Project Introduction:

In recent years, Bangladesh has increased enrollment of primary school-aged children to above 90%. Despite this commendable achievement, however, a large number of children, who do not have access to primary education, still remain out of school. The number of such out of school children stands around 8 million.

Children frequently drop out of mainstream schools due to various reasons. One of the major reasons, perhaps, is their engagement in work to earn income for the family. This increases the opportunity cost of going to school, and in households with very little income, this can encourage parents to pull children out of education. Furthermore, in government schools, a combination of poor quality education and the hidden costs of schooling discourage children from attending. Low income families both in urban and in rural areas find it particularly difficult to finance any kind of education for their children. So EduEmp project establish urban community learning centre to ensure children rights through a coherent set of activities aim at educating & empowering them as potential actors for social and economic changes in the urban working area.

Overall Objective:

Establish child rights through a coherent set of activities aimed at educating & empowering them as potential actors for social and economic changes in the urban working area.

Specific Objectives:

• To offer alternative educational opportunities for the left-out and school drop outs and working children at primary and secondary level of Urban Slum & facilitate mainstreaming in higher classes
• To empower the learners of poor families, enhancing their capabilities through life skills education for becoming agents of social transformation, particularly, for the desired changes in their situation.
• To provide employable vocational skills to those who will not continue education
• To establish a network setup with Community Based Organizations through which the adolescents will be able to raise their voice for their issues.
• To build community ownership and capacity in slum areas of Dhaka city for sustainability of the program.

Outputs:

• Targeted girls and boys are organized for development functions;
• Competency level of education and leadership of the learners is increased;
• Adolescents have functional literacy and health education, gain self confidence, get empowered and become better aware about children’s and women’s rights;
• At least 90% of learners continue in higher classes in the mainstream education system;
• The life skills of the of 90% learners are strengthened for improved living standard;
• An adolescent network and their networking with other agencies is established;
• Awareness of parents of adolescents’ family and of communities is increased about the need for better educating adolescents’ girl, their potentials and their needs as well as gender related issues and they are respecting their rights;
• Adolescents and the women’s voices are raised in the families and society on issues concerning their lives such as prevention of child marriage, abuse, trafficking, physical harassments, reduce divorce and separation rate;
• Good practices are shared with regional and national policy makers for support, local resource mobilization and continuation.

Project Components:

• Organization building, awareness creation and capacity and asset development for empowerment;
• Mainstreaming in higher classes, life skills education and vocational skills training support;
• Reproductive health & primary health education and care support through linkage;
• Income generating activities (Self employments);
• Social mobilization, networking with various service providing agencies;
• Documentation of good practices and advocacy at regional and national level;
• Community contribution will be increased for sustainability of program.

Major Activities:

Objectives wise activities:

Objective 1: To offer alternative educational opportunities for the left-out and school drop outs and working children at primary and secondary level of Urban Slum & facilitate mainstreaming in higher classes.

Activities:

• Organise and conduct classes for non formal Primary and Junior Secondary Education.
• Create opportunities to mainstream into local government and non government schools.
• Arrange extra class on English and Social Developmental Issues.
• Arrange class using Multi-media focusing ICT

Objective 2: To empower the learners of poor families, enhancing their capabilities through life skills education, leadership & empowerment training, livelihood training for becoming agents of social transformation, particularly, for the desired changes in their situation.

Activities:

• Organize life skills education classes through resource persons;
• Provide life skills based training for teachers and selected learners;
• Organize awareness-raising campaign on social rights for the selected learners;
• Arrange exposure visit for the selected learners;
• Develop booklets, posters, stickers and leaflets on various issues for distribution to the community for discussions, meetings and rallies.

Objective 3: To increase income and employment opportunities through vocational training for the older girls and boys who will not continue education after completion of either PSC or JSE.

Activities:

• Needs assessment;
• Offer vocational training from DAM Vocational Training Institute (VTI).
• Extend employment support through linkages.
• Follow-up to ensure employment continues.

Objective 4: To establish networking with Community Based Organizations and Adolescent Developed Forum through which the adolescents will be able to raise their voice for their issues and create access to the services.

Activities:

• To establish network with Community Based Organizations.
• To organize Adolescent Developed Forum (ADF).
• To provide training for developing adolescents.

Objective 5: To establish community ownership of the project for sustainability and future replications.

Activities:

• To provide training for the building  community capacity;
• To facilitate linkages with government offices and NGOs;
• To motivate community for ensuring their contribution for sustaining the project;
• All lessons learned will be documented and disseminated for advocacy and policy influence;

Project Participants (Direct):

Project Duration: 16 August 2015- 12 August 2018

Financial partner (Donor): The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), Bangladesh

Implementing partner (if any): Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM)

Project Location/s and number of Field offices: Mirpur, Dhaka

Project Budget:BDT 8700,000/-

Number of project staffs and volunteers :

Contact Person:

Name & Designation: Prosanto David Shadukha, Project Coordinator

Email: pd.shadukha@ahsaniamission.org.bd / dprosanto@yahoo.com

Cell : 01712196275