J1040N Bangladesh Empowering Women and Children Project

The Situation

Bangladesh is a diverse nation of 162 million people, and shares it’s borders with India and Burma. Bangladesh has significant poverty and is subject to natural disasters on a regular basis. Human trafficking across the border into India is common and NGO’s in Mumbai report that many of the prostitutes in Mumbai were trafficked from Bangladesh and Nepal, when they were young girls.

While the poverty levels have dropped the country faces many challenges. Economically, “Bangladesh is ranked 27th among 43 countries in the Asia–Pacific region, and its overall score is below the regional and world averages. Robust economic growth of approximately 6 percent annually for two decades has been driven by a rapid increase in private consumption and fixed investment. Nevertheless, Bangladesh still grapples with poor infrastructure, endemic corruption, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms.

The Objectives

1. Tuition classes for primary school children who receive minimal education will be held after school 3-4 afternoons a week. The focus will be maths and literacy to prepare them for high school. Our philosophy is that of a child does not have literacy skills and maths skills before they enter high school, it is unlikely they will do well in high school and there is a probability of them dropping out. The proposed classes will be for up to 20 children. The demand is such that we plan to develop multiple classes over time.
2. A computer school will provide training for primary school children in basic to intermediate computer skills. We will open one computer lab with 10 computers and classes every afternoon after school.
3. A safe house for high risk young girls. We will build a home for these girls that will in the first phase serve 12 girls. The girls will either be the daughters of local sex workers, girls who have been trafficked, or girls who have been abandoned, have no traceable parents, and are deemed at high risk of being trafficked. A second phase is envisaged within 2 years that will serve a further 10-12 girls.
4. A widow’s project will be established that will provide the following:
5. Support for vulnerable widows
6. Literacy classes
7. Micro enterprise or income support through goats or cows.
8. A weekly meal and support group
9. Assistance in finding employment