The International Labour Organization's (ILO) ProGRESS project, funded by the Government of Canada, has partnered with the Indigenous Peoples Development Services (IPDS) to launch a transformative initiative aimed at socially and economically empowering young women from the Manipuri and tea garden communities. This initiative focuses on supporting them acquire and enhance the rich cultural craft of weaving traditional textiles for both local and national markets.
To ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of this initiative, a Shared Service Facilities Centre (SSFC) has been established in Patrokhola Tea Garden, Madhabpur, Kamalgonj one of the Upazilas in Maulvibazar, Sylhet division. This community managed centre will provide the women in the tea garden community a venue to acquire and enhance weaving skills through apprenticeship where skilled women from the same community, playing the role of Mastercraft persons, provide regular mentorship and coaching to other women eager to improve their income and livelihoods. These Munipuri women have also the option to later become entrepreneurs for which they can attend entrepreneurship training from women from the same community trained by the ILO deliver either SIYB or GET Ahead training modules.
The inauguration of the SSFC on 6 June 2024, was graced by Tuomo Poutiainen, ILO Country Director, and Joinal Abedin, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Kamalgonj. The building structure which consists of 4 rooms, is owned by the community and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), offered infrastructural facilities (land, space, and the house) to set up the SSFC. Two of the rooms had been vacant and unused for several years, while the other two room are being used by a local NGO for non-formal education activities for young people. Through IPDS, the ILO refurbished the two rooms and equipped it with six number of weaving machines with essential tools and raw materials. Powered by solar energy, this centre will also promote green technologies and initiatives in product development. A cost-sharing system with the community was established to refurbish and equip the building to meet the SSFC requirements.
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Empowering Indigenous Entrepreneurs
Indigenous entrepreneurs operating at the cottage and micro levels encounter significant barriers to accessing markets and supply chains. They often lack the knowledge and information needed for competitive pricing, modern product design, and effective branding, further limiting their economic opportunities.
Equipped with needed weaving machines produced by craftspersons in the same community and backed up by trained women entrepreneurship trainers the SSFC can significantly boost wage and self-employment capabilities of the women groups. The assistance includes business development support, business linkages, entrepreneurship development. The SSFC aims to enhance the competitiveness of indigenous women entrepreneurs by providing access to machinery, equipment, tools, skills, and knowledge under a shared system. These facilities will help beneficiaries increase production capacity, improve product quality, and expand market reach, leading to increased sales and job creation.
Community-Managed Centre for Community Development
A community partnership initiative, the SSFC will have an oversight advisory committee consisting of seventeen members from entrepreneurs and women using the facility, panchayet leaders, schoolteachers, youth club leaders, local elected UP members and representative of Bangladesh Cha Shramik Union. However, the operations committee primarily managed by women weavers and entrepreneurs - with the chairs and co-chairs elected by the weaver-member-entrepreneurs. IPDS will provide training on leadership and management, awareness sessions, and orientation to the SSFC management. Guided by the IPDS, the rules and regulations on the use of the facility were formulated collectively with the above stakeholders and approved by the oversight advisory committee. Following the rules on the succession and graduation of users, the SSFC is accessible to others.
Specific rules and regulations regarding the use, fees, and maintenance of the SSFC and its equipment will be established by the initial members. Overtime the entrepreneur members benefitting from the SSFC will be formalized as a cooperative or self-help group according to the community's readiness.
Key Objectives and Impact
Women entrepreneurship development through skills development viand apprenticeship: The SSFC will train 10 individuals per batch, with four batches per year, over a five-year lifespan. This results in at least 200 individuals benefiting from the training in next five years. Trained mastecraftpersons will mentor the apprentices.
Product development and innovation: The SSFC will host workshops and training sessions for Manipuri entrepreneurs, focusing on product innovation. Assuming at least four workshops per year, each involving 20 participants, over five years, this will directly benefit at least 400 individuals. Indirect beneficiaries, such as workers benefiting from these innovations, are not yet counted.
Replicable Pilot Model: As a pilot model showcasing innovations, the SSFC aims to encourage and support other community members to replicate the same, potentially widening its impact significantly in other locations in the tea gardens and other locations in Bangladesh.
Venue for social cohesion: The SSFC will be provide a physical space for women in the community to interact, express themselves, and constructively discuss issues important that matter to their lives as women, mothers, entrepreneurs and workers. This interaction fosters social cohesion and mutual support.
Empowerment and leadership development: The SSFC offers women the opportunity to manage the centre, involving in the business, mental wellbeing, providing solutions to others on raise awareness on gender-based violence, importance of education and training which will empower them.
Addressing Historical Challenges
The tea communities in Bangladesh, comprising around 80 diverse ethnic groups, are rich in unique cultures, languages, beliefs, and traditions. Despite this vibrant heritage, tea workers have historically endured conditions like modern bonded labour. Their livelihoods are heavily dependent on the tea industry, but they face persistent challenges due to unfair wages, lack of access to education and healthcare, and inadequate living conditions, making them some of the poorest populations in the region.
Economic opportunities in the tea gardens are scarce, driving many young women to supplement their incomes through weaving. However, these women often struggle with limited resources to purchase weaving machines, raw materials, and transportation. They also face challenges like lack of credit facilities, market information, and space to set up their weaving operations. Additionally, they lack regular mentorship and coaching from Master Craftsperson, hindering their productivity.
ProGRESS project is a joint initiative of the Government of Bangladesh and the International Labour Organization, funded by the Government of Canada. The partnership will strengthen TVET and enterprise development systems, to make these more inclusive and accessible for women by working on policies, systems and operational levels. ProGRESS stands for 'Promoting Gender Responsive Enterprise Development and TVET Systems'.
