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Photo: NSDP

By learning more about development issues and approaches, imams can use their role as community leaders to raise public awareness and facilitate greater citizen participation in local development efforts.

In partnership with the Islamic Foundation of Bangladesh, USAID is encouraging imams — local religious leaders — to become involved in development efforts in the communities they serve. As part of the Foundation's 45-day imam training courses offered at seven imam training academies around the country, USAID sponsors three days of training to expose participants to a range of ongoing activities.

During the training, presentations deal with a wide range of shared development problems, including democracy, human rights, family health, agriculture, rural electricity, natural resource management, food security and early childhood education. Imams also get hands-on exposure through field visits to USAID projects, where they are able to speak directly to project managers and beneficiaries. With this experience, the imams then explore the role of community leaders in facilitating national development through a combination of personal initiatives and guidance to members of the communities that they serve.

Over 18 months, nearly 5,000 imams will participate in these sessions.

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