Empowering Communities from the Ground Up – DIU’s Evaluation of the Jeebika Project

In the rural villages of Chandpur, Bangladesh, change is quietly unfolding, this change is driven by the Jeebika I & II projects supported by Daffodil Foundation, a livelihoods initiative uplifting marginalized communities through interest-free financial support, skill training, healthcare, and education. To understand its real-world impact, Daffodil International University (DIU) stepped in not as distant observers, but as committed partners in grassroots development.

In October 2024, a dedicated team of DIU researchers led by Dr. Md Kamrul Hossain, with Mr. Khalid Md. Bahauddin, Mr. Md. Sadekur Rahman and Mr. Ibrahim Hossain conducted a comprehensive impact evaluation of the Jeebika projects to measure not just numbers, but lives changed.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the team combined surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions to capture both data and personal stories. What they found was significant, beneficiaries especially women had achieved greater financial independence through interest-free loans funded by zakat, launching small enterprises in sewing, livestock, and trade. Coupled with financial literacy training, these investments broke cycles of debt and built lasting economic resilience. 

Skill development programs proved equally transformative. Free training in market-relevant trades empowered individuals to earn stable incomes, boosting household well-being and self-confidence and it brought essential services to doorsteps, improving maternal and child health and increasing preventive care awareness. 

Education initiatives reduced dropout rates and opened new futures for children, while community gatherings fostered trust, collaboration, and leadership especially among women. Social cohesion emerged as a powerful force, turning isolated struggles into collective strength.  Furthermore, the Jeebika project has fostered a strong sense of social cohesion. DIU’s evaluation highlights the success of community-driven activities, where beneficiaries, especially women, have taken leadership roles, strengthening social ties and building collective resilience.

This impact evaluation serves as a powerful example of grassroots development, demonstrating how community-based interventions can create sustainable, positive change. Through this project, DIU has shown that real empowerment begins at the community level, where the needs and voices of the people are at the forefront. DIU’s evaluation did more than assess impact, it validated a philosophy: development from below. By centering community voices, the Jeebika project, supported by rigorous academic insight, has become a model of sustainable, inclusive growth.

This research endorses DIU’s pledge to bridging academia and action. It shows how evidence-based evaluation can strengthen grassroots initiatives, ensuring they remain responsive, effective, and truly empowering. In Chandpur, hope is growing not from top-down directives, but from the ground up, one empowered life at a time. Importantly, it demonstrates how academic research, grounded in community partnership and empathy, can illuminate the path towards sustainable, self-determined progress, turning the seeds of support in Chandpur into a harvest of enduring resilience.