Project Name: Workplace Adult Literacy and Continuing Education for illiterate and neo-literate Factory Workers

Project Introduction:
Literacy is the fundamental human right. In Bangladesh, the adult literacy rate is 74.66%. Among this percentage, about 74.66 percent of factory workers (women are the majority) are illiterate or low literate. Most of the low literate has forgotten how to read & write. In the recent year, to cater for the rapidly changing demands, the factory production systems are undergoing significant changes. Literacy skill is one kind of applied skilled that can adapt the factory workers with the change demand. So, literacy skill is essential for the EPZ worker in Bangladesh. The importance of workplace literacy is self-evident. Investing in workplace literacy, can increase the high productivity by both man & machine in a factory.

But there are many illiterate garments worker still in EPZ Chittagong. Every factory management try to improve factory conditions as well as to improve the worker’s life & livelihood. Companies/Factory code of conducts may ensure the basic compliance. But education is such type of asset that can lead so many different positive outcomes to improve overall life condition. It can help long-term economic prospects in home & business. So if any Companies/Factory initiate workplace literacy program, then the capacity of the workers increase to understand their job task that increase productivity. Considering these, to literate the garment female worker, Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) and Young An Hat Bd. Limited has agreed to continue the literacy intervention for another new batch (6th) of illiterate factory workers. In this phase, another new 25 learners will get the opportunity to complete the twelve months course and operate a continuing education center in the campus of Young An Hat Bd ltd factory. Besides, investing in the 6th phase of Workplace Literacy Project in literacy programs are easy ways to support & contribute to achieve the Education Goal of Bangladesh as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). It also increase factory image. So the 6th phase of Workplace Literacy Project in needed.

Project Agreement Number:  NA

Overall Objective: To improve the quality life and opportunities of garments workers in their workplace through basic literacy and continuing education.

Specific Objectives:

• To increase and improve the quality of products through literacy.
• To build capacity and improve the relationships between officers /staffs and workers.
• To replicate different issues in the family members through providing literacy skills.

Outputs:

• After completion of the course learners can read individually and can explain these to others.
• They can calculate family, daily expenditure and necessary calculation in their work places.
• Understand and are aware about health issues, rights in their work place for better life.
• Even can read daily newspapers, office notice/circular and also be able to express their thinking and can write it

Project Components:

• Implementation of  adult literacy centre
• Implementation of continuing education centre (library) for post literacy activities.

Major Activities:

• Identify & scrutinize  the illiterate workers from the factory
• Develop a profile of learners to track their progress
• Conduct pedagogic training for tutor capacity development
• Refresher training to tutor for up-to-date the course curriculam
• Supply teaching learning books & necessary materials for the learners
• Establish & continue the Library activities
• Develop appropriate supplementary educational & teaching learning materials
• Develop monthly wall magazine by the learners
• Decorate the daycare center as a child friendly center
• Orientation the learners on education materials from waste materials
• Prepare learners monthly progress report
• Organize education based video show for Learners
• Develop a half yearly newsletter on the success of the project
• Prepare half yearly project progress report
• Documentation of the good practices through collecting success stories, testimony of the learners, factory officials participation, peoples with disabilities and tutor’s voice etc
• Organize the literacy graduation ceremony

Project Participants (Direct):

Project Duration: February 2023–January 2024 (8th Phase)

Financial partner (Donor): OUTDOOR CAP Co. Ins, USA

Implementing partner (if any) Compliance:  Young an Hat (BD) Ltd

Project Location/s and number of Field offices: Young an Hat Garments Factory (BD) ltd, Factory campus, EPZ Chittagong.

Project Budget: 516,146 BDT

Number of project staffs and volunteers:

Contact Person:
Name & Designation: Sk. Shafiqur Rahman, Project Focal Person
Email: shafiqna99@yahoo.com, Cell : 01751963033