Masrur Karim
In an innovative partnership, Pathchola Foundation, Safepad Bangladesh, and Startup Chattogram joined forces with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bangladesh to launch a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering transgender communities through skills and employment opportunities. This three-month program focused on two primary objectives: enhancing transgender empowerment in the RMG sector and promoting climate-friendly sanitary napkins made from recycled ocean, river, and pond plastics. A total of 16 transgender individuals, sex workers, and PLHIV (People Living with HIV) received comprehensive training in both hard and soft skills. The hard skills training encompassed the production of eco-friendly sanitary napkins and sustainable packaging and marketing techniques. Simultaneously, participants were equipped with essential soft skills such as communication, mental health awareness, public relations, and climate consciousness. Following the training, Pathchola Foundation led a gender sensitization program in collaboration with Safepad, engaging 50 mainstream RMG sector staff to foster social inclusion. The project, led by co-founder Manisha Meem Nipun, a trailblazing transgender woman, successfully empowered the participants, aligning with SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 5 (Gender Equality), 13 (Climate Action), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Manisha Meem Nipun, the first transgender national to receive the Sheikh Hasina National Youth Volunteer Award 2020 and the Diana Award 2022 from the British Royal Family, expressed her vision to The Daily Star: “We aim to empower transgender individuals, sex workers, and PLHIV in every sector, ensuring that no one is left behind in achieving the SDGs.” Nipun also serves as the first-ever transgender UNDP-Movers Programme Youth Ambassador in Bangladesh. The collaboration was supported by Startup Chattogram as the communication partner, Safepad Bangladesh as the RMG partner, and UNDP in Bangladesh as the funding source partner. This project marks a significant step toward social inclusion and sustainability, showcasing the transformative power of collective action.
