In Bangladesh – a country the size of Wisconsin and containing half the population of the United States – eighty percent of the population live in extreme poverty making under two dollars a day. Bangladesh is an agriculture-based economy. However, social unrest, instability, drought, frequent floods, and cyclones can often disrupt the backbone of the economy. The country’s inflation rate is very high and the daily price of goods is steadily increasing, placing a burden on the economy and causing many families to reach out for financial assistance.

With a presence in Bangladesh since 1853, the Congregation of Holy Cross works to combat poverty in the country through parish ministries, education, and health care, with a large percentage of their efforts on thirteen parishes located in the remote rural areas. In these villages, Holy Cross works with the victimized tribal minorities who are among the poorest of the poor. The Church is a source of hope for these communities and provides tools to combat poverty and injustice through education.

The Congregation of Holy Cross is well-known throughout Bangladesh for running some of the most prestigious schools in the country and for making the opportunity for education available to all. The funds raised through Bengal Bouts 2023 have been used to build primary and technical schools in addition to health care clinics. They have paid for the education of impoverished high school and college students, providing young men and women with the skills to support their families now and into the future. Eleven Holy Cross institutions directly benefited from receipt of the funds, impacting the lives of 5,067 students and 272 staff members.

Everyday Bengal Bouts continues to change the lives of the boxers in the program and their Bengali friends on the other side of the world.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Bengal Bouts!

Published: January 19, 2024