THE CONTEXT IN THE PROJECT AREA

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At the local level, in the peri-urban areas of Dhaka and Chittagong, unemployment is twice as high as in the rest of the country because many young people and their families move closer to big cities to have the chance to find a job that provides security. their future other than working to perpetuate family land in the countryside. These young people are for the most part unqualified and find themselves in a very precarious situation, pushing young girls in particular to marry very young before the age of 18. This latter phenomenon is also the subject of awareness raising among local staff among young girls. The goal is for these young girls to gain enough self-confidence to take advantage of the diploma obtained by Solinfo before rushing towards marriage which continues to constitute a refuge for them with a husband who will provide the household income.

By offering training that takes place in their neighborhood or even in the center that welcomes them for their schooling, Solinfo is part of the following system:

• the national “Digital Bangladesh” project, the State has developed numerous office automation training centers. However, these training courses are paid for and are concentrated in large urban centers, de facto excluding poor populations.

• Programs to reduce poverty and inequalities implemented by our partners welcome the Training Centers.

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IDENTIFIED DIFFICULTIES AND PROSPECTS

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Corruption is the main problem to be fought against. Solinfo’s intervention helps protect against this:

• By a rigorous administration which diverts the attempts of certain

• Evaluation visits by Solinfo and TDHF AL 68 which provide support for the action of the Country Manager and strengthen its authority

• Ensure the successful completion of actions

The local team and the evaluation missions ensure that the partnership agreements are respected and therefore that the allocated resources go to the targeted beneficiaries. It is also about partnerships with local businesses seeking certainty regarding the proper use of donations.

Transform the current model towards more autonomy. For the moment, the project is not self-sufficient even if it is moving in the right direction. Without our action, the Centers would close one by one, due to lack of resources and control. A reflection is underway in order to change the operating model resulting from the paradigms which prevailed 15 years ago but are no longer relevant.

The results of the last three years confirm us in this path of support. The number of young employees and the increasingly important valuation of the diploma, reinforce

the authority of the Country Manager, keeps corruption away and encourages the search for donations from local businesses.

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The local team is considering financial autonomy for the project locally in order to sustain this action over time without our interventions - making the project economically sustainable. A partnership with UNICEF-Bangladesh could be considered, contacts have been made in this direction. Sponsorship from local businesses is also considered.

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Indirect beneficiaries of the project, they could participate in the financial support of the Training Centers. The route of sponsorship from local businesses is identified as a sustainable financing solution for the Centers. This funding would complement charity sales (sales of clothing donated by large textile companies with which Solinfo is in partnership). These charity sales now provide a significant financial contribution which covers half of the operating budget.