Objective

To empower children and youths with necessary learnings, life skills, and training to access improved livelihood opportunities and break the cycle of poverty and hunger.

Project Summary

The project aimed to address the needs of underprivileged students and youth from various Surfing Clubs in Cox’s Bazar and provide them with quality education, life skills, and employment opportunities. The project offered digital tablets to the students to learn basic language, numeracy and computer skills. Qualified teachers from Dhaka conducted lessons on various subjects. WFP’s monthly in-kind food assistance was also distributed among the students. Meetings were held with surfing clubs to provide support and suggestions, and regular meetings were organized to brief stakeholders on the project’s progress. During the project, there was a strong focus on staff capacity development, with teachers and project staff receiving refresher training in various areas, such as academic subjects. This training aimed to enhance their knowledge and skills to better support the students.

Community engagement played a vital role, with activities like courtyard meetings, parent-teacher gatherings, and awareness sessions involving parents. These sessions focused on educating parents about important topics like nutrition, hygiene, and childcare. Additionally, meetings between club heads and project staff were held regularly to address challenges and discuss the students’ future prospects. Surfing training and practice sessions were provided, academic progress was monitored, and students received training in surfing and life-saving skills, earning certificates based on international standards. A perception survey gathered valuable feedback, and a closing ceremony in February 2023 celebrated the project’s success, with students receiving course completion certificates and parents and club heads sharing their project experiences and benefits.