Khoriapara is a small rural settlement about 45 kilometers from Rajshahi city in northwestern Bangladesh. The village grew generations ago around a pond—khoria. Families have lived here for over a century, creating a community with known to the residents as Khoriapara. 

Most of the ninety to hundred families live in modest homes made of mud, straws, or tin, with suboptimal access to electricity, water, and healthcare. Residents earn their living mainly through farming, day labor, and small trades, often sharing resources and helping one another during times of need.

To better understand Khoriapara’s social fabric, our team conducted design ethnography—listening to residents’ stories, mapping community resources, and identifying local strengths. These insights guided a door-to-door process of household level discussion that led to the formation of two local groups: the Health Committee and the Inclusion Committee.

The Health Committee manages health workers and patient follow-up, while the Inclusion Committee ensures that the poorest, widowed, and disabled residents are not left behind. Together, these committees have built trust, fairness, and a sense of ownership that sustain the community’s hypertension and diabetes programs.

Despite limited resources, Khoriapara shows what collective effort can achieve. Neighbors share homes for meetings, refrigerators for storing medicine, and mobile phones for health data. The community’s resilience and generosity continue to make it a living example of how people can take charge of their own health and well-being.