Community investments

As Bangladesh is one of our larger production countries, we chose to support Kajoli – a project that helps children from the most impoverished communities learn how to read and write.

Kajoli is based on a successful model of self-help and community empowerment, where villagers contribute with the skills and resources that they provide. Through this fantastic project, more than 4000 children get access to early childhood education. This has opened up new opportunities for everyone in these communities and helped to improve their quality of life.

Kajoli is part of Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB), which has actively promoted these pre-school learning centres to rural communities since 2002. Adopting a low-cost model, RIB provides the learning materials and teachers’ training, while the community takes ownership by raising funds for operations. For instance, mothers take turns making lunches for the children, in order for them to get nutritious food and improved health.

The teachers’ wages at the centre amount to US$3.5-US$8 per month; female teachers feel empowered in terms of skills and knowledge, but also in terms of their social status in a traditional society, as they play a key role in educating the next generation.

Aside from teachers, there are some seven animators who oversee around 20 to 40 centres each. They travel around to promote early childhood education, provide guidance and moral support, and explore the possibility of building up a Kajoli centre in a neighbouring community.

Inspired by the Kajoli model, some communities have taken the initiative to establish teachers’ or mothers' associations. As a form of micro-financing, this gives them the cash flow to buy cattle or fund sewing training workshops, to cite a few examples.