We are addressing the cycle of poverty by investing in children and youth who are often left behind. From improving child nutrition and access to water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH) to creating livelihood pathways for youth, our integrated approach focuses on equity and opportunity. In Bangladesh, where over 30% of young people are NEET, of young people are NEET, we provide skills development, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship, particularly for women and marginalized groups. By supporting community-based initiatives and market-driven solutions, we are shaping a generation of empowered youth and resilient families who can thrive beyond poverty. Our partnership, as the consortium lead in improving the nutritional status of children under 5, led to a model focused on budgeting and tailoring nutrition schemes at the grassroots level.
Building for the Future Leaders
We strengthen the professional capacities of marginalized youth and host communities by establishing training centers that enhance access to technology and trade skills, guiding them toward entrepreneurial growth. Our goal is to prepare young people with inclusive, sustainable economic opportunities that improve their livelihoods and strengthen communities. Strategic partnerships with the private sector have led to formal agreements to secure apprenticeships and decent job placements for program graduates. These initiatives include creating well-equipped Employment Hubs and deploying Mobile Training Centers to provide access to technology, with a special focus on supporting marginalized young women.
PowHer Tomorrow
With one-fourth of the national population being youth, our training is tailored to help them excel in market-relevant technical and soft skills, with market assessments to inform demand-driven training. We guide youth to find the path that works for them, preparing them for wage employment, self-employment, or small-business activities. Community actions bring support to women and girls’ doorsteps, letting them know their success is everyone’s progress. With this in mind, we have trained eight groups of young men to promote gender equality and provided capacity-building for trainers in market-relevant and gender-responsive pedagogy. Our efforts extend to communities, addressing barriers and traditional norms towards an environment that supports their income opportunities.
Amplifying Voices for Child Nutrition
Right2Grow (R2G) is a multi-country initiative working to ensure every child under five grows healthy through improved nutrition, WASH, and health services. As the consortium's advocacy lead, we guided a multi-country strategic partnership with six international organizations. Operating across Bangladesh's coastal districts, it amplified civil society voices and promotes community-led advocacy for lasting change. It has also introduced innovative tools, such as the ‘Child Profile Estimates and Costing Model’, to address child undernutrition and allocate budgets for nutritional schemes at the sub-district level. It has successfully influenced policy commitments, including the inclusion of child nutrition budgets in local government planning and national election manifestos.