MATI e.V. - Selbstbestimmte Dorfentwicklung

Mati e.V. is acknowledged as a non-profit association in Germany. It informs about the projects against poverty that its partner in Bangladesh realizes. Additionally it deals with incentives for the support of Mati Bangladesh.
Mati Bangladesh is a non-governmental organisation which has been working since 1998 in the north of Bangladesh in the districts Sherpur and Mymensingh.

In the project area of Mati Bangladesh the problems are manifold: ill health due to lack of hygiene and clean water, malnutrition, limited education facilities, lack of resources to generate a sufficient income independently, and so on. To tackle these issues, Mati is involved with developing and implementing various programs:
At the heart of these programs are Education and Livelihood Assistance.

Mati trains young local women as health-trainers and field motivators. They pass on their knowledge about basic health care, hygiene, nutrition, child and pre-natal care to the women of the Mati Women Groups. So far, we have also provided several hundred households with sanitary latrines and water pumps (tube wells).
In addition to working with women Mati runs different programs focusing on whole families, such as agricultural programs like the Kitchengarden Program (KGP) that aims at improving the nutritional value of food intake of the whole family, through the cultivation of small vegetable plots on otherwise bare land around the family home.
In cooperation with Bread for the World Mati has started a Pilot Program for the Extreme Poor. Since July 2006 we are working with 300 extreme poor families, which we provide with small interest-free loans to start up small private businesses and develop income generating methods. In addition they are provided with access to health care as well as sufficient nutrition.
Apart from an elementary school, Mati also provides training facilities such as a sewing-, agricultural- or office management and computer training centre.