endPoverty is a charity that strives to alleviate poverty through resources and support related to entrepreneurship, enabling sustainable growth and creating job opportunities around the world and in Bangladesh. This foundation focuses on economic development rather than relief programs as they believe that the power of business opportunity can become a means of alleviating poverty, via the creation of stable income streams and job opportunities in Bangladesh.

Lack of Employment for Women in Bangladesh

Despite steady economic growth in recent years, a stark contrast between rates of male and female employment remains prevalent in Bangladesh. Women are significantly more likely to experience unemployment than men, with rates of labour participation at around 80% for men, and 37% for women.

Prejudice permeates much of Bangladeshi culture, which in turn influences how many women enter work. UNDP estimates that approximately 90% of the population hold a distorted view of women, according to the Light Castle Partners. This bias includes beliefs that suggest women should marry young and therefore rely financially on their husbands and become primary caregivers, rather than completing education and pursuing a career. For women who are employed, misogyny is common as male colleagues may hold a bias against their female peers, which can result in exclusion and a lack of progression opportunities.

Women may also not receive the same access to opportunities as men due to a lack of networks and available information. Many jobs are posted through informal networks that women do not often have access to, again because of prejudice and lack of social mobility which also means many women do not have phones or the internet. Similarly, as women are often stuck in the home they receive less information about potential jobs than their male counterparts, making finding work more difficult which impedes their ability to attain employment, further increasing the gender employment gap.

The 3C Model

endPoverty utilizes the 3C Model to assist small businesses in creating both viable and maintainable growth opportunities, spearheading positive economic progress.

The first C – capital – ensures that small businesses can access low-cost, malleable capital that allows for innovation and economic advancements.

The second C – coaching – offers small businesses support in the form of personalised coaching sessions that tackle the individual needs and skills of the business, intending to spark further economic development.

The third C – community – situates like-mindedness and people at the forefront of business development by prioritising a faith-based community where people can meet other local entrepreneurs.

The Harvest Project: Job Opportunities in Bangladesh

The Harvest Project is one of endPoverty’s campaigns, aimed at tackling poverty through business and job opportunities. Based in Bangladesh, the Harvest Project works with local female entrepreneurs and offers them the support and guidance needed to be leaders in their communities.

This project follows a holistic approach, meaning that it works with micro-entrepreneurs who are seeking help to kickstart a business and provide for their families. Through this initiative, endPoverty aims to create a community for vulnerable women who are seeking financial relief to improve their family’s quality of life, as well as to safeguard one another in cases of domestic abuse.

endPoverty has provided support to many women in Bangladesh, for example, Romesa, who is from Ramnagar in Bangladesh. Before she discovered endPoverty, Romesa had been experiencing financial worries for three years due to her husband’s poor health and inability to work. She then came across a microentrepreneur in her community, named Minara, who taught Romesa administrative and technical skills that allowed her to create an income for herself. Romesa now continues to share her knowledge and the work of endPoverty, as the skills learned from Minara allowed her to create a better life for herself and her family.

Alleviating Poverty

endPoverty’s Harvest Project contributes to the alleviation of poverty by offering sequential training and a support network that, when combined, comprise a web of microenterprises that enable vulnerable women to support themselves and their families and ultimately improve their quality of life.

– Ella Dorman

Ella is based in Worcestershire, UK and focuses on Business and New Markets for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr