Strengthening Livelihoods through Skills & Capacity Development

Two interconnected challenges were addressed:

1. Sarathi Project - Financial Inclusion for RMG Workers: RMG workers lacked financial literacy, banking access, and money management skills. With 11% of Bangladesh's economy dependent on the RMG sector employing 4-5 million people, most workers lacked proper education and awareness about banking benefits. The lack of financial resilience forced workers to seek loans from informal sources like neighbors, family members, and local loan sharks, perpetuating financial vulnerability.

2. Swisscontact Agro Project - Agricultural Capacity Building: Vegetable farmers and service providers faced challenges with post-harvest management and packaging practices. Farmers experienced significant post-harvest losses, weak supply chain efficiency, and limited access to modern storage and handling techniques. The agro value chain lacked integration and knowledge dissemination systems to support sustainable farming practices.

Enroute International Limited implemented two comprehensive capacity-building initiatives:

Sarathi Project - Financial Inclusion:
- Financial Awareness & Literacy Training: Conducted financial literacy sessions reaching 17,850 RMG workers, educating them on salary management, savings, and household budgeting.
- Bank Account Facilitation: Assisted 76,000 workers in opening bank accounts, fostering financial security and formal banking engagement.
- Stakeholder Partnerships: Collaborated with 49 RMG factories and 4 commercial banks to create sustainable financial inclusion models.
- Community-Wide Awareness Campaigns: Educated 200,000+ individuals on the benefits of formal banking through structured campaigns.
- Counseling & Support: Provided one-on-one guidance on financial decision-making, access to credit, and banking procedures.

Swisscontact Agro Project - Agricultural Capacity Building:
- Outreach & Training on Packaging Innovations: Educated 62,400 farmers and 156 service providers on improved packaging materials to preserve crop quality and extend shelf life.
- Post-Harvest Management Techniques: Partnered with 1,159 agro retailers to introduce modern storage and handling techniques to 141,500 farmers.
- Training of Trainers (ToT) Model: Developed two comprehensive ToT modules and conducted seven ToT sessions, creating skilled trainers capable of widespread knowledge dissemination.
- Ongoing Capacity Building & Support: Provided continuous follow-ups, refresher courses, and updated learning materials to enhance long-term impact.
- Counseling & Support: Provided one-on-one guidance on financial decision-making and access to credit.

Sarathi Project - Financial Inclusion Results:
- 76,000 RMG workers opened bank accounts in the first phase
- 17,850 RMG workers received financial literacy training through 242 literacy sessions
- 200,000+ individuals reached through awareness campaigns on formal banking benefits
- Improved financial literacy, empowering workers to manage earnings efficiently
- Long-term financial security with thousands of RMG workers entering the formal banking sector
- Stronger partnerships between banks and factories, ensuring sustainable financial inclusion models

Swisscontact Agro Project - Agricultural Capacity Building Results:
- 62,400 farmers and 156 service providers trained on improved packaging innovations
- 141,500 farmers reached with modern post-harvest management and storage techniques through 1,159 agro retailers
- Seven Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions conducted, creating a self-sufficient training ecosystem
- Reduced post-harvest losses, increasing profitability for farmers
- Strengthened agro value chain, ensuring better market access and efficiency
- Sustained knowledge dissemination, creating a self-sufficient training ecosystem for farmers

Both projects demonstrated Enroute's expertise in delivering tailored training programs, fostering stakeholder collaboration, and creating sustainable business models and knowledge-sharing ecosystems.