In March 2011, SHGO began a partnership with the NGO RUSTIC, based in the Southwest Region of Khulna, Bangladesh. Under the directorship of Moral Noor Mohammed, an esteemed Ashoka Fellow, RUSTIC works in rural and slum communities to:
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Augment economic development through an innovative micro-lending program;
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Develop educational, vocational, and income-generating initiatives for girls and women;
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Supply access to clean water, healthcare, and education to the rural poor;
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Create systems for sustainable waste disposal and recycling;
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Promote local sustainability and ownership.
SHGO’s lifelong partnership with RUSTIC is currently focused on the construction and development of an innovative girl’s school and training center in the slums of Sonadanga. This center will serve over 100 young females, supporting their education through vocational training and income-generating initiatives. After a 5-year development and pilot period, the center will be fully self-sustaining, and equipped to serve local girls in need for generations to come!
SHGO and RUSTIC, sponsor a vocational school that teaches young girls and women how to sew and embroider. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to become literate and learn a skill. Each graduate is awarded a used treadle sewing machine as a means of earning a living and gaining the self-confidence that can propel them for a lifetime.
Changing a Life One Stitch at a Time