Reports on 2023 progress

Since BHP began almost twenty years ago, in 2004, hundreds of individuals have participated as visiting faculty or global health students, as donors of educational resources and money and as researchers. To all contributors,past and present, a BIG THANK-YOU! for your unwavering support. With successful completion of our initial task to start a nursing college, BHP has shifted its focus in response to local requests. Every year we report on this progress to our sponsor, Mid-Main Community Health Centre and to everyone who has supported the BHP activities. We have just published two documents: One report is entirely about our work with Oasis for Posterity, where most donations are directed. The second report is an overview of several other initiatives under the BHP umbrella. Please contact us if you would like more information or need help to make a donation to these projects.

OFP Program Report January 2024.pdf

Download PDF • 1.22MB

Bangladesh Health Project Update January 2024.pdf

Download PDF • 687KB

Thank you for your interest!

We are grateful for all the viewers who subscribe to BHP posts or check in occasionally to read about our work with the IUBAT College of Nursing, Oasis for Posterity, Sajida Healthcare and Open Resources for Nurse Educators. The illustration shows that recent BHP website visitors come from many different countries. There are a great many terrific humanitarian projects around the world so we are grateful that you choose to spend time with us. If you need further information or wish to volunteer or donate to BHP activities, please contact us.

Happy 20th Birthday to BHP!

John Richards, MOHFW Minister Hoque, Karen Lund, Alex Berland at a 2014 meeting

The Bangladesh Health Project began at the invitation of IUBAT Founder, Dr. M. Alimullah Miyan to BHP Director John Richards. In November 2003 BHP Director Alex Berland visited the university for a feasibility assessment with stakeholders and officials; several months of preparation followed. Then the first College of Nursing Coordinator, Dr. Karen Lund, arrived in Dhaka and enrolled the initial batch of nursing students. In the following years, due to the shortage of local nurse educators, over eighty individuals, mostly Canadians, traveled to IUBAT as visiting faculty volunteers. Today that volunteer effort is unnecessary because local nurse educators provide all leadership and instruction.

In a journal article, 'A do-it-yourself approach to international nurse education', Alex Berland describes “lessons learned” in supporting the IUBAT College of Nursing from complete start-up to an independent, high-quality training program. He recommends that social entrepreneurs conduct research before committing to a project and rely on their own resources if necessary. Being an “audacious optimist” is also a must!

Berland's article concludes, “Although DIY projects won’t always work, inaction achieves nothing. In the time we might have spent preparing proposals for the unpredictable demands of funders, we have graduated well-educated nursing leaders in Bangladesh. It may be a drop in the bucket, but I believe our carefully nurtured graduates will amplify the impact of this small effort for decades. As anthropologist Margaret Mead wrote, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’”