In Bangladesh, all 50 adolescent girls clubs are up and running and we have trained 50 teenage leaders to mentor the girls! The clubs have a membership of about 2,000 girls who have been active in the program’s classes.

Microfinance groups are in operation, and the members have been saving. They have invested in a number of different sectors, including tailoring, domestic animal rearing, basket weaving and poultry. This component of the program aims to educate girls in financial literacy and give them the opportunity to invest in small enterprises.

In addition, we have been holding monthly mothers’ forums and bimonthly parents’ meetings so that the parents can learn about and support the activities their daughters are involved in.
Livelihood training has begun, and several members have received training on tailoring, domestic animal rearing, beef fattening and salon activities. We hope to have trained all members by April, enabling them with the lifeskills they will need to earn incomes and become productive members of society. Lifeskills training is scheduled to begin in May 2010, with a Financial Education module.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our work! We hope you will continue to stand by us, as we empower and educate the Bangladeshi adolescents who will grow up to be able to support themselves and their families in a more stable livelihood.