Goals achieved in Bangladesh

A3K03000

Horyzon is able to withdraw from YWCA Bangladesh's health and community development program by the end of 2020 after more than 30 years of successful commitment.

What began on a small scale has developed into a nationwide program over the past 30 years. Since 1989, Horyzon has accompanied YWCA Bangladesh and contributed significantly to the development of the program. Today, the program takes place in 13 different parts of the country and reaches more than 79'000 people every year.

All program activities focused on the medium- and long-term self sufficiency of the beneficiaries and the development of the neighbourhoods. Hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged women from Bangladesh's poor neighbourhoods have benefited from the program and improved their health, strengthened their rights, become self-employed entrepreneurs through participation in microcredit programs and have improved their household incomes. They play an active role in the family, the neighbourhood and the communities and stand up for their rights. Thanks to the establishment of several social centers in different parts of the country, the women and their families have found a place for encounters, health, education and culture. Horyzon has pushed the development of the work with the youth program participants and integrated the youth work in the poor quarters into the program. Today, there are numerous youth groups that are committed to issues such as women's rights, equality and environmental protection.

Horyzon puts great importance into long-term financial independence in all its partnerships. We want to build up our partners and prepare them for independence. Horyzon's support has enabled YWCA Bangladesh to concentrate on building financial independence and to secure its income by operating paid public schools. Today, YWCA Bangladesh's self-financing rate is over 80 percent. This is a great success, which enables Horyzon to withdraw and offers the prospect of future start-up aid for another project.

Horyzon is gradually withdrawing from the program over the next two years and is working with YWCA Bangladesh to find alternative ways to ensure the financial sustainability of the program activities. Thanks to the high degree of self-financing, the continuation of the national program and the corresponding program activities is guaranteed even after Horyzon's withdrawal.

The development of the program is a success story for Horyzon. The time has now come to make the limited financial resources available for those young people, who need them more urgently. We continue the existing program in Palestine, Colombia and Haiti and at the same time evaluate the support of a new youth project with partners from the YWCA and YMCA networks.

We thank all donors for their valuable support for YWCA Bangladesh's health and community development program.

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