BISAP, with support from the International Children’s Trust, U.K has launched a transformative initiative titled “Improving Prospects for Street and Working Children in Chittagong”. This project is dedicated to expanding access to Education, Vocational Training, and Child Rights Awareness among vulnerable children living and working in Chittagong’s Coastal Slums.

Understanding the Context: Life in Chittagong’s Street Coastal Children

Rapid Urbanization and Climate-induced Migration have led to the expansion of Slum settlements across Chittagong. BISAP’s ongoing engagement with these communities reveals a harsh reality িfamilies rely heavily on unstable and low-paid informal jobs. This economic pressure forces children to forgo schooling to contribute to family income through hazardous and exploitative labor. Many of these children survive by collecting plastics, cleaning vehicles, doing domestic chores, or worse begging and being exploited by criminal networks.

Living in unsafe Environments on the streets, beside railway lines, or in makeshift shelters these children lack both security and opportunity. Despite laws prohibiting child labor under the age of 14, enforcement remains weak due to limited funding, low awareness, and inadequate monitoring. BISAP’s project addresses these systemic barriers and offers children a pathway to dignity, learning, and future opportunity.

Project Objectives

This initiative aims to defend and promote the rights of street-connected and working children by addressing the root causes of child labor and creating realistic, sustainable alternatives. The project will:

1. Provide educational and vocational training to 240 children aged 10–14 years.
2. Empower parents (especially mothers) through financial literacy and microenterprise training to increase family income.
3. Promote children’s rights awareness and build capacity for self-advocacy among children and community stakeholders.

Key Project Activities:

1. Expanding Access to Education and Vocational Training

BISAP will establish four Education and Training Centers in the communities of Jarnapara (2 centers), Nawapara, and CDA Market in North Chittagong Slums. Each center will enroll 60 children daily 30 in the morning and 30 in the afternoon.

At each center, children will receive:

• 3 hours of daily instruction in Bangla, English, and Mathematics.
• Hands-on vocational training in trades like Garment making and repair, embroidery, hairstyling and makeup, and Motor mechanics sectors with real earning potential in Chittagong.

While some children will be reintegrated into formal education, others will gain practical skills leading to self-employment or entry into the formal job market.

2. Supporting Families Through Microenterprise Training

To reduce Economic Dependency on child labor, BISAP have provided Parents primarily mothers with training in Microenterprise Development. The initiative will build upon 10 existing women’s groups formed by BISAP, currently engaged in Health and Hygiene Awareness.

These groups will now be trained in:

• Financial Literacy and Business Planning
• Income-generating activities such as Embroidered Bedspread Production, Mat  Weaving, Small-scale furniture making, Tailoring, and Livestock Rearing

By improving household income, these efforts will create a more stable and supportive environment for children.

3. Building Children’s Capacity to Recognize and Assert Their Rights

 BISAP have led child-focused rights education and advocacy activities:

• Children’s rights education have embedded in the curriculum of all four centers.
• Formation of Child Brigades empowered children to understand and assert their rights, build peer support networks, and participate in community-level dialogue.

Additionally, the project will engage:

• Teachers, both inside and outside state schools, through training on the needs and rights of vulnerable children
• Local NGOs, Parents, and Community Leaders to raise awareness and strengthen responsibility for Child Protection and inclusive Education

Through Community Forums and Stakeholder engagement, BISAP have promoted a shared commitment to defending the rights and futures of children.

Expected Outcomes

For Children:

• All participants attainted Basic Literacy and Numeracy.
• Children aged 14 and over trained and prepared to enter the Formal Labor Market with improved conditions.
• At least 35% of children supported to return to Formal Education through coordinated efforts with Parents and Teachers.

For Parents (Primarily Mothers):

• 60% of women will increase their family income through microenterprise activities.
• Families will build resilience to financial shocks, reducing the pressure on children to work.
• Women will experience greater empowerment and independence, enhancing their role in decision-making at home and in the community.

Through this initiative, BISAP envisions a future where every child in Chittagong’s Slums is equipped with the tools, skills, and support to escape the cycle of poverty, claim their rights, and live with dignity. With the combined strength of education, community empowerment, and advocacy among Street Children, BISAP is lighting the path toward hope, opportunity, and lasting change.