Inclusive Primary Education
Project Title: Healthy Futures for Child Waste Pickers
Duration of the project: Three years (April 2023-March 2026)
Project site: Grambangla School, Kazla, Matuail waste dumpsite area, Jatrabari, Dhaka
Donor: Karuna Trust, UK
Direct project participants: 1380
Indirect project participants: 779
Major achievements till September 2025:
The project achieved more than 100% target of enrolling and providing primary education to the children of age 5-12 years. At present, 252 students are receiving education compliant with the government curriculum with 83.4 percent attendance. With the support of Ward Commissioner’s office, 60 families from waste picker community received TCB cards under Social Safety Net program. Cooperation from Department of health and DSCC in promoting access to primary health care and vaccination services for the waste pickers community was ensured. The major achievements of the project are as follows:
- 257 students (M-121, F-136) aged 5-12 years are receiving inclusive primary and early childhood education with attendance rate of 83.4%.
- 5095 children, parents, and employers became aware about adverse effects of child labour and early marriage, child trafficking, child protection, importance of compulsory primary education; access to government safety net program, hazards of child labour; and opportunities of free education, daycare services, mid-day meal etc. at parents’ meeting at Grambangla School, courtyard meetings, household and workplace visits (shops and factory) by the teachers and project staff and street rally for campaign on child education and child labour free society.
- 257 students received mid-day meal services.
- 268 waste pickers became aware about rights and services, climate change effects, just transition, and role of waste pickers in enacting and amending waste manage laws.
- 117 families from waste picker community received TCB cards under Social Safety Net program from the Ward Commissioner’s office for subsidized food
- Two satellite clinics were jointly organized by the Department of health of Government of Bangladesh and Dhaka South City Corporation to provide free primary health care to 139 waste pickers for cold and cough, skin diseases, cut injury, helminthiasis, vitamin A deficiency etc. They also provided vaccines for tetanus and cervical cancer. They referred 56 critical patients to medical college and specialized government hospitals
- Because of maintaining regular relationship with the government officials and active participation of the waste pickers community in advocacy activities, getting benefits under Social Safety Net program and primary health care services became easier.
Specific Objective of the project: 215 child waste pickers in Dhaka receive inclusive primary education, and their parents access government entitlements leading to healthier lives and better life chances
Expected Result 1: 238 child waste pickers (6-12 years) irrespective of differences in gender, age health status or economic status accessing inclusive primary education (grade 1-5, compliant with state government curriculum)
Progress/change in the period: During the reporting period, a total of 252 students (5-12 years) received inclusive primary education at Grambangla school with 83.4% attendance rate.
Expected Result 2: Parents of 238 children are aware of their rights, existing government safety net programmes and access basic entitlements and Covid vaccination
Progress/change in the period: Total 242 men and women from waste picker community became aware about rights and services, climate change effects, just transition, and role of waste pickers in enacting and amending waste manage laws through the regular activities and Biennial Congress of Bangladesh Waste Pickers Union.
Impact of the project: 126 girls are receiving primary and early childhood education and midday meal services from Grambangla School. In addition, a total of 105 girls of the community were contacted by the teachers to raise awareness on importance of education, demerits of child marriage and child labour among them. 67 girls received free medical consultation and medicines for primary health care. 68 girls of 60 waste picker families were indirectly benefited by getting TCB cards under Social Safety Net program. Increased access to affordable food has reduced mal-nutrition situation among these girls.
A total of 118 boys are receiving primary and early childhood education and midday meal services from Grambangla School. In addition, 120 boys in the community who are engaged in worst forms of child labour including waste picking were contacted by the teachers of Grambangla School through household and workplace visits to discuss about second chance of primary education, re-enrolment in primary education, evil effects of worst forms of child labour on health, effects of dealing medical wastes, use of substances and tobacco. 71 boys received free medical consultation and medicines for primary health care. 82 boys of 60 waste picker families were indirectly benefited by getting TCB cards under Social Safety Net program. Increased access to affordable food has reduced mal-nutrition situation among these boys.
42 women of 60 waste picker families were enlisted for TCB cards under Social Safety Net program. Every month, they are getting 2 kilograms of oil, 2 kilograms of lentil, 1 kilogram of sugar, and 5 kilograms of rice at a subsidized price. They are getting the groceries of BDT. 1010 at the price of BDT. 560. As a result of direct advocacy with the government officials, this success was achieved. Now, the women feel confident to have dialogues and do negotiation for their rights. In families they feel empowered as their financial contributions have been increased. 69 women received free medical consultation and medicines for primary health care. Besides that, 226 women become aware about the adverse effects of child labour and early marriage, importance of compulsory primary education; access to government safety net program; climate change effects and role of waste pickers in enacting and amending waste management laws; and opportunities of free education, daycare services, morning meal etc. at Grambangla School. 123 women became aware about rights and services, climate change effects, just transition, and role of waste pickers in enacting and amending waste manage laws. 18 women are getting indirect benefits from TCB cards as their husbands were directly enlisted for the cards. 220 men participated in different awareness raising meetings under the project so, the female members of those 220 men’s households indirectly became aware about those issues.
60 families from waste picker community received TCB cards under Social Safety Net program and 268 waste pickers received free primary health care and referral services from the Satellite Clinic of Dept. of Health and DSCC.
Stakeholders involved
- Waste pickers
- Dept. of Social Welfare
- Ward Councilor’s Office
- Dept. of Health
- Dhaka South City Corporation
- Trading Corporation of Bangladesh
- Bangladesh Waste Pickers Union
Summary of impact of the project
- Waste picker children and their parents got motivated to return the dropped-out children to Grambangla School as a second chance of education.
- Government health service providers decided and started primary health care service delivery for the waste picker community through advocacy and networking.
- Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) made arrangement to allocate subsidized food cards (TCB card) for waste picker family through dialogue and advocacy with local elected councilor of DSCC.