Fundraising for our Doorstep Learning project for girls
Girls in domestic work are deprived of their right to an education, sent by their families until their marriage is arranged. Hidden behind closed doors, they are at extremely high risk of abuse and exploitation.
Will you support our work?
Girls in domestic work are deprived of their right to an education, sent by their families until their marriage is arranged. Hidden behind closed doors, they are at extremely high risk of abuse and exploitation.
We convince employers to permit our specialist community teachers into their homes for regular learning periods in literacy, numeracy, and essential life skills. With a foundation in education we support the girls into school or vocational training, and a brighter, safer future.
The challenge
In addition to working in harsh and demanding conditions and facing abuse and exploitation, the 400,000 children doing domestic work (84% girls) are deprived of their right to education. It is against the law to employ children under-14 in Bangladesh and domestic work is classed as one of the worst forms of child labour, yet it is commonplace. Employers think of themselves as respectable citizens rather than the perpetrators of modern slavery. Without an education these girls have a bleak future.
The solution
UKBET takes learning opportunities directly to the child domestic workers’ doorsteps. This innovative project will engage cohorts of 64 girl domestic workers (aged 5-14) literacy, numeracy and life skills programmes at the homes where they work. The children are often malnourished so we provide food as well as healthcare. The girls’ self-esteem and confidence blossom during the programme, and 55% make significant progress away from domestic work, into school or into vocational training.
Long-Term Impact
This project will educate cohorts of 64 girls aged 7-14 in full-time domestic work and will support them away from child labour and into school or vocational training. This will allow them to progress into legal non-hazardous work and a future out of poverty.
For our supporters and donors in Bangladesh, donations can be made through bKash using the personal number: 01717682622.
Please contact 008801707600202 for any clarification.
Our working children programmes
We reach and teach the most vulnerable and excluded working children forced into hazardous domestic labour. Our programmes below empower these young girls and their families through access to education, tailored vocational training, and livelihood support - offering them real alternatives to exploitation. By removing financial and social barriers, our programmes pave the way for long-term learning, dignity, and opportunity.
Doorstep Learning
Although not officially recognised as being ‘hazardous’, domestic work presents many dangers for working children both from the labour they are asked to do and the incidence of sexual and physical assault.
Family Futures
Poverty drives families to send their children to work rather than school. Our team works with families of the children in our education programmes to help them create income through self-employment and referring them to other agencies for support.
Historical programmes
The programmes below are no longer active. Initiated in 2013, these programmes aimed to help boys working in hazardous occupations. Despite their popularity, the number of boys progressing out of child labour was disappointing. Given limited resources, the Trustees have decided to close these programmes in February 2024 and focus on our Doorstep Learning and Family Futures programmes which continue to have great success and progression rate.
Waste Pickers
This pilot project will bring basic education to 50 children working as waste collectors in Sylhet. Children will be taught literacy, numeracy and life skills by specialist community teachers three times a week in education centres close to their workplace.
Hazardous Work
Following a baseline study that revealed that 3,000 children are employed in hazardous jobs in the city of Sylhet, we initiated our pioneering education programme with children doing hazardous work in workshops and small businesses in Sylhet.
Donate and support our work
Education can change lives.