Bangladesh begins a $200M livelihoods project with the World Bank

On 5^th May 2015, the Government of Bangladesh signed a $200 million financing agreement with the World Bank for the Nuton Livelihood Improvement Project to improveme the livelihoods for five million rural poor.  The project focuses on supporting and enabling access to markets through business partnerships to empower rural communities. The project will mobilize the extreme poor, who often remain left out from micro credit schemes, by building and strengthening community institutions including Nuton Jibon community societies. In addition, the project will raise nutrition awareness, share agricultural knowledge and focus on enhancing youth skills so that they can take advantage of employment opportunities. The project will also fund small scale rural infrastructure.

“While Bangladesh has made tremendous progress in reducing poverty over the past four decades, poverty remains more pervasive in rural areas than in urban areas in Bangladesh,” said Christine Kimes, Acting Country Head, World Bank Bangladesh.

“The project is a testament to the Government’s continued commitment for accelerating pro-poor growth,” said Kazi Shofiqul Azam, Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Government of Bangladesh. She added, “Following a community driven approach, the project will increase income and create employment opportunities for the poor and extreme poor population in the rural areas.”

Learn more at the World Bank

Learn more details about the Nuton Jibon Livelihood Improvement Project