Study Team: Dr. Monzur Hossain (Team Leader) and Dr. M. Asaduzzaman

Sponsor: Katalyst

Social Development Foundation (SDF) has been implementing an ICT Pilot Project to establish rural telecenters in Jamalpur Sadar Upazila in Jamalpur district since 2011. The focus of the project is on the expansion of ICT platform in rural areas to provide ICT based social services that might escalate the living standards of the rural people, especially those are from extremely low income groups. It is expected that the project might have direct and positive effect on the socio-economic development of the community by providing necessary information to the target groups (farmers, students, health system, public services etc.) in a convenient and affordable manner. Out of 209 villages in Jamalpur Sadar Upazila, SDF targets only 89 villages with an intention to expand the ICT pilot project areas gradually.

The baseline survey is essential to document critical variables related to the present phenomena and lay the benchmark for undertaking impact evaluation at the end of project implementation. The overall objective of the baseline survey is therefore to assess the pre-project conditions in the project area.