WECE Program – Nirmol Bangladesh

WECE Program - Nirmol Bangladesh

🎯 Our Core Vision

The WECE Program aims to significantly enhance the economic autonomy, entrepreneurial success, and leadership roles of at least 5,000 women in vulnerable coastal communities by 2030 through successful and climate-resilient entrepreneurial ventures. It equips women with comprehensive business management skills, financial literacy, and climate-adaptive vocational skills to thrive amidst environmental challenges.

The Intersecting Challenge

Across Bangladesh, women face systemic barriers to economic participation. In coastal regions, this national disparity is severely amplified by climate change, acting as a devastating risk multiplier.

7.53%

Female Unemployment Rate

(vs. 3.88% Male)

37.01%

Female Labor Force Participation

(vs. Global 51.07%)

24%

Female Mobile Internet Adoption

(vs. 40% Male)

Climate as a Risk Multiplier: The Coastal Reality

For women in coastal regions, rising seas, soil salinity, and extreme weather destroy traditional livelihoods, deepen poverty, and intensify existing social inequalities, making their situation uniquely precarious.

💧 Livelihood Destruction

Salinity intrusion and erosion destroy arable land and fisheries, forcing migration and deepening poverty.

💔 Health & Sanitation Crisis

Lack of potable water and poor sanitation, worsened by climate events, severely affect women's reproductive health.

📉 Economic Subjugation

Women's wages in coastal areas are often half of men's minimum wage. They have less control over assets and limited adaptive capacity.

Integrated Resilient Solution

To address this complex challenge, the enhanced WECE program provides a holistic, five-pronged solution designed to build comprehensive support systems.

1. Climate-Adaptive Skills

Vocational training focused on salt-tolerant agriculture and diversified aquaculture.
Climate-smart food processing and digital skills.
Supplying vocational tools and business kits.

2. Access to Resilient Finance

Financial literacy tailored to managing climate-related shocks.
Connecting women with MFI linkages for flexible loans.
Providing seed capital to kickstart climate-resilient enterprises.

3. Sustainable Market Access

Organizing market fairs for direct market access.
Creating digital platforms to sell products globally.
Integrating women-led businesses into green value chains.

4. Leadership & Mentorship

Connecting emerging entrepreneurs with established leaders.
Training for influence in local disaster risk reduction (DRR) committees.
Facilitating peer-to-peer learning and networks.

5. Policy Advocacy

Advocating for gender-responsive climate adaptation policies.
Engaging men and leaders to challenge restrictive social norms.
Media outreach to raise awareness about women's economic rights.

Program Management Team

👩‍💼

Nusrat Jahan Nitu

Program Manager

👩‍🔬

Dr. Maria Zaman

Program Supervisor

🌱

Maisha Farzana Methila

Gender & Livelihoods Lead

📊

Fabiha Kobir Toha

Entrepreneurship Lead

📈

Sajjad Hossain Sakin

M&E Specialist

📣

Monirujjaman Momin

Communications Lead

🤝

Md. Towhidur Rahman

Partnership & Donor Relations

📚

Sheikh Fahim Faysal Sowrav

Training & Curriculum

💰

Md. Washikur Rahman

Financial Inclusion Specialist

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Nirmol Bangladesh

Women Empowerment and Community Entrepreneurship (WECE)