Take actions/initiatives and awareness building at all levels of the state and society to prevent climate change and environmental disasters and increase the use of renewable energy.

We facilitate all possible means and ways to adapt and mitigate climate change effects, and nature conservation for sustainable development. As can be observed, 44% of households in the nation’s disaster-prone areas have experienced more than one disaster or have been negatively impacted by one, and the cost of rebuilding and repairing crucial infrastructure or structures is increasing in poverty. We plan to have an inclusive approach to get benefits from the actions of low-carbon, climate-sensitive crop diversity, alternative food production, disaster preparedness, and emergency responses and reduced inequality in support system in using renewable energy. In addition, households in these disaster-prone locations lack access to vital amenities like power, health care, and education. Therefore, it is crucial to pay special attention to increasing the resilience of these communities to support their defence and capacity to withstand shocks and damages from disasters. We will continue to promote and provide information through climate actions and our effort to promote solar power-based electricity generation for irrigation systems, promote household use of bio-gas, and contribute solar-produced electricity to the national greed system.

In an era of rapid environmental degradation and climate change, the use of renewable energy-based energy instead of fossil-fuel-based energy is increasing all over the world. This is accomplished by utilizing Bangladesh’s renewable energy resources for the production of electricity. The main source of renewable energy in the country is biogas, which is produced using hydropower, sun, wind, and biomass. Solar home systems (SHS), is an important initiative in the development of solar energy and it has given access to electricity to a large number of people living in remote areas of the country, located outside the national grid. More than 40 lakh poor people have received electricity through home solar systems and improved their lifestyles, although its contribution to the national context is very small, only 250 MW, i.e. two percent. More than four million SHS have been built domestically to improve the lives of these poor people, although its contribution is small nationally, only 250 MW, i.e. two percent. According to government plans, by 2021, renewable sources will provide about 10 percent of total electricity generation capacity – 2,400 megawatts. We are also partners in this process of government and are playing a complementary role in its development. We have taken up home solar systems, solar irrigation systems, advanced cooking stoves, biogas, and bio-fertilizer projects to ensure sustainable and affordable sources of energy for the people.

GIZ has taken the initiative of Goat Raring for urban climate migrants and vulnerable Citizens to improve their resilient livelihood. The project’s goal is to improve the living conditions of climate migrants. Furthermore, empowering the vulnerable communities through expecting 70% women of the target group will be involved in the process. From this perspective, poverty reduction practices in Khulna city to improve the living conditions of climate migrants and vulnerable residents of the “hotspots” are developed by representatives of civil society organizations. In addition, the program is also drawing some probable Risk Factors and Overcoming Strategies about extreme climate incidents. It is strengthening household capacities to deal with climate-related risk alongside to ensure the relationship with market actors. The project is being implemented in Khulna City Corporation.

It is a multi-country project. The purpose of the project is to reduce vulnerability and sufferings of communities affected by recurrent disasters in highly vulnerable areas in Asia (Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal) through enhancing capacities of stakeholders for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world due to climate change impact and also presenting its good performance in copping the natural disaster as a role model. Vulnerable communities are expected to be better equipped to co-lead on relief and recovery efforts in collaboration with local authorities. Hence, the specific objectives of the project are to enhance the capacity of the communities, disaster management committees, government and local and national humanitarian actors on response, recovery and disaster preparedness along with focus on increasing the capability of the women and youth on disaster response and make the disaster response committee more accountable to follow humanitarian standard. So that their roles can be sustained after the project period and learning can be shared widely. The major activities under the project are functioning union disaster management committee (UDMC), training for local leaders, and youth, to engage with government and other key actors to ensure that inclusive DRR is appropriately integrated into local plans. WAVE in partnership with Oxfam has been implementing this project in 6 Unions of Bakergonj Upazilla under Barisal district covering 5400 stakeholders.

With the motive of achieving rural development through a business-based approach, this project has been playing a significant role in improving livelihood and bringing development in rural areas.  Bangladesh is at the threshold of growth centre development for farmers. Agro-based entrepreneur development in urban and rural areas is on board. In this backdrop, the project objective is to develop SME/ Medium enterprise in a sustainable approach to create positive social and environmental impact resulting in economic and employment opportunities for marginalized farmers, women and youth. It is working on identifying business opportunities, helping enterprises development and implementing viable business plans. Here, Enterprise is the major focus that can ensure substantial social impact. The project successfully able to link investors and entrepreneurs through a tailored package of loans, grants or bank guarantees to potential small-medium enterprises. The major activities are providing expert advice guidance sessions, trainings to small-medium enterprises, DEMO Plot Preparation, Promotional Campaigns, and Capacity Development Support for cooperatives besides monetary support market expansion, dealer & retailer Linkage. WAVE Foundation has been implementing this project in Barisal district since 2020 in partnership with Oxfam.

Thousands of youths emerge as entrepreneurs every year in Bangladesh. A large part of it is lost due to lack of experience and capital. As the job market is very small in the context of Bangladesh, government and private development agencies encourage youth entrepreneurship. But the youth are generally not interested in becoming entrepreneurs due to lack of adequate facilities in the public and private sectors. At one point, a section of the youth emerged as entrepreneurs in desperation to overcome unemployment. Although some training initiatives have been taken for them by the government/private sector, this information does not reach most of the youth. Moreover some of NGOs organized entrepreneurship training for youth and provide minimum startup capital support for start a business. But some of these young entrepreneurs run around for financial support in different places to expand their business, but they are unable to raise capital at low interest and are forced to close the business. The system of low interest money from banks is so complex that it becomes difficult for new entrepreneurs to enter. Keeping all these entrepreneurs in mind, Wave Foundation in collaboration with Oxfam Bangladesh experimentally launched a program called Impact Investment. The main objective of this program is to provide capital support to youth potential entrepreneurs based on profit and loss sharing for business growth. 70% of the dividend from capital will be received by the entrepreneur and 30% will be given to the organization. Up to a certain period of time, this investment allows the entrepreneur to operate his business and return the entire investment received after the specified time period. Under this program, Wave Foundation has been working with 30 young entrepreneurs in Bakerganj Upazila of Barisal district from 2021.

In the era of climate change and rapid environmental degradation, renewable energy in Bangladesh is reverbed for its ability to reduce the annual growth rate of GHG emissions from the fossil fuel-based power generation by exploiting Bangladesh’s renewable energy resources for electricity generation. Renewable energy in Bangladesh refers to the use of renewable energy to generate electricity in Bangladesh. The current renewable energy comes from biogas that is originated from biomass, hydro power, solar and wind. Bangladesh has a success story in developing off-grid rooftop solar power known as solar home system (SHS) which has given electricity to a large number of people living in rather remote off-grid areas and who would not have electricity otherwise. More than four million SHS installed domestically have uplifted the lifestyle of these impoverished people by providing small-scale power at their homes. But in the context of national power demand and generation, the contribution of SMS is tiny, a mere 250 megawatt, which is only two percent of the total power generation capacity in the country. In fact, in the solar industry worldwide, large-scale solar power generation essentially means on-grid solar (grid-connected). According to the government plan, renewable sources should provide about 10 percent of the total power generation capacity by 2021, meaning 2400MW power generation from renewable sources. Development Organizations along with private sector is playing the complementary role in the development of this sustainable and pro-people source of energy. WAVE’s Renewable Energy constitutes of the following components and others:

Solar Irrigation Systems

In the context of Bangladesh, extending affordable and sustainable agro-technologies to the poor farmers can play a transformative role in converting small farming into viable businesses and thereby making a measurable change in the gross agricultural production. The advent of eco-friendly renewable solar energy is widely recognized and very relevant to Bangladesh. WAVE Foundation launches solar irrigation systems for the broad base of poor small farmers who cannot afford the conventional costly irrigation system. Renewable Energy Development Program adopts a group approach that brings small farmers under a single umbrella who attain ownership of the solar irrigation system. Unlike conventional irrigation system, solar irrigation system diminishes wastages of water and land by devising an underground water canal for water circulation. The mandatory arsenic and TDS test prior to solar irrigation system installation makes it scientifically secured both for farming and the farmers.

Biogas and Bio-fertilizer

The overall objective of the project is to develop and disseminate domestic biogas in rural areas with the ultimate goal to establish a sustainable and commercial biogas sector in Bangladesh. It aims to reduction of workload of women, improvement in health and sanitation condition, increase agriculture production with proper utilization of slurry, employment generation, saving of conventional fuel sources such as firewood, agriculture residues and dries dung cake and reduction in green-house gas emission. IDCOL supports the project implementation in Chuadanga district.

Improved Cooking Stove

The World Health Organization has estimated that 46,000 women and children die each year in Bangladesh as a direct result of exposure to indoor air pollution, while millions more suffer from respiratory diseases, tuberculosis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, eye problems, lung cancer etc. 70% of the victims of indoor air pollution are children under five. Estimated 90% of the rural household of Bangladeshi are using cow dung, jute sticks, other agricultural waste and wood for cooking and most use inefficient and poorly ventilated clay stoves that produce smoke, carbon monoxide and carcinogens. It is serious health threat for women and children. Due to these reasons WAVE Foundation has been promoting improved cooking stoves (BONDHU CHULA) at rural level through partnering with PKSF since 2010.

Solar Home System

Now-a-days electricity is the right of the people. Our state is committed to provide electricity for all people and in every home. For promoting the green economy and natural conservation, WAVE is promoting solar power program emphasizing the people who are living in off grid area of the country. Major program interventions are Solar Home System (SHS), irrigation and small industry. WAVE Foundation implements the project through partnering with IDCOL.