Christian Health and Agricultural Service Ahladipur (CHASA)

Rajbari District, Bangladesh

In 1974 "The Bangladesh Comprehensive Village Health Care and Rural Development Ministry" was begun by the former PCUS, under their legal entity there, The Presbyterian Fellowship of Bangladesh. The goal of the project was to provide health and agricultural assistance at a grass-roots level in a needy part of Bangladesh. The Women of the Church gave half of the 1976 Birthday Offering to support the health portion of the plan. St. John Presbytery in Florida supported the agricultural portion.

In 1977, the Presbyterian Fellowship in Bangladesh, the operating entity in Bangladesh, chose the site for the project, a six-acre plot owned by the Southern Baptist Convention (USA), in the village Ahladipur, 15 miles northwest of Faridpur, one of the poorest areas of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Baptist Union, now called the Bangladesh Baptist Fellowship (BBF), was invited to be a partner in the project, and services began in March 1979. BBF owns the property and in 1990, a Bangladeshi was appointed as project director for the first time.

Some active programs of CHASA include: Tuberculosis treatment; General treatment including immunization; Agriculture and livestock programs, including development of a small dairy farm; Laboratory testing; Health education, including nutrition, sanitation, family planning, dental care and disease prevention.

In 1994, BBF assumed administrative responsibility for the program. PC(USA) Mission Workers Leslie Morgan MD MPH and Cynthia Morgan MD MPH are serving as consultants for the health work of CHASA.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) continues to support this project both financially and with personnel. Work at CHASA is assisted by PC(USA) Extra Commitment Opportunities Account #437802. Funds for the Ahladipur Clinic are also raised by the Medical Benevolence Foundation.

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