Inception meeting of JAAGO's 'Shopner Sharothi - Girls' Education and Skills Partnership' held in Cox's Bazar

Cox's Bazar, one of Bangladesh's prime tourist destinations, has attracted visitors since ancient times due to its natural beauty.

The region, known for its longest beach, hills, waterfalls, and scenic beauty, faces numerous challenges such as gender-based violence and discrimination, early marriage, limited access to quality education, and a lack of proper training for employable skills. These issues perpetuate the cycle of poverty and inequality, primarily affecting adolescent girls and young women in the area.

To address these barriers, JAAGO Foundation Trust has designed the "Shopner Sharothi - Girls' Education and Skills Partnership (GESP)" project, with funding from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and support from Generation Unlimited, UNICEF. The project emphasises eliminating gender-based discrimination and focuses on empowering women.

The orientation session for this project was held on 27 June at the Long Beach Hotel in Cox's Bazar, reads a press release.

The GESP project aims to train 1,700 adolescent girls and young women in Cox's Bazar in technical and vocational skills based on local industry demands, including the food and beverage industry, computer operational skills, retail sales and other transferable soft skills. Additionally, 3,000 young women will gain 21st-century soft skills through the "Passport 2 Earning" (P2E) platform.

All esteemed guests provided valuable insights, significantly contributing to the successful achievement of the session's objectives. Mr. Tapan Kumar Ghosh, Principal of Cox's Bazar Government Technical School and College, emphasized the need to ensure inclusive participation and alignment with the project to benefit all disadvantaged adolescent girls and young women. He expressed gratitude to JAAGO Foundation Trust and UNICEF for their commendable efforts in developing Cox's Bazar's girls.

Marianne Oehlers, program manager of UNICEF Bangladesh, introduced the GESP project, stating, "The project will provide skill training to adolescent girls and young women based on local industry demands. It will also offer job-ready skills training through the free, accessible online platform 'Passport to Earning' to young people."

Despite government limitations and challenges, the GESP project aims to implement skill development activities for NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth aged 15-24, ensuring broad support for the project's targets.

Speakers at the event highlighted the project's timeliness and its critical role in alleviating poverty and inequality. The Shopner Sharothi project will assist adolescent girls and young women in becoming self-reliant, improving their social and economic status.