Technical & Vocational Education
Project title: Providing a Sustainable Livelihood in the Garment Industry for Vulnerable Adolescent Girls (14-17 Years) to Build a Life Away from Waste Picking and Recycling on the Dumpsite
- Duration of the project: Three Years (November 2023 – October 2026)
- PROJECT SUMMARY
Waste picking is the occupation of the poorest and most marginalised communities in Dhaka. Waste pickers face dire poverty and severe discrimination, often come to urban areas as a climate refugee or climate migrant from different parts of Bangladesh. 44% of waste pickers report that they have never enrolled in any kind of educational institution, 85% are illiterate, and the majority do not have any birth certificates or national ID cards and so cannot access basic services or opportunities such as social security, healthcare or formal employment. The majority of women waste pickers have migrated to Dhaka from rural areas escaping poverty, violence, and, increasingly, regular flooding due to climate change. With no skills, poor literacy and no support networks they find no alternative to working on the dumpsite and with no one to care for their children while they are at work, they are forced to bring them to the dumpsite and once they are old enough (from the age of 10) they too begin working there. The adolescent and young girl children who work at the dumpsite are particularly vulnerable. Many have spent years working on the dumpsite alongside their mothers and have missed out on an education or skill development that could give them a chance of a different future. The impact of COVID-19 on these girls’ ability to build a future out of exploitation was devastating. All educational and training facilities were closed for almost two years due to government restrictions. The girls’ family income took a severe hit. As such, the girls have been further entrenched in child labour, or subject to exploitation, child marriage and trafficking.
The project focuses on creating an environment where 60 of the most marginalised girls in Bangladesh can build the skills and confidence to build a future away from the dangers of the dumpsite. Vocational training and employment are key areas that can best drive change within society.
Goal of the project: The goal of this project is to tackle social and economic inequality by supporting 60 adolescent girls (14 – 17 years) who are currently trapped in exploitative labour to access vocational training and employment links in the regulated garment industry to build a sustainable livelihood away from the dangers of waste picking.
Specific objectives of the project
The specific project objectives are as follows:
- Objective 1: Equip 60 adolescent girls from waste picker and waste recycling families with interest in tailoring and sewing so they have the opportunity to escape exploitative labour.
- Objective 2: Ensure 60 girls are prepared for the world of work through the provision of life skills, access to birth certificates and support.
Objective 3: Provide stable and safe work opportunities for 60 trained girls in the regulated garment industry or self-employment so they can earn a secure income that will reduce their vulnerabilities to exploitative labour, child marriage and abuse.