Project Name: Empowering Adolescent for Social Transformation through Urban Community Learning Centre (EAST)

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 EAST 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.  

Project Agreement Number: (……)

Overall Objective:
Establish children 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 junior secondary level (class VI-VIII) of urban slum & facilitate mainstreaming in higher classes.
• To empower the children 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 increase income and employment opportunities through linkage with vocational training for the older girls and boys who will not continue education after completion of either JSE.
• To establish networking with Community Based Organizations and Adolescent Development Forum through which the adolescents will be able to raise their voice for their issues and create access to the services.
• To establish community ownership of the project for sustainability and future replications.

Outputs:

• Targeted adolescent girls and boys are organized for development functions   
• Competency level of education and leadership of the adolescents 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 adolescents continue in higher classes in the mainstream education system; 
• The life skills of the of 90% adolescents are strengthened for improved living standard
• An adolescent network and their networking with other agencies is established
• Awareness of parents of adolescents’ family and in 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 life 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;
• 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 junior secondary level (Grade VI-VIII) of Urban Slum & facilitate mainstreaming in higher classes.

Activities:

• Organise and conduct classes for non-formal Junior Secondary Education.
• Create opportunities to mainstream into local government and non-government schools.

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 children;
• Arrange exposure visits for the selected children;

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

Activities:

• Identify need through one to one assessment & eye survey;
• linkage and offer vocational training from DAM Vocational Training Institute (VTI) or other suitable on;
• Extend employment support through linkages;
• Follow-up to ensure employment continues.

Objective 4: To establish networking with community based organizations and Adolescent Development 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 Development Forum (ADF);
• To provide awareness raising training for adolescents.
• To organize Issue based meeting

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

• To provide training for building  community capacity;
• To facilitate linkages with local government offices and NGOs;
• To motivate community for ensuring their contribution to sustain the impact of the project;
• All lessons learned will be documented and disseminated for advocacy.

Project Participants (Direct):

Project Duration: January 2018 to December 2019
Financial partner (Donor): DAM UK   
Implementing partner (if any): Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM)
Project Location/s and number of Field offices: Mirpur, Dhaka   
Project Budget: BDT 43,60,000/
Number of project staffs and volunteers :

Contact Person: Prosanto David Shadukha, Project Coordinator EAST-UCLC
Email: pd.shadukha@ahsaniamission.org.bd / dprosanto@yahoo.com,  Cell: 01712196275