Australia assists Bangladeshi Women’s Vocational Training
The Australian Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Tim Bolotnikoff, attended the closing ceremony of the Access toward Livelihood and Welfare Organisation’s (ALWO) Hand Embroidery and Dress Making Project in Natore, on Sunday 25 September 2011.
ALWO’s project provided vocational training in dress making and embroidery to destitute rural women with the support of Australia’s Direct Aid Program (DAP) to the amount of BDT 18 lakh. In the fourth phase of this project, ALWO provided training to 150 women of Natore district, in addition to the 240 women who had earlier received training in phases I, II and III. For phases I-III ALWO received around BDT 19 lakh from the Government of Australia in 2007-08 and 2009-10.
During the closing ceremony Mr Bolotnikoff handed over training certificates and sewing machines to participants. The sewing machines will help women start their own businesses. Mr Bolotnikoff praised ALWO and the efforts of its Executive Director, Ms. Shamima Laizu Neela, in bringing much-needed skills to the poor women of the Natore district. He was confident the project would go a long way towards empowering the women, which would in turn benefit their families and the community as a whole.
After the ceremony, Mr. Bolotnikoff visited the training centre and inspected the women’s work. He said the project was a meaningful way for the Australian High Commission to assist rural women in Bangladesh, particularly in areas where employment opportunities were few.
In 2010-2011, around BDT 260 lakh was provided to eleven organisations involved in community development under the Direct Aid Program. Major projects have supported women’s empowerment through skill development; education facilities for children from slum areas; safe water supply and sanitation project in Jessore district; and building a paediatric unit in Savar for children with cerebral palsy.
Australian High Commission, Dhaka
26 September 2011
For further information please contact:
Simeen Sabha
Research and Communications Officer, AHC, Dhaka
Tel: 8813105 (ext, 413), E-mail: [email protected]