Economic insecurity severely limits a family’s ability to fulfill children’s basic needs and rights, including protection, education, health, and food security. It particularly affects young women and adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh, who are often ill equipped, due to social exclusions and restrictions, to take advantage of the employment options that exist or can exist in their communities. Those who remain in their villages are often frustrated by their inability to lead productive lives that can better provide for their children, and those who leave often migrate to urban centers where they are exploited and underpaid.

 Market research indicates that, whether married or unmarried, young women/girls take on a range of activities (both at their homestead and outside the village) to earn income. Often, these activities are not well-linked to market opportunities, or product quality needs improvement. JOBS, in collaboration with Save the Children, will identify sub sectors in which young women / adolescent girls can find employment while still continuing their education (if necessary) and abiding by community norms. JOBS will conduct an initial assessment of the current home-based and agriculture-based activities that women/girls are involved in and determine their potential for improved pricing and stronger market linkages. At the same time, JOBS will assess the potential for connections to private sector entities in these districts and the demand for labor and new products.

 Objectives:

• Review the current activities of Save the Children in Barisal;

• Determine the effectiveness and impact of these activities;

• Explore options to maximize the income-generating impact of the current activities;

• Review the potential of Village Model Farm (VMF);

• Assess the potential for new market linkages in Barisal, and if possible, create linkages focusing on sustainable and heightened income generation;

• Explore the potential to start non-traditional manufacturing and / or agro-based production activities;

• Identify private sector linkages and investment opportunities;

• Determine whether capacity-building training, such as the JOBS-established Basic Business Management or Entrepreneurship Development and Business Management, could be useful;

• Based on the above findings, make recommendations specific to Save the Children’s engagement in upcoming funding opportunities focused on economic empowerment of the poorest.

 Partners in this activity include Helen Keller International, currently working in Barisal with Save the Children funding.