The 23rd Half yearly Staff Meeting in Caritas at Caritas Central Office held
‘Each experience is precious even if it is for few seconds only,’ stated Rev. Fr. Liton H. Gomes CSC, the Chaplin of Caritas Central Office in his inspiring speech on the 23rd half yearly Staff Meeting held on 16 July 2017. The meeting started with universal prayer and a total of 99 staff members from Caritas Central Office and Caritas Development Institute actively participated in the meeting. Mr. Sebastian Rozario, Assistant Executive Director (Finance & Admin.) moderated the meeting and Mr. Francis Atul Sarker, Executive Director of Caritas Bangladesh (CB) delivered welcome speech to the House. The meeting discussed on the main outstanding achievements, challenges and steps taken to overcome the problems under program and administration department during the tenure.
Main outstanding achievements:
- Caritas Bangladesh achieved outstanding result in the external assessment against CIMS.
- Some new policies-Travel Policy, Equal employment opportunity policy and Timesheet policy have been approved by the General Body of Caritas Bangladesh.
- For the first time Caritas Bangladesh attended International conference on ICT4D.
- Utilizing the project (FLA) back up support for developing of new rice variety and organic farming, Mr. Senty Hajong of Nalitabari upazila was awarded Tk. 100,000 and crest by Eastland Insurance Company Ltd. for his innovation.
- One Education Center (EC) of Aloghar project (under Khulna Region) was nationalized during the reporting period.
- The Government of Bangladesh will introduce WASH component in operation plan and will also include a module on WASH having committed in two Advocacy Workshop held in Pirganj and Chapai Nawabganj.
- Caritas has become the founder member of NAHAB and responded first to the Haor flood affected people by forming consortia of national NGOs (POPI, DAM, CB, ERA & DSK).
- Caritas Bangladesh distributed Non Food Item (NFI) among 700 HHs at Rangmati Landslide Victims with CB’s own fund,
The table below gives an idea of the main problems faced and steps taken to overcoming the problems:
| Challenges Faced | Steps Taken | |
| 1. | Lack of Fund for administrative works. | Only essential administrative works are being done. |
| 2. | Faced difficulties to implement the regular activities of EC project due to Currency Loss (Euro) | Cost minimize, staff reduce, with revised budget and project duration. |
| 3. | Lack of potential leadership at Regional Level. | Issue has been raised with the respective Regional Directors for developing leadership |
| 4. | Reducing number of Health Projects | Attend on more Health Project Calls. |
The meeting also discussed some other issues under any other business such as Partners Workshop 2017, three months diploma course of CDI, timely reporting, etc.
In the closing session, Mr. Francis Atul Sarker, Executive Director said, ‘Now it is time to change the type of leadership as well as working strategy. A leader must take the all kind of responsibilities with cordial approach instead of being commanding. ’ [Read More]