

Ø  The organization works both in the urban and rural communities.

Ø  The poor and underprivileged peoples are the target peoples of the organization.

Ø  The development need comes from the beneficiaries and thus the organizations programs are the need basis of the beneficiaries.

Ø  Sustainability and self-sufficiency are given priority in the programs.

Ø  People’s participation in the programs is considered as very much important.

·       Development Partners :

Ø  Ecologically vulnerable community.

Ø  Destitute women (divorced, widows, deserted women, heads of women-headed households, women of families victimized).

Ø  Marginal and landless farmers.

Ø  People with Disability & their community.

Ø  Indigenous and minority community.

Ø  Youth and adolescent community.

Ø  Women and children.

Ø  Civil society.

Ø  Universities and research institutes.

Ø  Local elected representatives, clubs, CBOs, NGOs, Sectorial Agencies of the Govt.

04. Policy Framework of AF:

·       ASHRAF Foundation’s development endeavors principally focus on poorest of poor destitute women outcastes, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and Hard core poor (HCP) community. The issue of their development is the first priority. Ashraf Foundation works to empower resource poor community at all levels-community, social and national levels.

·       Ashraf Foundation works for conservation of environmental resource base.

·       Ashraf Foundation takes up all development initiative taking gender perspective into consideration.

·       Ashraf Foundation takes up development programs taking economic, social, political and cultural equity into consideration.

·       Ashraf Foundation takes up all development initiatives taking sustainability of development partners into consideration.

·       Ashraf Foundation works to ensure availability local resources and government facilities in the interest of the resource poor people.

·       Ashraf Foundation proceeds from project to program.

·       Ashraf Foundation implements development programs through networking and development partnership.

05. Major Program Activities of AF:

• Economic Development;
• Human Rights and Good Governance ;
• Sustainable Agriculture;

·       Disability Development & Rehabilitation program;

• Health & Sanitation;
• Education & Capacity Development;
• Climate Change & Cultural Program;
• Training & Research. 

06. Staffs:

07. Financial System:

Accountant is responsible to maintain all project account, prepare monthly/half-yearly/annual financial statement for submission to Executive Director for discussion, review and decision. The Executive Director countersigns all vouchers and accounts, as he is finally accountable for project account to the Executive Committee and ultimately to the General Committee of ASHRAF Foundation. Treasurer of ASHRAF Foundation has every right constitutionally to ask for any explanation or quire and supervises the financial management. Executive Committee in its meeting discusses and reviews on written financial report submitted to them. The annual financial report is submitted for open discussion to all general members of ASHRAF Foundation and is approved by them after all clarification and explanation until they are satisfied. The account of ASHRAF Foundation is audited annually by NGO Bureau authorized audit farm.

ASHRAF Foundation maintains its financial system in a transparent way. It follows the financial manual for operating payment, bank accounts, etc. The mother Bank Account is operated by the joint signatures of the Chairperson, Treasurer and General Secretary of the organization with the help of approved EC meeting resolution and the approved money is transferred to the project accounts as per the approved budget. Following are the Bank Account and its detailed information:

Bank Account and Number:

08. Governance & Project Management System

Decision Making:

According to constitution of ASHRAF Foundation, general members of the organization play vital role in any decision making for the organization. Any decision adopted by majority member in the annual general meeting, the Executive Committee is constitutionally bound to follow their decision and implement it.

Executive Committee interprets, implement, follow-up, evaluates the decisions of the General Committee and report them back after their task is over. Executive Committee takes the decision and gives decision within the guideline set by the General Committee. Director of the organization implements the decisions taken by the Executive Committee and by other set rules and responsibility given upon him as per constitution. He is accountable to the Executive Committee.

Transparency and Accountability:

The responsibility of all project staff is distributed according to implementation plan and need of the project and their duties and responsibilities are prescribed in their job description. Executive Director is responsible for appoint, termination, suspensions, promotion, demotion and increment of staff. All project staff is reportable and accountable for their activities directly to the Coordinator. Project Officer / Branch Managers during their monthly meeting provide their activity and financial reports, which is received and evaluated immediately. New responsibility is again given upon him/her when planning for the next month. This is an on-going process of responsibility and accountability for all organization staff.

Executive Director is accountable for his/her performance and progress to the Executive Committee. The Committee gets overall report of the activities and finance of the project in their regular meeting, where the Committee reviews and evaluates his/her past quarter activities and progress of the work assigned for the period. The Executive Committee is accountable to the General Committee that meets annually to review the progress of the projects and financial matters.

Project Management System

The Executive Director invites the implementation plan in detailed from the Branch Manager after approval of any project. The staff of the Branch Offices prepare detail action plan with distribution of responsibility. Executive Director is responsible to look after and supervise both project activities and financial management. He is assigned by a Coordinator to supervise the project activities and staff. Chief accountant of the organization is responsible to maintain all financial records and reports. The project activities reports and accounts of ASHRAF Foundation are computerized.

Every month the Branch Managers submit their written report to the Assistant Director by specific printed forms. After completion of all reports submitted by Branch Managers, a monthly report of the program activities is published for internal uses. Simultaneously, monthly financial report is prepared for the organization. Annual report is the basis of all these monthly activity and financial reports of the organization.

09. Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting System of Program Activities:

Planning:

ASHRAF Foundation follows the participatory process in planning any project or program. The field level and mid-level staff plays a vital role in planning any program and project. The organization organize meeting with its field level staff and managerial staff for sharing thinking and program design and collect their suggestions. Their suggestions are considered importantly in the executive bodies meeting.

Monitoring:

In order to successful implementation of the project activities, the Assistant Director in cooperation with Monitoring Officer and Project Officer will monitor the activities time to time. The Monitoring Officer of ASHRAF Foundation will ensure time-to-time monitoring of the activities for successful implementation of activities. The Branch Manager of the respective upazila visits every field once in a month and prepares report on the findings of the visit and submits it to the Assistant Director. The Project Officer also make field visit in some pre-selected areas and check the Branch Manager’s activities. Then he prepares report on the visit and submits it to Assistant Director. The Assistant Director visits to some selective project areas to overcome any adverse situation and provide necessary suggestions. Then the Coordinator prepare a monthly monitoring report on the basis of the Branch Manager’s, Monitoring Officer’s and Program Officer’s reports and provide it to the Executive Director to take necessary action.

Evaluation:

Internal mid-term project review would be conducted with the Project Officer and Supervisors. The performance of the project implementation would be evaluated after six month of project implementation. This is conducted for the organization’s own purposes. ASHRAF Foundation would also conduct a participatory internal evaluation at the end of the project period for its own purposes. The report would be provided to the Donor. The donor at the end of the project can conduct an external evaluation. The report would be prepared and deliver to donor. 

Reporting:

ASHRAF Foundation prepares monthly progress report and half-yearly narrative report for understanding the progress of the planned activities. The organization also prepares annual report combining the activities of different programs. The Assistant Director with the assistance of Accountant will prepare financial report for expenses and projecting the funding needs for next six months and submit to donor. The Assistant Director would submit the progress and narrative activity report and financial report to the Executive Director within 2^nd week of the respective month.

M. Rasel Ashraf

Executive Director

Ashraf Foundation

Mobile: 01711 150 419

Call Sing: S21FR