Dear friends,

We hope you are well during this terrible pandemic. We extend our condolences to everyone who has lost friends or family members to COVID-19. We wanted to provide an update on the situation in Bangladesh and to ask for your support.

The novel coronavirus has killed and is currently affecting many people we know in Bangladesh, especially in urban areas. The virus has also started to spread in rural areas. Testing and treatment are very limited. After several weeks of lockdown, many businesses and programs have reopened in Bangladesh as of June 1, 2020, including Samhati’s empowerment programs in Laksmichamp Union, Natore, and Katakhali. The villagers cannot survive under continuous lockdown and are slowly resuming some activities. In all our programs, we are trying to educate everyone on hand-washing and social distancing and wearing masks. This is not easy, as there is no running water in some of our program locations.

During the lockdown, Samhati organized a mask-sewing program in Katakhali, and distributed over 400 masks to community members and their families. Our medical clinic in Katakhali has remained open, but most calls are handled by phone and we have tried to provide adequate protective equipment for clinic workers. We are continuing to make and distribute masks and to educate people on their use. In order to be able to help people with COVID-19 symptoms, we need to purchase supplies such as thermal temperature scanner, pulse oxymeters, oxygen tanks, and PPE for clinic staff.

Our community members in all three locations have been hard hit by the coronavirus lockdown, as they have been unable to work or run their small businesses. We received the following request from the Laksmichamp program coordinator: “Disadvantaged families are experiencing food insecurity. Most of our income-generating initiatives for women have been damaged during the lockdown. Government grant support is insufficient. If possible, we need emergency support for the families here.” The Samhati board met via Zoom and decided to provide a small grant of 1,000 takas (around $12) per family for the approximately 500 families in our programs. We are planning to immediately send the money and would like to raise $5,000 for a special coronavirus relief fund.

You can donate to this coronavirus relief fund by using a credit card or mailing us a check. Follow this link for credit card donations.
Or send a check payable to “Samhati” and mail to:

Samhati
13107 Laneview Ct.
Oak Hill, VA 20171, USA

Regarding our fundraisers this year, we canceled our spring tea due to the pandemic, and our fall fundraiser will likely be an online event in early October. We will send you details as they develop.

Thanks so much for your continued support. Please stay safe and wear a mask when you go out!

The Samhati Board of Directors (Rumana, Monica, Jhinuk, Cima, Sudipa, Roquia, Nellie, Shaan and Alema)

June 10, 2020

Dear Friends of Samhati:

We hope that, even in the midst of this pandemic, you are feeling energized by the wave of protests and gatherings around the world in response to the horrific murder of George Floyd at the hands of the police.  Samhati, a social justice organization devoted to empowering low-income women and families in Bangladesh, condemns anti-Black racism and police brutality and expresses solidarity with the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd and the countless others who have lost their lives due to anti-Black racism. We hesitated to write this letter because we do not have staff or programs in the US, but in the end we decided that we should share our thoughts.

Racial injustice is not new in America. Hundreds of years of slavery, subjugation, inequalities, brutalities, systemic racism, and explicit biases have brought us to where we are. All of us who are not Black need to do more to recognize our implicit biases and bring about change.  

To help build a bridge of understanding, we need to educate ourselves about social injustice, dehumanization, false accusations, disproportionate imprisonment, institutional racism, and the Black experience. While Samhati’s work is in Bangladesh, we would like to share some resources with our community here in the US:

–As a starting point for learning how systemic racism operates in the US, here is a suggested reading list.  

— This article is a resource on how South Asians can work toward anti-racism.

— This article discusses alternatives to calling the police.

— We encourage you to sign the Color of Change petition and to give input to your local government on reducing the police budget, increasing community services, reforming police practices, and protecting protestors and their First Amendment rights. Here is a Washington Post article that explains the need to reduce our reliance on police.

Samhati means “solidarity.” We stand in solidarity with the Black community. We believe that #BlackLivesMatter.

Thank you for your continued support of Samhati and our programs. Let’s all get to work to end racism and build a more just world for everyone.

In solidarity,
The Samhati Directors and Advisors

Image credit: Amy Morse.

We had a tremendous turnout at our November 9, 2019 35th Anniversary Dinner with over 200 people at the event, raising over $54,000. Many thanks to all our supporters who came or donated. We had wonderful performances by Alif Laila and Mayur Dance Academy (Mishka Mukherji and Bhavna Sengupta) and the henna by Sabrina Choudhury Dona was stunning. Founder Noorjahan Bose and two original board members Selima Faruqee and Zainab Jalil made remarks. Anita Jahan Bose gave a slide presentation on our accomplishments. Here is the link to the presentation. And here is a video of some of the speeches and the presentation.
Thank you to our supporters, our board and advisors, our host committee, and everyone who helped at the event. We still need funds for more bicycles for girls, and for our other projects, including repairs of houses in Katakhali after cyclone Bulbul. If you have not yet donated, please follow this link and make your donation by credit card or check.

Please join us for Samhati’s 35th Anniversary benefit dinner and auction

Saturday, November 9, 2019,  From 6:00 to 9:30 pm

Address: River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Road (entrance on Whittier Blvd), Bethesda, MD 20817. Free parking in lot. (Exit 39 from Beltway to River Road. Go towards Bethesda/Washington, take left at Whittier Blvd and venue is immediately on left. Public Transport: Bus T2).

Featuring:
Inspiration, empowerment, dance performances, sitar performance by Alif Laila, dance performance by Mishka Mukherji, henna by Sabrina Choudhury Dona, auction, delicious food, drinks and dessert!

Admission per person:
Early bird: $75 [only until October 20!]
Regular: $100
Silver level: $500
Gold Level: $1000
Platinum Level: $5000 and up
Sponsor a table for $1000, get 8 tickets plus special acknowledgment.

If you send in your check, we will reserve a ticket for you and your name will be on the guest list at the door. Please make your check payable to “Samhati” and mail to: Samhati, 13107 Laneview Ct., Oak Hill, VA 20171, USA

Click here to: Buy tickets to Samhati Benefit
Founded in 1984, Samhati is the longest running organization of Bangladeshi women in the United States. We design and support small projects – focused on education, health, and environmental sustainability – to improve the lives of impoverished women and families in Bangladesh. Samhati is tax exempt (IRS ID Number 52-1390261). As an all-volunteer organization with negligible overhead, Samhati directs approximately 90% of your contributions to needy families.

If you donate $75, it will provide a one-year scholarship to ensure that a middle or high school child stays in school and does not have to work.
A donation of $100 will provide adult literacy or vocational classes for a village woman, who in turn will be able to better care for her family.
A donation of $500 will fund our health clinic in Katakhali village for one month, providing care and health education for over 500 families.
Your gift of $1,000 will fund climate adaptation training for 30 villagers in Katakhali.

Hundreds of women, children, and families have been transformed by Samhati’s work. Our focus on literacy, health, and environment has created leadership from within to maintain and grow our projects. Samhati has provided cyclone relief and climate adaptation training, established the first women’s shelter in Bangladesh, and developed eco-empowerment projects in villages. Your support is crucial!

Featuring:
Sitar perforamance by Alif Laila
Dance by Mishka Mukherji

Benefit Chairs: Cima Ali and Shamarukh Billah
Auction Chair: Jhinuk Hasan-Fulton

Image credit: Monica Jahan Bose from trash cleaup performance art action, Katakhali Village, Bangladesh, February 2019

We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of Sitara Huq, mother of our long-term board member Shehgofta Queen. Sitara Huq regularly came to Samhati’s events and was a huge moral support as well. Samhati gratefully acknowledges the contributions of both Sitara Huq and Shegofta Queen.

The family has asked friends and family to make donations to Samhati in honor of Sitara Huq.
Donations are tax-deductible and checks should be made out to Samhati (with “in honor of Sitara Huq” in the memo line) and mailed to:
13107 Laneview Court
Oak Hill, VA 20171, USA

Donations in honor of Sitara Huq can also be made by PayPal or credit card through our website. The funds will be used to help impoverished women and children in Bangladesh. Samhati has no office or paid staff in the US, and approximately 97% of your donations are spent on the needy in Bangladesh.

Samhati expresses condolences to our former board member Shegofta Queen and to the whole family.

Washington, DC
April 9, 2019

Thanks to all of you, our 2018 benefit dinner was a huge success! We had approximately 200 people in attendance and raised $46,000 so far (with more donations coming in). The dance performance by Droopad was outstanding and we really appreciate that they donated their time for Samhati.

Anita Bose presented Samhati’s current work in Bangladesh and you can see her slides here. For the first time we also did livestreaming of the event on Facebook and you can see the videos here and here (introductions).

Thank you to our supporters, our board, our host committee, and all our members. If you have not yet donated, please follow this link and make your donation by credit card or check.

Please join us for Samhati’s annual benefit dinner and auction

Saturday, October 6, 2018,  From 6:00 to 9:00 pm

Address: River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Road (entrance on Whittier Blvd), Bethesda, MD 20817. Free parking in lot. (Exit 39 from Beltway to River Road. Go towards Bethesda/Washington, take left at Whittier Blvd and venue is immediately on left. Public Transport: Bus T2).

Featuring:
Inspiration, empowerment, dance performances, auction, delicious food, drinks and dessert!

Admission per person:
Basic: $75 [Please donate more if you can!]
Silver level: $500
Gold Level: $1000
Platinum Level: $5000 and up

If you send in your check, we will reserve a ticket for you and your name will be on the guest list at the door. Please make your check payable to “Samhati” and mail to: Samhati, 13107 Laneview Ct., Oak Hill, VA 20171, USA

Click here to: Buy tickets to Samhati Benefit

Founded in 1984, Samhati is the longest running organization of Bangladeshi women in the United States. We design and support small projects – focused on education, health, and environmental sustainability – to improve the lives of impoverished women and families in Bangladesh. Samhati is tax exempt (IRS ID Number 52-1390261). As an all-volunteer organization with negligible overhead, Samhati directs approximately 90% of your contributions to needy families.

If you donate $75, it will provide a one-year scholarship to ensure that a middle or high school child stays in school and does not have to work.
A donation of $100 will provide adult literacy or vocational classes for a village woman, who in turn will be able to better care for her family.
A donation of $500 will fund our health clinic in Katakhali village for one month, providing care and health education for over 500 families.
Your gift of $1,000 will fund climate adaptation training for 10 villagers in Katakhali.

Hundreds of women, children, and families have been transformed by Samhati’s work. Our focus on literacy, health, and environment has created leadership from within to maintain and grow our projects. Samhati has provided cyclone relief and climate adaptation training, established the first women’s shelter in Bangladesh, and developed eco-empowerment projects in villages. Your support is crucial!

Featuring:
Dance by Droopad

Samhati’s 2018 Host Committee:
Sharmeen and Uzair Dossani, Rose Hayden, Laneyse Hooks, Mehmood Kazmi, Sangeeta Mookherji, Mustafa and Naheed Chowdhury, Beth Pile, Grace Kibue Sharp, Jyoti Tulsi
& Satwant Tulsi.

Benefit Chair: Cima Ali and Alema Siddiky
Auction Chair: Jhinuk Hasan-Fulton

Link to the full invitation letter here.

Image from Laksmichamp Union, Rangpur. Girls with bikes donated by Samhati, January 2018.

We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of Abdul Baten, husband of our long-term treasurer Hosne Ara Baten. Mr. Baten was a good friend to Samhati and provided many hours of voluntary accounting services for our organization. He prepared our financial statements in compliance with the requirements of the International Monetary Fund’s Civic Program, of which Samhati was a grantee from 2007-2011. Samhati gratefully acknowledges the contributions of both Hosne Ara Baten and Abdul Baten.

The Baten family has asked friends and family to make donations to Samhati in honor of Abdul Baten in lieu of sending flowers.
Donations are tax-deductible and checks should be made out to Samhati (with “in honor of Abdul Baten” in the memo line) and mailed to:
Samhati
8602 Aqueduct Road
Potomac, MD 20854, USA

Donations in honor of Abdul Baten can also be made by PayPal or credit card through our website. The funds will be used to help impoverished women and children in Bangladesh. Samhati has no office or paid staff in the US, and approximately 97% of your donations are spent on the needy in Bangladesh.

Samhati expresses condolences to our valued former treasurer Hosne Ara Baten and to the whole family.

Washington, DC
February 6, 2018

Samhati is a 501c3 organization which supports several small “eco-empowerment” projects in rural Bangladesh to improve the lives of women and girls with a focus on education, health, and environment. This year, two of our projects — one in the North in Rangpur and the other in the South in Katakhali Village on the island of Barobaishdia — have suffered great hardship due to torrential rains and flooding, extreme weather caused by climate change.  We need to spend an extra $8,000 in repair and relief costs for these two communities. 

Our program in Rangpur is in the diverse Laksmichamp Union and we provide middle and high school scholarships to dozens of children, women’s literacy classes, and free and sliding scale health services.  The rains there have devastated our project and the villagers’ farms.  In our Katakhali project, the roof of the health clinic is leaking, the path to the clinic needs to be rebuilt, and two of the fish ponds need to be repaired.  The ponds are used by the women’s cooperative to raise fish for food and income.  Because of the extreme climate events around the world this year, our projects have been badly hit.  We also need to raise money for climate adaptation and advocacy training, which will cost approximately $2000. In total, we need to raise $10,000 by December 10 to be able to continue our work in these two communities.  
We are a small organization, and our annual budget is approximately $60,000.  The flooding has left us with a budget deficit so that we are unable to meet the basic needs of our projects in Bangladesh.  Our work is vital to the lives of so many women, girls and their families.  We really need your help!  Thanks so much.
Samhati has no office space or staff in the US, so 97% of your donation will go directly to Bangladesh.  Our board is all volunteer and we make sure your donations are spent carefully. Thanks so much for your tax-deductible donation!  You will receive a receipt. To make a tax deductible contribution, please make your check payable to “Samhati” and mail to:
Samhati
8602 Aqueduct Road
Potomac, MD 20854 or click the donate button for online payment.