Social Service Selected Program

Have you ever been shocked to hear of new born babies found in dust bins or in front of hospitals?

If so, you will be happy to know that in March 2004, Quantum Shishu Shodon was established in the Foundation’s Rajshahi Center to raise these babies as enlightened human beings. Shishu Shodon takes in babies found abandoned in various parts of town and provides them with the necessary care.

At present, 11 girls found abandoned in various parts of the country are being brought up under the direct supervision of Shahida Banu, retired Principal of Nursing Institute, the Honorary Director of Shishu Shodon. The eldest, named Nadira Tahseen, is now 5 years old. Like Nadira, these babies, who seemed destined to die a premature death, are now growing up with the love and affection of all the Quantum family.

The foundation has taken the initiative to bury or cremate dead bodies that cannot be identified or cannot be taken care of by the family. A total of 188 dead bodies have been buried or cremated with full religious rites since the initiation of the program in Rajshahi in 2004. The program also operates in Narayangonj, Khulna and Lama.

The matri mongol or Mother Care Program operating in Chittagong and Uttara provides pre and post partum care to expecting mothers, including counselling, check ups, regular supply of drugs, providing one egg per day for nutrition etc. Since the beginning of the program in 2005,  care and treatment has been provided to 179 mothers.

Setting up water tanks on street sides was the first social service program undertaken by Quantum. The first tank was set up in Dhaka in 1996. At present, 81 water tanks in various places ensure passers by have access to safe drinking water.

In addition 52 tube wells have been set up in  various places including Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet to provide safe drinking water. Two ring wells have been set up in Sylhet. Tube-wells have also been set up in the SIDR affected areas in Potuakhali.

Many male children - even grown ups - carry within them a secret sorrow and shame because they have been never been circumcised. While some parents celebrate their son's circumcision by spending thousands of taka, others cannot afford to pay the few hundred taka it takes for a simple circumcision.

Quantum Foundation's circumcision program was initiated in July 2005 by the Sylhet Center to provide these people this much needed service. As soon as a started the program, we were amazed at the large number of people who turned up every week to take advantage of this service.The program has now spread to several centers, branches and cells across the country. In Dhaka, Taleya Rehman, prominent activist and Executive Director of Democracy Watch inaugurated the program. Altogether, 10,504 deprived boys and adolescents have been circumcised under the program. 4,791 boys were circumcised and provided with recuperative care in the last 9 months of 2008. In addition to underprivileged children, even adults who had been deprived of circumcision in their childhood due to economic reasons are taking advantage of this service.

Dedicated physicians belonging to the Quantum family have been providing free medical services in various parts of the country. Veteran homeopath Dr. Mokhlesur Rahman, Principal Dr. Majedur Rahman, and Dr. Mohiuddin Ahmed provide free medical services on behalf of Quantum in Kuril, Mirpur and Mohammadpur in Dhaka respectively. Quantum Foundation’s Mirpur Center regularly provides free medical services and medicine to underprivileged children at the local UCEP (Underprivileged Children Education Program) office.