Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF)

Who is Manusher Jonno Foundation?

Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) is a non-government and non-profit organization working to improve the well-being of poor and marginalized communities in Bangladesh. They have been operating since 2002, and they work with various local partner organizations to build the capacities of people to demand basic services and their fundamental rights. They have undertaken projects on women’s access to information, gender-based violence, youth leadership, and the human rights impacts related to sustainable fishery.

Highlights

MJF’s existing networks and a process of data collection have given them a robust sense of the needs of communities disenfranchised during the lockdown. They were thus able to undertake a campaign to help women of the indigenous Garo community who lost their jobs in the beauty parlor industry. With our donations for Covid-19 relief efforts, they will reach three particular marginalized groups: people with disabilities, sex workers, and the Hijra/transgender. They will notably also reach some very remote areas, such as Kurigram. MJF is regularly audited and vetted by other international partners.  

Responses to Vetting Questions

These are the responses we were provided by Ms. Kazi Mitul Mahmud, Deputy Program Manager, Resource Mobilization & Campaign of MJF, with regard to MJF's general activities and their plans for using the funds donated through our fundraising campaign. We researched and asked the same set of standard questions to the other NGOs we vetted as well.

Question: With our donation, what is the geographical spread of the relief recipient (e.g. Dhaka city, rural Mymensingh, etc.)?
Response: Srimongol, Kurigram, Khulna, Jashore, Sirajganj, Mongla, Jamalpur, Bagerhat, and Patuakhali.

Question: With our donation, which groups will be helped (e.g. LGBTQ community, Transgender community, street children, Garo indigenous population, sex workers, gypsy community)?
Response: We will reach out to sex workers, hijra/transgender community, and people with disabilities.

Question: With our donation, will you reach out to the Rohingyas?
Response: Not in our current plans.  
 
Question: Can you give us a price breakdown of how much money is spent towards food relief (e.g. with 1000 taka we offer lentils, rice, onions, and potato for a family of 4 for two weeks) or how much cash is handed to each household (e.g. 1800 taka for each adult in a household)?
Response: We offer cash transfer. Previously we gave 2000 taka for each Garo woman who lost work in beauty parlors. This time the budget is 1500 taka per beneficiary - either cash or groceries depending on their needs.
 
Question: We prefer our donations be used for cash transfers or food relief. Nonetheless, what type of other services, if any, other than food relief or cash transfer will be provided with our donations?
Response: We are planning to provide relief in the forms of food and cash as well. But we might add medicine for beneficiaries who are in dire needs.

Question: Can you ensure our donation money is spent only on food relief or cash transfer? If not, can you provide a list of services our fund will be used for?
Response: Yes. If otherwise needed, we can provide a list which can be agreed upon previously id need be.
 
Question: Are you able to customize your food relief or cash transfer efforts based on what we want the donation to be used for?
Response: We can accomodate certain customizations upon discussion and mutual agreement.
 
Question: Do you have any mechanism to ensure transparency of exactly where our money is going?
Response: Yes. We will be using our own verified partnership networks to disburse the relief support. Also, an exactlist of beneficiaries will be maintained for the purpose of this fundraising initiative, so we can track them individually.
 
Question: Can you give us an estimate of what percentage of our donation is used up in overhead cost i.e. if we donate 1000 USD, what fraction of that will go directly to the poor?
Response: For every 1000 taka, the disbursement cost is 20 taka. However, the target is to raise the additional cost through donation as well. MJF does not plan to absorb any donation money for its overhead.
 
Question: Is your organization secular or religiously-affiliated? Does this affect who you serve?
Response: The organization is extremely secular. It does not affect whom we serve at all. MJF values diversity and equality.
 
Question: Can you give us a very brief history of your relevant past efforts that makes you uniquely suited to carry out relief efforts in the face of Covid-19?
Response: MJF has collected data during the whole period of April 2020 from 16,203 women and children via mobile phone by 24 partner NGOs in 27 districts, covering 602 villages and 4 City Corporations, revealing a horrific picture of domestic violence against women and children. This initiative proves MJF's strong network of partners and the capacity to promptly deploy services and advocacy measures. In April, MJF launched a crowd-funding appeal for indigenous Garo girls who have been living in dire conditions after losing their jobs during Covid-19 period. With receipt of a total amount of Taka 2,48,000 MJF was able to provide support to Garo girls who lost jobs in salons. On 7 May 2020, MJF became a member of Bangladesh Chapter of Leave No One Behind Coalition, a global partnership initiative of the Berlin-based International Civil Society Centre. With the support of Global Affairs Canada (GAC), MJF initiated an online campaign under Women's Voice and Leadership Bangladesh (WVLB) project, to highlight key messages, among others, on the rights sex workers and transgenders and stigmatization about patient during Corona lock down and value of women's unpaid work. 

Question: Do you have any mechanism in place to ensure that you are aware of which households are getting help from the government, so as to avoid overlapping coverage with government efforts?
Response: Yes. We collected the names of the beneficiaries through central database holders of these communities and are making sure from multiple sources that the beneficiaries on our list are not included getting any support from the government or any other NGOs.

Question: Do you have any results from non-profit assessment organizations (i.e. Givewell)?
Response: We are regularly audited and other donors include DFID, GAC, SIDA and other international development partners.

Updated: 06/16/2020