Skills on Wheels
Objective To empower and equip adolescent girls and young women in remote areas with essential technical, vocational, and personal development skills, fostering a safe and supportive environment that enhances their future employability and independence. Project Summary The Skills on Wheels Initiative, implemented by JAAGO Foundation Trust (JFT) with support from the Girls' Education and Skills Partnership (GESP)—managed by Generation Unlimited (GenU) UNICEF and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)—is a mobile outreach program designed to deliver inclusive, employment-focused training to marginalized populations. The project specifically addresses the critical challenges faced by adolescent girls and young women aged 13 to 24 in the geographically remote and underserved districts of Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban. At the heart of this initiative is the belief that mobile accessibility is the key to overcoming entrenched barriers such as challenging terrain, socio-economic constraints, and restrictive cultural norms that frequently limit women's mobility and participation in traditional training centers. The project will deploy a fully equipped Mobile Training Unit (MTU) that travels across eight upazilas—including Ramu, Chakaria, and Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar, and Lama, Alikadam, and Nikhongchhari in Bandarban—over an 18-month period. Through a rotational model, the MTU will host intensive vocational training sessions for batches of 20 participants at a time, providing approximately 30 instructional hours per batch. These participants, selected from vulnerable groups including those who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), will receive specialized technical modules such as advanced agriculture, digital marketing, and craftsmanship, alongside foundational "Employment Readiness" and "Passport 2 Earning (P2E)" digital literacy programs. A central component of this initiative is the emphasis on community engagement and safety. The program will reach approximately 24,000 community members through behavior change campaigns designed to address gender stereotypes and create a supportive ecosystem for women's professional participation. To ensure the long-term impact of the training, the project also facilitates direct linkages with potential employers, career counseling, and job placement support within 15 days of course completion. By providing on-site training within a secure environment, the initiative simultaneously mitigates risks of child marriage and exploitation while contributing to the economic resilience of families. The overarching goal of the Skills on Wheels Initiative is to bridge the skills divide between urban and rural areas for young women in southeastern Bangladesh. By fostering technical competencies and ensuring that local communities are actively involved in the development process, the project ensures that the voices and potential of marginalized youth are recognized and represented. Ultimately, this project contributes to a more inclusive workforce and a sustainable future where adolescent girls and young women are empowered as active contributors to their communities and the nation’s economic progress.