Bangladeshi women to benefit from Trust’s generosity

16 January 2003

Young women from Bangladesh, one of the world’s poorest countries, are to receive a helping hand thanks to the generosity of the Access 4 Trust.

The trust has made a £1,500 donation to Y Care International to support a savings and small loans scheme aimed at young women which helps to increase their social and economic role within the community.

Six YMCAs across Bangladesh are involved in the programme, which assists 100 young women per YMCA, and a further 300 family members indirectly.

Lucy Hayter, Programme Co-ordinator for Asia at Y Care International, said: “More than two-thirds of the 1.3 billion people who live on less than a dollar a day are women. The YMCA, as a youth-led organisation, decided to provide loans to young women in particular as traditionally this group has been marginalised by society.

“This scheme is designed to take the bank to the poor, reaching out to young women living in the remotest parts of the country. The first step is for local women to get together and set up a group. The group will be jointly responsible for ensuring that loans given to members are regularly repaid as well as deciding things like new membership and access to loans.”

All members must save for the first six months before they can apply for a loan. Loans can be used to set up, for example, small poultry farms or vegetable gardens – but the woman must show that the loan can be repaid. The scheme also provides informal training in social awareness, on issues such as family health and nutrition.

The Access 4 Trust, which was established in 1975, helps a variety of projects in Bangladesh, Burma and Uganda, and has supported the work of Y Care International in the past on other schemes.

Susan Wates, who runs the Access 4 Trust, said: “I have always been interested in women and their role in the developing world. I strongly believe that if you can empower women, you help the whole family. That is what I thought was so attractive about the YMCA project, and why I am so glad to help it.”

Lucy Hayter added: “This money will make a real difference to the lives of hundreds of women in one of the most densely populated and least developed countries in the world.”