The Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, His Excellency Mr. Michael Miller, visited different activities of the Pathways to Prosperity for Extremely Poor People-European Union (PPEPP-EU) project at Kaikhali Union of Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira district on 11 September 2025.
The EU Ambassador was accompanied by Mr. Edwin Koekkoek, First Counsellor and Ms. Meher Nigar Bhuiyan, Programme Manager (Resilient Livelihoods) of the EU Delegation to Bangladesh. From PKSF, Deputy Managing Director Dr. Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, PPEPP-EU Project Director Dr. Sharif Ahmed Chowdhury, and General Manager (Program) Ms. Salina Sharif also joined the visit.
It is worth mentioning that the PPEPP-EU project covers some 215,000 extremely poor households in 145 Unions of 12 districts and provides support for resilient livelihoods, inclusive finance, nutrition and primary healthcare, women empowerment, disability inclusion, disaster & climate-resilience and community mobilization. PKSF implements the project through its 19 Partner Organizations (POs).
During the visit, the EU delegation observed a wide range of project activities, including a nutrition fair to raise community awareness of health and nutrition, a satellite clinic providing primary healthcare services, a drawing competition among adolescent girls, a demonstration on age-appropriate ideal food selection, and distribution of assistive devices for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
They also visited various income-generating activities (IGAs) including tailoring, agro-processing and marketing, fish-selling vans, mobile phone servicing, bamboo and cane crafts, sheep rearing, crab fattening, and a model Prosperity House. In addition, the delegation enjoyed a street theatre on early disaster warning systems and held discussions with a village committee formed under the project.
Concluding the visit, the EU Ambassador highly praised the project activities and said, “Extremely poor people have transformed their livelihoods and are now connected with mainstream economic growth. Their stories of success are truly inspiring.”