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Climate Change Program

Our Aim

As one of the largest and the most disaster-prone populous deltas in the world, Bangladesh, is especially vulnerable to climate change consequences. Shakti's Climate Change Program is relentlessly addressing the nation’s urgent need through highly impactful climate-smart and resilient initiatives.

  • 59,731 Solar Home Systems
  • 68,891 Trees Planted
  • 1,063 KW Power Exported to National Grid

Save Your Breath – Shakti for Clean Air

First in Bangladesh Air pollution Awareness Campaign. On October 31, 2023, Shakti Foundation launched a groundbreaking awareness billboard titled "Save Your Breath—Shakti for Clean Air."

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The billboard features artificial lungs that simulate breathing and demonstrate the impact of ambient air on healthy lungs. A real-time air quality index is also displayed on the billboard, revealing pollution effects over the past 21 days. As more air pollutants were trapped, the lungs changed color—from chalk white to muddy brown to inky black. The initiative aims to educate the masses about community-level pollutants and advocate for policy changes to improve air quality.

Current AQI in Dhaka

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NASA's GLOBE Program

In collaboration with US Embassy Dhaka, Shakti is the first Bangladeshi organization to implement NASA's GLOBE Program for students at the grass-roots level. Currently, students from Classes 6–10 (ages 12–16) at Nazrul Islam High School in Lalpur Union of Titash Upazila, Cumilla, are gaining hands-on training in science, technology, environment, and mathematics using simple, scientific devices. With improved learning and greater awareness, we aim to create a future generation of informed citizens and responsible decision-makers.
Currently, the GLOBE Program involves more than 120 countries, over 37,000 schools, and over 100 million students, teachers, and scientists worldwide.

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Please note this video was produced in 2012 and is meant to be illustrative of the Foundation's grant making process.

Support hands-on STEM training for young minds, especially for young girls, so they can realize their scientific ambitions beyond marriage and housework.

Assist teachers to implement inquiry-based learning activities that instill critical thinking, scientific research methodologies, data analysis and independent learning in adolescent girls and boys.

Build a knowledge network that will connect Bangladeshi students to their international counterparts through collaborative and/or comparative research projects

Understand the connection between Earth’s intricate systems and their own communities so future generations can become informed citizens and responsible decision-makers.

Solar Initiative

Shakti started its renewable energy journey in 2010 with the aim of providing solar power options to off-grid districts in remote areas of Bangladesh. Households were offered a convenient payment scheme for the installation of Solar Home Systems, alongside training on proper equipment use and maintenance. Currently, the Solar Initiative has sales centers in 6 upazilas (Terokhada, Goalanda, Saltha, Nagarpur, Sapahar and Sariakandi) and the following active solar energy systems:

  • 56,038 Solar Home System
  • 62 Solar AC System
  • 83 Solar DC System
  • 3,548 Solar Street Light
  • 59,731 Units Total

Action Research Project On Selling Electricity From SHS To National Grid

Action Research Project on Selling Electricity from SHS to National Grid: SOLshare has recently joined hands with Shakti to launch a pathbreaking action research initiative in the renewable energy sector. Through P2P technology, users could trade the excess energy in their respective systems with their local community for a given price. But now, by way of a single point called the “Point of Common Coupling” (PCC), this initiative would allow users to go one step further and sell the excess solar energy to the national grid as an added income source. The PCC integrates Bangladesh's two major electrification efforts – grid extension and SHS dissemination. The Rural Electrification Board (REB) grid is connected to one side of the PCC, while the local electrical grid from the SHS is connected to the other side so the excess energy can be easily transferred. This initiative not only explores the feasibility of creating financial opportunities for microentrepreneurs and marginalized communities but also supports the self-sustainability push against power outages and service disruptions. Shakti Foundation, with the funding from FCDO, is implementing this research pilot project under the regulatory sandbox in Dhobaura Upazila of Mymensingh district.

Green Public Spaces

By reimagining abandoned, forsaken areas into green centers of life and recreation, Shakti aims to weave sustainability and resilience into our communities. All our green interventions are being preserved with a comprehensive plant healthcare strategy, onsite watering system, and a dedicated maintenance team in alignment with SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG13: Climate Action and SDG15: Life on Land.

CARBON SEQUESTRATION

The flora intercept atmospheric particles and absorb different gaseous pollutants.

FIGHTS AIR POLLUTION

The trees offer shading and cooling particularly for infants, the elderly and poor people who are highly affected by thermal stress.

HEAT ISLAND EFFECT

The vegetation acts as carbon sinks that offset harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH

Parks and green spaces promote physical activity, connection to nature and opportunities for community engagement.

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Nationwide Green Space Initiative

To celebrate Shakti Foundation’s 31st anniversary on April 1, 2023, a month long, nationwide green space initiative has been undertaken. Our dedicated teams across the nation have planted a total of 1,817 trees in 34 districts. In collaboration with the respective Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Offices, trees of various kinds have been planted within the respective DC office premises (21 districts), cluster villages for disaster effected families (5 districts), parks (4 districts), public schools (3 districts) and police station (1 district). At each location, at least 50 trees of various kinds have been planted by the local Shakti team.

The Green Initiative Plan

Shakti Foundation and MetLife Foundation’s (CAF America) partnership has given rise to high-impact green interventions in Dhaka City. This Green Initiative Plan consists of two unique components: Muktir Shabujayon Prokalpo (Greening for Liberation Project) in Mirpur and Nagar Shabujayan Prokalpo (Streetscape Project) in the heart of Dhaka North.

Under the Muktir Shobujayon Project, the drug-addled, forsaken lot beside the Jallad Khana Memorial Site in Mirpur 10 has been transformed into a green space consisting of 1,111 medicinal and ornamental plants as well as a vertical garden. Children’s play equipment has been renewed, and the concrete playground has been replaced with Mexican turf grass to ensure safety and dust control. In addition, Jallad Khana Garbage Secondary Transfer Station (STS), a malodorous and unsightly dumping ground, has been given a fresh makeover by renowned cartoonist Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy and his team at Tanmoy Cartoons.

The Nagar Shobujayon Project has integrated green infrastructure concepts in the heart of Dhaka City, with over seventeen thousand functional, aesthetic, and sustainable plants introduced within the road medians from Army Stadium to Jahangir Gate area and Bijoy Sharani to Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue. Additional improvements included removing accumulated trash and dust, pruning existing plants, installing fencing, fixing damaged medians, and commissioning attractive graffiti art for the concrete road dividers.

nagar_shobujayon

lautola khal

Landscape Transformation

The first Human Made forest in Dhaka

One of the main causes of global warming is deforestation. The lack of trees in urbanized areas, alongside Dhaka’s rapidly growing population is giving rise to extreme heat levels. In this regard, Shakti Foundation in collaboration with HSBC Bank and local authorities, has undertaken The Nature Based Solution Project at Ramchandrapur Khal in Lautola Bosila, Mohammadpur and to date more than 9,000 trees have been planted.

Ramchandrapur Khal at Lautola Bosila, Mohammadpur was part of a large canal system connected to Turag / Buriganga River at different points. In recent times, it had been taken over by an illegal truck terminal and several auto repair shops. Shakti has transformed the urban blight into a rich urban forest boasting a biodiversity of 67 varieties of trees, herbs, shrubs and climbers. The Ramchandrapur Khal aka Lautola Khal has been painstakingly retrieved from the occupied land and embellished by over seven thousand fruit, medicinal and ornamental plants on either side.

Recent Activities

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) embedded in the Program