Sustainable projects by youths of JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan

Unemployment is a crucial problem in rural areas due to a lack of opportunities, facilities, and infrastructure. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of people in many regions of Bangladesh lost their jobs and were unable to find a source of income.
To address this problem, JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan, with the project named 'Rise on Wheels', distributed five motor-powered vans to five unemployed males in Dinajpur in collaboration with Sidrah Foundation. This project was initiated by JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan in 2022, when one motor-powered van was given. In April 2023, one motor-powered van was given, and in August 2023, another two vans were given.
The beneficiaries use these vans to sell vegetables and transport goods, ensuring a sustainable and regular source of income. Using this income, the beneficiaries are now able to cater to their daily necessities as well as send their children to school for a proper education.
Alongside generating regular income, the van recipients pay a monthly nominal fee of Tk 1,000 to Sidrah Foundation and JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan. However, in months during which the recipients are unable to generate sufficient income, this amount is not enforced.
The accumulation of proceedings from multiple vans given by JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan has enabled them to initiate a second project, 'Rise with Threads'. In collaboration with Sidrah Foundation, two Singer sewing machines, 15 days training, and initial stock were given to two unemployed women in Dinajpur.
These women can now generate income by sewing clothes, without having to go outside their homes, so they can also complete their daily chores and take care of the children.
Project Rise on Wheels is a unique project that has not only benefited the primary beneficiaries but also trickled down into the initiation of a second project, Rise with Threads.
JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan and Sidrah Foundation have worked collaboratively to ensure proper training for all initiatives. They arrange training at regular intervals so that the recipients are able to make the most of the opportunity.
The Local President of JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan, Samiha Akhter, said, "Sustainability is our primary focus when designing any project. Over the upcoming years, we wish to establish a network of at least three vans in each district throughout Bangladesh."
One of the van recipients, Ramjan Ali, said, "Thanks to JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan, I am finally earning once again and can provide for my family of six members."
JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan, founded in 2012, is one of the most renowned chapters of JCI Bangladesh. JCI Dhaka Cosmopolitan has completed numerous projects throughout the past ten years focusing on women’s empowerment, mental health, civil rights, legal advocacy, etc.