In Dhaka, Bangladesh, the average young woman is faced with limited options – to survive, she’s either coerced into marriage before she’s ready, forced into work under poor conditions for minimum wage or less, or living in extreme poverty.
But in a small village on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, one young woman’s drive and creativity has been harnessed.
Now, 18-year-old Nipa is her own boss.
Plan Australia’s Young Women’s Entrepreneurship Development program helps vulnerable young women to start their own small businesses, so that they can adequately and sustainably support themselves and their children and avoid the more hazardous and exploitative jobs available to women in Dhaka (such as in the garment factory industry).
The project achieves this outcome primarily through business training and mentoring of young women. The project’s overall objective is to increase family income that will ensure improvement in livelihoods of poor women and their children.
Pictures and Video shot on assignment for Plan Australia for the campaign – becauseiamagirl.com.au