In countries like Bangladesh, young people face lots of challenges. Millions of kids have been denied a good education, and the basic literacy and numeracy skills that are needed for most well paid jobs are out of reach. It's even tougher for girls, who are excluded from some lines of work, and the opportunity to fully participate in the economy.
But innovative solutions are something that Bangladesh is definitely capable of. After all, Muhammad Yunus is from Bangladesh, and he pioneered the idea of microfinance loans for low income entrepreneurs, which has connected millions of entrepreneurs (particularly women) to business opportunities that have changed lives for the better.
So here's another great story.
In the video above, we get to meet some groundbreaking Bangladeshi girls. A partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Bangladeshi Government, and the European Union has created a new way for girls to overcome educational disadvantages, and enter a line of work that was previously not a genuine option. That's right, they're training to be motorcycle mechanics!
The program combines basic literacy and numeracy skills with practical training, and is producing a new generation of skilled women. One of the trainees, Khadija, explains that "When we first joined, people used to doubt if girls like us can do this", but the girls are proving that they're up to it. It's not just a school for girls; there are boys there too, and they're working together. Khadija goes on to say "We started working and slowly we became able to provide good service. When customers saw that we could service motorcycles as well as do other things, they stopped doubting us".
This is a fantastic step forward, and it's trailblazers like these who are building societies where women can build skills and succeed in their fields of choice. It's what we all deserve!
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/bangladeshs-female-motorbike-mechanics/
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