Ethnic people to become self-reliant thru’ income generating activities

RAJSHAHI, Oct 06 (BSS): Some 4,000 ethnic minority people, including 2,000 women, are on the way to become self-reliant through various income generating activities in the Barind area.
To this end, 1000 of the enlisted people age between 18 to 29 from 800 households have already been imparted need-based training on various trades and vocations like electrics, mobile, mechanic, tailoring, computer operating, beautification, driving, carpentry, tiles fitting and building construction.
The skill and capacity building activities are being implemented under a three-year project titled "Fighting Forced Labour with Adivasi and Dalit Communities in South Asia" in 30 villages under Tanore Upazila in Rajshahi and Nachole Upazila in Chapainawabganj districts.
The Agriculture Sustainable and Socio-economic development Organisation (ASSEDO) has been implementing the project with financial and technical support of European Union and Tradecraft Exchange since January, 2019.
ASSEDO Executive Director Rabiul Alam said the project is aimed to address the systemic and structural vulnerabilities of marginalised agricultural communities for eliminating the menace of child labour.
Some 1,000 youths including 550 females coming from 800 ethnic minority families were given different income-generating tools including cash taka aimed at boosting their level of confidence through making them self-reliant.
Of them, 145 got building construction instruments, 80 electrical and house wearing, 68 Mobile servicing equipment, 60 beef fattening, 50 tailoring, 55 tiles fitting materials and 40 goat rearing.
Earlier on, they were imparted practical training on the respective trades and vocations so that they can earn money after the best uses of the training and tools as alternative income sources.
At least 20 of the beneficiaries have got jobs in different private sectors and doing their jobs successfully.
Sonali Hasda, 25, one of the beneficiaries, lived with her husband and her son and daughter on a khash land in Bachanda village under Nachole upazila.
After receiving training on tailoring, she was given a sewing machine on behalf of the project.
She was oriented about record keeping and accounting of any business. Besides, she was linked with the nearby market actors.
At the beginning, she bought some raw materials from a nearby market. Then she started making clothes with limited resources and sold these locally.
Now, she is very busy as she is getting orders from different cloth stores randomly.
At present, she is earning Taka 4,500 on an average per month. Side by side with her tailoring activities, she is rearing five ducks and two goats.