The government has adopted a plan for transforming marginalized and disadvantaged women at grassroots level into self-reliant and skilled human resources.
The project titled “Income Generating Activities (IGA) Training for Women at Upazila Level” is being implemented in 431 upazilas of 64 districts of the country by the Department of Women Affairs under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.
The objective of the project includes integrating women into the mainstream of poverty alleviation and development by upgrading their skills through training and transforming them into independent manpower.
The project worth Tk 59103.28 lakh began its operation in January 2017 and is scheduled to end in December 2022.
Md Tarikul Alom, Joint Secretary and director of the IGA project, told Bangladesh Post that a total of 3,81,250 poor and disadvantaged women will be provided income generating training under this project.
“This project will enable the trainees to promote their work and manufactured products or services. It also aims at raising awareness about the rights of disadvantaged women.”
He further said that at the end of every training programme, a total training allowance of Tk 12,000 was paid in 60 working days (Tk 200 per day) on the basis of daily attendance.
“Sales and display centres are being set up in 64 districts and beauty parlours are being set up in 20 districts through this project to promote the service or products manufactured by the women who are receiving the training. Training in motor driving trade will be imparted through BRTC and the trainees will be given learner and professional licences through BRTA,” he added.
Under this project, 50 women in two trades (25 women in each trade) in each upazila are provided with training for three months and 30 women in each batch at district and divisional level are provided with training in different trades.
A total of 2,24,575 women have been trained till June 2021, since the inception of the project. The project has made an overall progress of 58.90 percent.
About 35,000 women entrepreneurs have been created through the IGA project training. Some of them are working in different organizations and some are working at home.
The trades under which women are receiving training include fashion design, beautification, Vermicompost, mushroom farming and beekeeping, shatranji and handicraft, crystal showpiece and decorated candle making, food processing, baby care and housekeeping, computer servicing and repairing, mobile servicing and repairing, computer application programme and motor driving.
