Bangladesh Rotary: Jessore

Our day started at 6:15 AM in the city of Jessore with Namaz the calling from the Mosque (Zam Azan).

From Bangladesh 2009 Photo Album

One of our Rotary partners invited a group of us to experience a true Bangladesh breakfast -- his favourite when in Jessore. We walked down narrow uninhabited streets that early in the morniing to reach this inviting restaurant.

Upon entering the retaurant, which had a capacity of ten, we were greeted openly and offered Luchi and Dahl. After breakfast we had sondesh (sweets): one made with cooked condensed milk (malai) and the other made with date juice. We couldn't believe that no sugar had been added to make either of these desserts.

Doug was able to get some true pictures of how our breakfast was being prepared. After breakfast, we walked down another street to have our "Street Tea" made with cow's milk and raw tea. The total cost for our breakfast for the ten of us, including the tea, was $6.50. What a true fun Bangladesh experience!

From Bangladesh 2009 Photo Album

Our distribution began hours later, with 604 bedkits being distributed to very needy children from the outlying countryside of Jessore. This was the first time that a SCAW Bangladesh team had travelled to outlying areas for a total of three days with two overnights to reach first time distribution sites. It has been an exhausting but well worth it experience and we have certainly recognized a true need for these areas to be reached.

Our fun times continue to be with the children and parents.

From Bangladesh 2009 Photo Album

Our bubble experience reached its peak today with some outstanding photos. Visting Jessore has been a back-in-time experience for all of us. We witnessed virtually no automobiles on the roads. All transportation is either by foot, rickshaw, bicycle, scooter, motocycle, or ricksvan. Early morning traffic is busy and by the evening rush hour it is total traffic congestion.

We are all looking forward to to the last leg of our distribution at Barisal. A four-hour road trip to reach our distribution site with 599 bedkits and then another seven hours by water and road to make it back to Dhaka, our home base.

Mike Foster
for Rotary Team Bangladesh

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