About ARKTF

Abdur Rashid Khan Thakur Foundation (ARKTF) is dedicated to uplifting the most vulnerable communities in Bangladesh.

Abdur Rashid Khan Thakur Foundation-ARKTF is a well-meaning national development organization in the south-western part of Bangladesh, founded in 2002 with intensive focused on charity and relief (social welfare) for the most vulnerable and destitute people affected by the social and natural disaster. ARKTF has been working in solidarity with poor, excluded and marginalized segments to end poverty and injustice in the different parts of Bangladesh. Founder of ARKTF is Mr. Abdur Rashid Khan Thakur, a renowned govt. official as well as social worker, with a view to promote the socio- economic status of the rural, urban, under-privileged and demoralized people living in the society, where justice will be honored and every citizen will be able to get rightful shares of the resources.

From the inception ARKTF aims to improve the socio-economic condition of the beneficiaries in the working area especially to establish the women and child rights. ARKTF performed for a positive change likely economical, cultural, women empowerment, child rights establishment by facing different types of challenges and risks including prolonged conflict, confrontation, natural disaster, social trend and tendencies, fundamentalism etc. In this connection ARKTF set up a target of components including Community Mobilization and Institutional Strengthening for upholding human rights specially Child Rights, Education, Income Generating Activities (IGA), Health Hygiene and Nutrition, WatSan and Emergency response. In every component, ARKTF had a good achievement and success finding better scope of work opportunities in working area among other success providers.

In the view of the problems and to contribute for establishing poverty free and just society ARKTF has taken different development engagement with community people and other stakeholders by receiving their supports.

ARKTF started its activities from Gopalganj district. Over the 23 years, ARKTF has been reorganized as a development partner in liberating and empowering the poor people of Bangladesh. ARKTF has been performed to make positive changes of the lives and livelihoods of the poor and marginalized people through taking different initiatives including children rights, health, hygiene and nutrition, education, social forestry, leadership development etc.

Principles of ARKTF

Avoiding discrimination based on sex, color, caste, and creed, ARKTF is completely charitable, educational, non-political, non-communal, and non-profitable.
Only the almighty shall be the basis of all actions of the organization.
The target participants shall be the sole source of power of the organization.
The members and staff of the organization must abide by values and cultures developed by the organization.

Vision of ARKTF

Striving for a society free from poverty, discrimination, and injustice, where every voice is heard and valued.

Mission of ARKTF

Our mission is to protect and promote the rights of the vulnerable people particularly women and children, ensuring their safety, education, and well-being through advocacy, support services, and appropriate policies.

Goal of ARKTF

Providing access to education, healthcare and other basic needs for underserved communities.

Target People/Beneficiaries

Vulnerable, marginalized, hardcore poor, destitute, downtrodden, harassed people, particularly women and children, are the target people of the organization.

Objectives of ARKTF

Taking appropriate measures to create educational opportunities for children deprived of the opportunity for education.
Carrying out activities to ensure child protection at all levels of family and society.
Carrying out relentless efforts to make society free from child labor and providing support to all initiatives taken in this regard at both government and private levels.
To empower the hardcore, marginalized, disadvantaged people through various life-oriented educations & training making them self-reliance for promoting economic development.
To ensure their social, legal rights against inhumane torture & injustice.
To emphasize them on primary health care system.
To take necessary steps for promoting balanced development of the neglected children.
To provide legal aid to the destitute, vulnerable women and children against torture & injustice.
To play a complementary role in the development activities initiated by the Govt.
To promote good governance & human rights development.
To organize different awareness, action advocacy & lobbying activities in furtherance of the objectives of the organization.

Governance of ARKTF

ARKTF has a constitution approved by the Department of Social Services & Registrar of Joint Stock Companies under the Societies Registration Act. The governance of ARKTF has been ensured following this constitution and other policies, (Human Resource Policy, Financial Policy, Child Protection Policy and Gender Policy- The logistic and procurement policy has been addressed in the financial policy). ARKTF has an active and supportive Executive Committee (EC). It has General Body of 19 members. It is very balanced Executive Committee with a composition of teachers, cultural activists, and women rights activists and social workers. The present Executive Committee is very support oriented especially during the crisis period.

The Executive Committee Members have a stake in the administrative and financial affairs, besides policy making and strategic management, which on the one hand ensures financial transparency and accountability as an overarching role.

The EC Members are involved in Staff Recruitment and Performance Appraisal for maintaining transparency. Basically, the EC is well constituted democratically to protect the organization and also to ensure and practice governance for running the organization more efficiently.

Overall experience of ARKTF

To ensure the protection of the lives and livelihoods of marginal, helpless, and impoverished communities, ARKTF has gained the following experiences through implementing various development programs since its inception.

Eliminating child labor involves creating opportunities for children to continue their education.
Education for underprivileged and vulnerable children.
Strengthen, organize and activate local community people against injustice.
Welfare development through Primary Health Care project and awareness activities on HIV/AIDS.
Relief and Disaster Management.
Skill development and capacity building of youths, protection and prevention mechanisms of violence against women and children.