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New Training Centre for Host Communities Opens in Cox’s Bazar
On 16 February, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Bangladesh and its partner Prottyashi inaugurated a new training and production centre for host communities in Cox’s Bazar District, with support from the Government of Japan.
Launched under IOM’s nine-month “Livelihood Improvement for Everyone” (LIFE) project, the centre aims to contribute to the economic stability of host communities in Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas, by boosting their skills and creating income-generating activities.
Fishing communities in the region have been in search of alternative socioeconomic opportunities since the introduction of the fishing ban on the Naf river. Along with these communities, the project targets vulnerable individuals, including youth, victims of trafficking, survivors of gender-based violence and people with disabilities.
This project also seeks to empower women through the creation of cooperatives and household-level livelihoods initiatives with potential to meet market demands. With the newly acquired knowledge, and through start-up grants, the participants will be encouraged to develop their own individual or group enterprises.
The newly launched centre based in Hnila, Teknaf, is fully equipped with the tools and kits needed for the participants to engage in training sessions on business development, craft making, embroidery, hand stitching, and sewing, among others.
Prior to the project, Hnila resident Rina Parvin was struggling to make ends meet. “When I heard about the new centre, I was excited to be able to enhance my skills. I was already sewing but not at a professional level. Now I can scale up the production and increase my client base,” Rina explained.
With the engagement of IOM’s partner Shadesh Palli, the products created at the centre will be sold in shops and outlets across Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong and Dhaka. To ensure the sustainability of the initiative, the company will also provide the participants with technical support and market accessibility strategies.