Empowering women in south west Bangladesh through Entrepreneurial Literacy: Stories of success and Inspiration from Nobo Jatra

Although Bangladesh has experienced a steady decline in absolute poverty rates, it is still struggling to reduce the number of people living in extreme poverty . This is particularly true of regions with high economic and climatic vulnerability, including Nobo Jatra working areas in south west Bangladesh (Dacope and Koyra Upazila of Khulna District and Shyamnagar and Kaliganj Upazila of Satkhira District), where 25-34% of households live below the lower poverty line . Against this background, to address pervasive extreme poverty, ‘Nobo Jatra-New Beginning’-a USAID development food security activity, implements a sequential 24 month Ultra-Poor Graduation cycle targeting 14,000 women in extreme poverty. The Ultra Poor Graduation cycle is designed around 9 months of entrepreneurial literacy training, income generating activities (IGA) selection and implementation training with monthly compensation and a cash grant of BDT.15,000 ($188) as start-up capital along with participation in Community Savings and Lending Groups (CSLGs).