Bangladesh

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It’s been quite a ‘Journey’…

08/07/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 5 comments

Sharna Bremner
Outreach Blogger
8 July 2010
Throwing two Aussies into a country where they don’t speak a word of the language, with a somewhat lofty goal of connecting the world with some poverty-stricken slum dwellers could have been a recipe for disaster. Lucky for us, it was the opposite.

As I sit here at home in chilly Adelaide, bundled up in my Snuggie (yes, I’m a Snuggie person. And I’m not ashamed to admit it), the only sound I can hear is my dog’s snores.

The loud and chaotic streets of humid Dhaka seem a lifetime ago.

In our whirlwind two week quest in Bangladesh, we met amazing people, learnt more than we probably expected to, made lifelong friends, ate great food and managed to achieve some outstanding things.

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Samba Kings are gone, but AA Bangla’s blog is here to stay…

06/07/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 7 comments

Joel Katz
Outreach Blogger
6 July 2010

Two weeks since we arrived back in Sydney from Dhaka. Swapped street stall Chais for Gloria Jean’s Cocoa Loco  Frappacinos. My fun-loving Bengali chums for Bondi’s skinny-jeans set. And Bollywood movies for nightly viewings of MasterChef (still waiting for Bangladeshi special).

Sure, I’m missing the vibrant City-of-Richshaws, and my ActionAid (AA) amigos. But glad to be home, with my beloved, family and friends. And I’m relishing the chilly days. Besides, we left Dhaka on a high – Brazil and Argentina were still contenders in the 2010 World Cup. Read the rest of this entry »

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Last Mango in Dhaka…

17/06/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 13 comments

Joel Katz
Outreach Blogger
16 June 2010

This is it. Last post for Project TOTO Bangladesh – for me, anyway. Sharna’s up tomorrow. It’s been both rollicking adventure and inspiring eye-opener, all wrapped up in the tastiest chapati bread imaginable.

But before I get misty-eyed and start bidding all a sad farewell, I’ll recap today’s activities. It was our last trip to the field, and lots of fun. Read the rest of this entry »

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Back in concrete jungle with the cool kids…

15/06/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 5 comments

Joel Katz
Outreach Blogger
14 June 2010

After so many days beavering away in the Actionaid office in downtown Dhaka, working with AA Bangladesh’s dream team to get their blog up and running, we’re finally out in the field.

Yesterday, literally. Today – more concrete jungle, than lush cane fields. Oh rural Bangladesh, how I miss thee.

But I digress. Mind’s drifting back to the serenity. Oh the serenity…

Today we hop in van with Hasan, Amir and Towfic – los tres amigos Bangladeshi, and take off for Mohammadpur, in the city’s west. We were here last week for the dusty but thrilling 1Goal soccer match.

We arrive at the office and, as usual, a very formal setting awaits – like King Arthur’s round table, but kids instead of knights. We’re meeting with the Community Journalist’s Group (CJG). Sharna talked about CJGs yesterday, and it’s an awesome initiative. Read the rest of this entry »

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Old Dhaka’s worth the herniated disc…

12/06/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 17 comments

Joel Katz
Outreach Blogger
12 June 2010

Today Sharna and I met up with one former Actionaider and one present one, Jo and Lara. They’ve been awesome ever since we got here, and even got us into the heavily fortified bunker that is the Australia Club. With pool and tennis courts it makes the Greenzone look like a kid’s playground.

Squeezed into a baby taxi, a steel cage on wheels. Three girls in back, and me up front, sitting on driver’s lap. If we crash, it’ll be death by a thousand cuts as we’re sieved through the steel grates. Hold on tight guys – we’re off to Old Dhaka’s bustling bazaars. Read the rest of this entry »

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It had to happen.

11/06/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 5 comments

Sharna Bremner
Outreach Blogger
11 June 2010

After being in Dhaka for almost a week and eating an unbelievable amount of food, it was bound to happen. One of us was going to get sick. But who would’ve thought it would be KFC that would be my undoing?

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Now that’s a soccer game!

10/06/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 15 comments

Joel Katz
Outreach Blogger
9 June 2010

Okay. Sorry guys, this is tricky. Another blackout has darkened Dhaka, so my shiny screen’s the only light I have.

One of the Canadian t-shirt wearing hotel brigade just knocked on my door with my clothes in vacuum-sealed bags, cardboard inserts and even little plastic clips. That’s awesome – thought they were still balled up in my backpack.

Today we were lucky to catch a 1Goal event hosted by ActionAid Bangladesh in one of the poorer districts in Dhaka’s east. AA’s dynamic duo, Hasan and Amir, set up a soccer match for some of the boys and girls from the one of Dhaka’s poorer suburbs as part of the 1Goal Campaign. Read the rest of this entry »

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You laugh because you have to

09/06/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 7 comments

Sharna Bremner
Outreach Blogger
9 June 2010

Today was a momentous day. After much planning, some lengthy discussions and some minor hiccups, the ActionAid Bangladesh blog went live.

It might not seem that exciting to any of you, but for us and the ActionAid staff, it was roughly the equivalent of Australia winning the World Cup. Or for the Bangladeshi’s, it was the equivalent of Brazil or Argentina winning the Cup.

Not only does ActionAid Bangladesh (AAB) now have an amazing blog where you can follow projects such as one of the Happy Home’s or the innovative Community Journalist Group’s, but they also have a Twitter account. Yep, the gang at AAB will now be tweeting, blogging and taking over the world, one social media outlet at a time.

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To give, or not to give…

08/06/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 12 comments

Joel Katz
Outreach Blogger
8 June 2010

Just polished off most mouth-watering fish curry at a charming spot in Dhaka’s northern suburb of Gulshan. Inside restaurant it’s cool and calm.

Upper class locals sit around and talk shop, squishing curry into balls and popping them into their mouths. A giant plastic capsicum dangles above our heads with total indifference.

It’s a picture of dignified serenity.

Then we step outside and chaos descends.

Sharna talked about it last night in her post, but it’s something I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to so I’ll describe the scene. Night lights reflect off an endless sea of traffic – an insane kaleidoscope of shimmering colour.

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On visions, adventures, and getting perspective

05/06/2010 in TOTO Bangladesh by Mark Chenery | 12 comments

Joel Katz
Outreach Blogger
5 June 2010

It’s been a long time coming, but Sharna and I have finally arrived in Dhaka, as part of Actionaid’s Project TOTO. Crazy tired – like the worn-out, washed-up boxer in Martin Scorsese’s classic Raging Bull, which, oddly, was on last night’s in-flight entertainment.

With a quick layover in Singapore’s heavenly airport, I duck into the men’s, and what’s this – has the turbulence-heavy, sleep-deprived trip over given me visions? The word ‘TOTO’ magically appears before me, in gold lettering across the top of the toilet.

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