SWITCH Bangladesh Foundation (SBF) organized its very first youth business plan competition from 12th to 26th of February, 2013. This competition aims to produce youth entrepreneurs and thus empower rural communities. In responding to youth out-migration from rural communities and the increasing number of youth unemployment’s in Dhaka, SBF aims to empower young population in Dhaka so that these youths can become entrepreneurs to solve problems in rural areas through business solutions.
Target Group: This competition targeted youth between 18 and 29 years old, especially those who are university student or recently graduated but unemployed.
Objectives:
The overall objective of the action is to empower youths in Dhaka so that they can be a leverage to revitalize rural communities. More specifically, the project aims at:
1) Empowering youth through lectures about business, team building and field research.
2) Producing youth entrepreneurs through the competition.
3) Creating jobs in rural areas in the long run.
4) Addressing social problems in rural areas through the business ideas and youth entrepreneurs.
Agriculture Team
Agriculture team will produce natural organic vegetable and fruits in Jamalpur so that rural people can access to safe and quality food at a decent price. Additionally, this team will also empower farmers through providing agriculture trainings and sharing its profits among farmers equally.
Information and Technology Team
Information and technology team will develop one IT center in each village so that rural residents can access to right and updated knowledge and information in the field of education, health, and agriculture. Through launching e-commerce based on the IT center, this team will also create jobs especially for women making traditional hand-make bags.
Food and Nutrition Team
Food and Nutrition team aims to reduce malnutrition in Jamalpur through their business plan. In responding to a number of people suffering from poverty and malnutrition, this team will produce soya milk at a decent price so that people in this area can access to nutritious food. Nutritious food is very important since the food can save many lives of women and children in rural areas.
Waste management Team
Waste management team will recycle garbage in Jamalpur so that they can manage plastic waste in Jamalpur and create jobs from producing clothing made from polyester fabric. Through collecting plastic waste, waste management team will also increase environmental awareness so that rural residents can keep their village clean.
Switch Bangladesh Foundation (SBF), as of January 2011, is serving about 500 students in promoting their basic education by offering grades from pre-primary to VIII. But most of the students who are attending this school are from marginalized communities and the socio-economic condition of their parents is not up to the mark to send their children in doing skill development or life skills courses. Realizing this fact and the growing trend of computer proficiency in the job market, Switch Bangladesh Foundation designed a development project SWITCH SALMA AHSAN ICT LAB that aims to empower the targeted students with free computer education which will include knowledge in computer programming such as Microsoft Office and technical skills in installation, coding, and repairs. Initially, it will be a one-year project, expected to commence planned activities from February 2022 and would be expanded depending on project outcomes.
Empower youth by strengthening their skills and voices for economic self-reliance to take a leadership role in poverty alleviation initiatives.
Objective(s):
