Rangamati. Thursday, 30 June 2011

Moanoghar Children’s Home inaugurated a fund raising campaign today at Rangamati with support from Drishtipat and Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF). Moanoghar was founded in 1974 by a group of Buddhist monks to serve the poor and vulnerable children of the region by providing shelter and quality education. Starting off as a small orphanage, Moanoghar currently hosts 1137 students and provides education from Class 1 through to SSC.

Today’s fund raising ceremony was part of a continuing process to establish Moanoghar as a sustainable development charity.

Website Launching Ceremony at Moanoghar on 30 June 2011	Dristipat representative handing over the cheque to Moanoghar director Chanchu Chakma

Earlier, Drishtipat Writers’ Collective (DWC) published a book on the political struggles and development needs of the marginalised peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The book, titled “Between Ashes and Hope: Chittagong Hill Tracts in the Blind Spot of Bangladesh Nationalism” was edited by Naeem Mohaiemen of DWC, and was published with support from MJF. The money collected from the sale of the book was donated to Moanoghar during the ceremony.

A new website (www.moanoghar.org) was also launched to promote the activities of the institution and to facilitate the fund raising campaign.

The programme was chaired by Venerable Shraddha Lanker Mohatera,Vice-president, Moanoghar Executive Committee where Dr. Manik Lal Dewan, former dean of the university of Mymensingh Agricultural University and former chairman of Rangamati Zila Parisad was present as the chief guest. Among others, Zahed Hasan and Tandra Chakma of MJF, Syeed Ahamed of DWC, Snehokumar Chakma of Ancholik Parishad and Mr. Sukumar Dewan, President, Moanoghar Executive Committee was present at the ceremony.

Chunchu Chakma, Executive Director of Moanoghar received the money from the DWC-MJF representatives. The fund raising ceremony was followed by a traditional cultural programme performed by the children of Moanoghar.