Original Title : Promoting Info- Lady for Building Inclusive Information and Knowledge based Upazilla
Media Format : Multiple Platform (Potable Computer)
Website : www.arbanbd.org
Producer : Activity for Reformation of Basic Needs-ARBAN
Language : Bangla & English
Location : Netrokona, BANGLADESH
Contact : arbanbangla@yahoo.com

The “Infolady” is an initiative, started by Activity for Reformation of Basic Needs – ARBAN, to connect rural people to the livelihood information and knowledge system at their door steps.

The programme facilitates the creation of knowledge networks in Purobodhao Upazilla and offers new technology-based self-employment opportunity for the educated rural women. In the process empowerment takes place for both the Infolady and the women she attends. Under this initiative a lady is equipped with a netbook laptop loaded with offline Bangla livelihood content (Jeeon IKB) and audio-visual content, internet modem, headphone, webcam, digital camera, mobile phone and some other equipments, like weight measurement machine, blood pressure machine, pregnancy test kit, sugar test kit etc. A typical Infolady is a trained rural young woman, who cycles about five to ten kilometres a day and offers variety of ICT-based and other services at the door-step of rural community she lives in.

The Jury appreciated that the concept of “Infolady” spearheads a revolutionary idea , by providing thousands of Bangladeshi women, trapped in a cycle of overty, health problems and natural disaster better access to information and knowledge on their doorstep. It was noted that in rural and remote area, since women with basic education find it difficult to get a decent employment opportunity, this initiative significantly created new information based profession for the educated rural women by using ICT. It was further noted this profession created significant self-employment with earning opportunities, depending on the capacity of the Infolady and the local demand, up to USD 300 per month. The Jury felt that the initiative brought a paradigm shift in the employment opportunities for the educated rural women in Bangladesh.

Original Title : Agriculture Khasland Management Information System (AKMIS)
Media Format : MIS & Web based
Website : www.dcnaogaon.gov.bd
Producer : Office of the Deputy commissioner, Naogaon
Language : Bangla & English
Location : Naogaon, BANGLADESH
Contact : adcrnaogaon@gmail.com

The AKMIS project aims to empower the landless people by providing agricultural Khasland so that they can live smoothly and generate income by cultivating this land.

The initiative’s mission is to provide effective and efficient service to the landless people of Naogaon district in Bangladesh, through proper distribution of agricultural Khasland by using improved customized database software. The software application has two modules : Agricultural Khasland Management Information System (AKMIS) and Agricultural Khasland Settlement Information System (AKSIS). Former is responsible for the management and the distribution of the entire dispute free agricultural Khasland to landless people as per government instructions. The latter is responsible to avoid all duplication of Khasland Settlement, to avoid long time procedure of Khasland settlement (Distribution) and to implement the Government’s decision promptly i.e. to make Khasland settlement procedure harassment & corruption free.

The Jury observed that this project provides effective and efficient service to the disadvantaged (landless) people of Naogaon district, through proper distribution of land. It has also noted that so far the Project has enabled successful distribution 185.21 acres of agricultural Khasland among 1290 landless people in the district. If the same Project can be replicated in all the Upazila land offices in the country, it would greatly benefit the poor landless people and enable them to generate income.The Jury also noted that the Any grievance redressal would be easier in this initiative as the project provides interactions directly from the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Naogaon which is an added advantage for the end users .