Dr Sudir Chandra Banik, Bangladesh

I joined as the principal of Thengamara Mohila Sabuj Sangha Community Paramedic Institute in northern Bangladesh in 2011 after retiring as a civil surgeon. This institute has seen grim days due to weak management practices and lack of financial plans. We started working with ASTHA, a Swisscontact project, in 2015, and received support to train the faculty and management team for better business and financial planning, and management practices. I participated in all the trainings with the faculty and management staff. Our efforts resulted in a comprehensive business plan and financial projections. I developed an internal learning system which allows trained personnel to cascade their knowledge to the entire team. We have enhanced the quality of our courses, are retaining qualified faculties and providing trainees with an excellent environment for learning. We are now getting more candidates than our maximum capacity and are referring additional candidates to other training institutes.