Skills Training and Climate Resilience
Equip 80 women from Bangladesh’s volatile Char regions with the skills required for economic independence and resilience in the face of multiple crises.
Women learn skills that empower them economically which increases their social status and resilience to climate crises.
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Bangladesh is highly susceptible to natural disasters and the ravages of climate change. While all citizens bear the brunt of these catastrophes, those residing in the coastal and rural Char areas are exceptionally vulnerable as they regularly face cyclones, floods, earthquakes and river erosion.
Amid this hardship, women additionally face gender-specific challenges including domestic and gender-based violence, and child marriage. Women's vulnerability is exacerbated by their heavy reliance on local natural resources to carry out traditional livelihoods such as animal husbandry and farming, which are sadly prone to being destroyed by natural disasters.
Women in Eve’s training centre show their beautiful block printed designs.
Recognising these vulnerabilities, local leader Eve Karim has taken up the mantle of empowering women in disaster-prone regions. Through skill development training in tailoring, embroidery and block printing, Eve is providing opportunities for women to become financially independent and resilient in the face of multiple burdens.
This project will cover the full running costs of two skills training centres in Bogra and Khulna, two regions highly susceptible to climate crises. 80 low-resourced women will be equipped with vocational skills needed to reduce their reliance on male family members, and on livelihoods that are easily destroyed by floods and erosion, providing them with alternative sources of income.
This initiative not only addresses immediate needs but also fosters long-term self-sufficiency. Once the women have successfully completed their training, they will be connected to the local markets where they can begin to take orders and earn an income. This will boost their confidence as budding entrepreneurs while elevating their social status.
Increased social status is important in deeply patriarchal societies because it shifts women from being perceived as dependent “liabilities” who don’t contribute financially to the household, to becoming valuable assets within their families. This in turn reduces incidences of domestic and gender-based violence, and early marriages.
The women's economic empowerment initiated through this project will lead to a gradual reduction of inequality within these volatile communities, while increasing women’s resilience to the challenges of climate breakdown. This represents a significant stride toward a fairer and more resilient society.
Meet Eve
The Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur supporting vulnerable girls and women in Bangladesh
Like many Bangladeshis, Eve grew up surrounded by poverty with few opportunities for formal, stable work. Her parents sacrificed a lot to send Eve to school and she managed to not only get educated, but obtain a prestigious Master’s degree in the US. As a student, Eve volunteered in the slums of Dhaka, and through this experience she came to realise that she didn’t want to work only for herself, but for the most vulnerable people of Bangladesh. Learn more.