MSS: Working for the People for 50 Years!

Birth & Early Years

On Eid Day, 1974, “Clothe the Nudes”, in collaboration with “Food for The Hungry International”, set out to distribute food to underserved children in Dhaka City. It started as a movement titled “Clothe the Nudes”, initiated by a group of enthusiastic, selfless students of Dhaka Residential Model School (RMS) during the 1974 famine to provide succor to the famine-stricken people.

With no resources available, except their pocket money the students went from house to house to collect old clothes. The group realized that considering the huge number of famine-stricken people, the old clothes wouldn’t suffice to meet their needs. Ms. Runa Laila, Bangladesh’s international celebrity singer, living in the neighborhood of RMS, readily agreed to raise funds for the movement so that we could buy new clothes for distribution among the disaster-hit people of Rangpur, Thakurgaon, and Natore districts.

Once the immediate need for humanitarian aid subsided, the movement evolved into a formal organization named Manabik Shahajya Sangstha (MSS), shifting its focus toward rehabilitation and development efforts.

MSS Programs & Activity Highlights

Post famine, MSS shifted its focus toward poverty alleviation and empowering the poor, particularly urban women and children in Dhaka. The organization implemented various programs aimed at rehabilitation and development, including preschool and non-formal primary education, skill development initiatives for women to support employment opportunities, handicraft production and marketing for disadvantaged women, and ongoing disaster relief efforts.

By 1982, MSS began offering health and family planning services in two wards of Dhaka City Corporation. Additionally, MSS organized advocacy campaigns on issues such as violence against women and other pressing social concerns. Its impactful work earned MSS the Prime Minister’s Population Award in 1991 and the Dhaka City Corporation Mayor’s Award in 1992 for excellence in its immunization program.

MSS Microcredit Program – The First Urban Replication of the Grameen Bank Model in Bangladesh

In 2006, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Being the first replicator of the Grameen Bank model in urban Bangladesh, MSS members congratulated Professor Dr. Mohammad Yunus and Grameen Bank. The WCP empowers urban and rural women in Bangladesh by promoting financial independence and resilience through savings, credit access, skill development, and enterprise support.

In 1984, it launched an integrated savings and credit initiative known as the Small Credit Fund (SCF) with support from OXFAM to address the financial needs of small businesses in the informal sector and help them transition into the formal banking system. The SCF’s results indicated that female borrowers performed much better than their male counterparts. With financial support from the Ford Foundation and the technical assistance of the Grameen Bank, MSS launched its first six branches in urban Dhaka in 1989, targeting the slum areas. Despite challenges, MSS continued to grow and expand its microcredit program.

Building on the experience of its earlier Small Credit Fund (SCF), MSS launched the Women’s Credit Program (WCP) in 1989. With technical support from Grameen, WCP became Bangladesh’s first urban adaptation of the Grameen model. Today, it operates as an integrated savings and credit program with an essential focus on social services. The WCP empowers women by organizing them into self-reliant groups, encouraging savings, and offering credit to members. It also supports the establishment of micro and small enterprises, promotes small and medium businesses, provides skill development training, raises awareness, offers counseling, extends loans to beggars and the ultra-poor, and assists members affected by disasters.

The WCP has since expanded to rural areas as well. It has 162 branches across 17 districts, over 850 staff managing over 161,136 active members, and a savings and loan portfolio of over Tk. 2,226.15 million and Tk. 6,182.38 million, respectively. As of December 2024, MSS maintained a loan recovery rate of 99.02%. MSS received the 9th Citi Group Best MFI award 2013.

Rising from the Ashes: The Story of Project Phoenix

On May 24, 1985, a catastrophic cyclone devastated Sandwip, leaving behind immense destruction and 55 orphaned children. In response, the founding members of Manabik Shahajya Sanstha (MSS) launched Project Phoenix, named after the mythical bird symbolizing resilience and renewal. The initiative provided the children with shelter, education, nutrition, and healthcare, giving them a chance to rebuild their lives. Through tireless efforts and community support, MSS transformed despair into hope, empowering the children to thrive. Project Phoenix remains a testament to MSS’s dedication, demonstrating how compassion and collective action can restore lives even in the face of immense adversity.

MSS Focuses on Democracy & Governance

In the early 1990s, as development efforts prioritized democracy and good governance, MSS initiated its Study and Research Group (SRG) to pursue democracy and governance programs. It launched programs to promote good governance, conduct seminars and workshops with parliamentarians, monitor elections nationwide, advocate for electoral reforms, and campaign for implementation. MSS also focused on human rights, civic and voter education, and resolving community issues through its Study Circle program, highlighting its commitment to democratic development. MSS also operated a Legislative Support Program, offering technical assistance to lawmakers and facilitating dialogues and discussions among parliament members and other professional groups.

FEMA: Strengthening Democracy, Good Governance, Accountability and Promoting Electoral Integrity

The Fair Election Monitoring Alliance (FEMA) engaged in multifarious activities to strengthen democratic processes and institutions. FEMA has conducted holistic domestic observation programs during general elections since 1996 and 2001 and has shared its findings and recommendations with the public and other electoral stakeholders. Such holistic observation programs included observing the electoral process by non-partisan citizens, media monitoring, long-term observation, and training political party polling agents. Between elections, FEMA organized dialogues and discussions on contemporary issues, conducted civic voter education programs, worked on electoral reform, undertaken programs to promote women in politics, and observed electoral activities such as by-elections, among others.

FEMA: Around the World

FEMA was part of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM), collaborating with international observer groups. It had participated in monitoring elections globally, including in Thailand (1996), Cambodia (1998, 2008), Nepal (2008), and India (1999), among others. FEMA members also participated in international delegations organized by institutions such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, SAARC, and National Democratic Institute (NDI), monitoring elections in Bulgaria, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Indonesia.

Community-Based Resource Center (CBRC)

Skilled human resources play an effective role in the smooth functioning of development programs. Bearing this in mind, MSS built a Community Based Resource Center (CBRC) in Saidpur upazila of Nilphamari district and has opened the opportunity to conduct training on various development issues in the region. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, the training center has a residential facility for 30 trainees. It has two training rooms, a recreation room and a library. Commissioned in March 2011, the CBRC has been playing a significant role in developing human resources for internal and external stakeholders.

Social Services Program

A range of essential social services are extended to WCP members and their communities to cater to their needs. These services include Daycare Centers for children of poor working mothers, clinic-based Family Planning and Mother and Child Health Care, General Treatment, Satellite Clinics, Health Awareness Education, an Eye Vision Centre, and Eye Camps.

Khelay Khelay Pora: The Journey of Little Stars

In 1986, in a lively village, many children’s laughter filled the air, though most had never stepped into a classroom. Education was a distant dream for families struggling to make ends meet. That year, hope arrived with Khelay Khelay Pora (Learning Through Play), a transformative program by MSS and World Vision. It reimagined education, replacing rigid classrooms with joyful learning through play, sparking creativity and curiosity in young minds.

Education & Scholarships

MSS continues to run its Non-Formal Primary Education (NFPE) program to benefit working children who are unable to attend regular schools. Educational materials and uniforms are provided to the children. Scholarships are awarded to encourage meritorious children of WCP members to study in different academic institutions. MSS’s Shishukanon Preschool Program ensured early childhood education for children, offering a solid foundation for their future.

Eye Care Program & MCHCC

Since 2014, the Eye Care Program (ECP) has transformed lives by providing essential eye care services to underserved communities, fighting preventable blindness, and promoting ocular health. Free Public Eye Camps have brought hope and relief to thousands by restoring vision or correcting refractive errors. These camps travel to remote, underserved areas, offering free screenings, treatments, medications, eyeglasses, and even cataract surgeries. For many, this wasn’t just the restoration of sight-it was the restoration of independence.

MSS provides health care and support to mothers and children, including pre- and postnatal care, regular follow-up, and safe delivery. MCHCC benefits from dedicated care provided by a gynecologist and two midwives, who offer personalized attention to each patient. With a focus on health and well-being, MCHCC remains committed to improving maternal and child health in the community.