Introduction

Bangladesh Firestarter Initiative (BFI) responds to the challenges of youths lacking the capability or leadership skills. The project builds the capacity of innovative youth led organisations, especially those led by youth from underprivileged backgrounds, specifically women, girls, and minority communities outside Dhaka. It aims to establish a connection with the wider youth sector and supporting small youth groups through youth-adult partnerships, capacity development, and mentorship schemes.

Background

In a country with a population of over 150 million, youth consist of approximately 1/3 of the populations. They can be the most valuable human assets in the world if they have the opportunity to be fully integrated into their communities. To ensure this integration is inclusive, concerted effort on working with the most vulnerable populations – young women, girls and minorities – is essential. 

The Bangladesh Firestarter Initiative is a reactive and open Innovation Fund that was developed to facilitate emerging and innovative youth-led organisations in their advocacy projects. These organisations are led by disadvantaged youth, especially young women, girls and minorities outside Dhaka. It aims at building the capacity of young people and their organisations through the provision of targeted capacity development courses, peer learning, coaching & mentoring, as well as facilitating the establishment of networks with wider partners in the youth sector, to facilitate sustainable and impactful social change.

Programmatic interventions of AAB engage young people, living in exclusion, particularly with young women and marginalized groups that are excluded based on their identity and locality. And all these engagements are meant to create spaces for young people to convene, facilitate and co-create with the local struggles and connect with progressive social movements, at local, national, regional and international levels.

The International Youth Day, on 12th August, was an opportunity of ambitious prospect of creating lasting impact and awareness among the youth as well as the greater community. This year, the International Youth Day is being observed with the theme of ‘Safe Spaces for Youth’ which covers the areas such as Public Spaces, Digital Spaces, Civic Spaces and Physical Spaces, all together. AAB emphasizes that young people must claim their spaces, letting their voices being heard and identifying their diverse needs to be addressed by respective quarters. This is imperative in harnessing the potential of young people in changing this world. According to the theme of International Youth Day, young people should have their stake in the decision-making process exercised. They should engage in governance structure and processes. At the same time, they should demand full opportunity for participation in sports and other leisure activities. All physical structures must be accessible to all groups of young people including persons with disabilities.

In the context of Bangladesh, claiming safe spaces for young people is more relevant than anything as around 53 million of young people are facing lots of challenges and constraints triggered by structural causes. Young people have poor representation in the various decision-making structures whether these are formal or non-formal. Be it be urban or rural settings, there are very few public spaces where young people can spend their leisure time. Safety issues are becoming more prominent in public spaces particularly in highways and public transports. Young women are suffering from sexual harassment, intimidation and abuses etc. to a dire extent. Along with that, young people are restricted in their free expressions of opinion in the various online and offline platforms in many ways. These situations should not continue if we wish to achieve 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically Goal 11, which emphasizes the need for the provision of space towards inclusive and sustainable urbanization.


To celebrate International Youth Day, AAB  took up a series of programmes from local to national level. At national level, AAB teamed up with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Bangladesh to participate in a youth gathering and to showcase the works among delegates from government, national and international NGOs and youth platforms, on 6 August 2018.

Along with that, this year AAB is celebrating the International Youth Day on 12 August 2018 in 6 Districts of Bangladesh - Niphamari, Bagerhat, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Kustia and Chottogram - where Activista Members are taking the lead in organizing events such as bicycle rally, debate, rally, discussion session, street drama, quiz competitions and fairs to create greater awareness on safe spaces among the youth and the greater community.

Category Details
Name Of The Initiative Bangladesh Firestarter Initiative
People Reached 2,400 disadvantaged youth
Working together since 2015
Focus Areas Of Intervention: Disadvantaged youth, especially women and girls, and minority communities
Division Kushtia, Joypurhat, Rajshahi, Shirajgonj, Satkhira, Pabna, Bogura, Magura

Explore

News

Promoting Environmental Awareness and Action: Combating Plastic Pollution and Reducing Fossil Fuel Use

Awareness and action for a healthy environment are growing among the people. World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5th, focuses on solutions to plastic pollution. In Bakalia, activities included an art competition on "Solutions to plastic pollution" with 128 children participating. A rally and discussion sessions raised public awareness, while a workshop engaged 56 participants, including students, youth, parents, teachers, and local elites. Tree plantation activities were conducted at various locations, and saplings were distributed to schools and families. A cycle rally, awareness campaign, leaflet distribution, and community-wide initiatives involved participants from different groups. These efforts promote awareness and action to combat plastic pollution and protect the environment.
Read More

News

Child Change Makers Lead the Way: Taking Action for a Sustainable Future

To observe the One Million Mobilization Campaign, initiatives were undertaken in the Sunamganj and Ghoraghat working areas.
Read More

News

Empowering Children and Youth in Bangladesh: One Million Mobilization Takes a Stand Against the Climate Crisis

One Million Mobilization, in collaboration with ActionAid Bangladesh, is focusing on empowering children and young people to protect the environment and address the climate crisis.
Read More

News

Empowering Children for a Sustainable Future through World Environment Day Celebrations

Children's active participation in World Environment Day celebrations yields a profound impact, driving awareness, education, empowerment, and environmental stewardship. Their involvement ignites a surge of creativity, innovation, and advocacy skills, fostering enduring sustainable practices. By actively engaging children, we seize a transformative opportunity to shape a generation passionately dedicated to environmental conservation and resolute in constructing a sustainable future.
Read More

News

Fostering the Future: Child-Driven Efforts in Combating Plastic Pollution and the Climate Crisis

In line with the advocacy of One Million Mobilization, the focus has shifted to child & youth-led initiatives aimed at safeguarding the environment and mitigating the pressing climate crisis.
Read More

News

Growing a Sustainable Future for Children: Spice Tree Sapling Distribution in Thanchi's Hilly Areas

On the date of on May 30, 2023, ActionAid Bangladesh and its partner organization promote ecological balance and climate sustainability in Thanchi's hilly area by distributing spice tree saplings to empower 68 children and young women for a greener future. Planting these saplings restores biodiversity, balances ecosystems, and educates the community about the importance of planting.
Read More

Event

Capacity-building training on child journalism has motivated children to pursue their dreams:

The objective of the child journalism training is to provide children (trainee journalists) with the concepts and the information that will help them to develop responsible news reporting skills that appreciate and respect children's rights.
Read More

Event

Drama and child competition have an effective power of expression

A child from the drama group Meem (15) said, “while developing the drama script, we were not aware of but after finishing we realized every character of the community has a role to prevent child marriage and we can effectively fit the roles. Along with the parents and community leader, neighbor the role I played has a great responsibility and can positively or negatively tackle child marriage situations.”
Read More

Event

Celebration of Child Rights week 2022 in Social Change

“We girls don't get many opportunities to play sports in our community, especially in public places. But this time on Child Rights Week, a friendly football match competition was organized by ActionAid and BNKS. Where I participate as a team leader. Before the start of the game, my team members and I practiced football in our area for a few days. And this practice was the first-time played football in our life. Playing sports refreshes our minds and increases our social participation. Participating in sports also keeps us physically healthy. Participating in a football match has taught me to think that girls can participate in all social activities, it is our right”, shared by D Hola Wang Marma (16 years adolescent child)
Read More

Event

Children from Sunamganj created awareness among community people during Child Rights Week:

One of the performers, Tamanna (15-year-old) said, “We tried to aware others of the alarming issue of our community. Children are engaging themselves in stone lifting work. After flood, the rate has been increased. It is really alarming as they are dropping out from school. To keep this in mind, we, the cultural team planned to aware others through a street drama, and we did it during Child Rights Week. People from different areas enjoyed the drama, someone even cried. I hope this would be helpful to stop child labor at our community.”
Read More

Event

Children of Ghoraghat are moving towards cultural movement:

This year, Children of Ghoraghat celebrated Child Rights Week through different activities. This time, they focused on street drama presentation as through this, the image of the society can be beautifully displayed. As easily as drama leaves a mark on people's minds, no medium can. So, they decided to portray the image & problems of their area through a street drama.
Read More

Event

An Amusing Picnic Day for Children

Jim (05), a young girl, reading in class two, was very happy to take part in the picnic and shared, “We are very happy that ActionAid Bangladesh arranged this picnic for us. Me and my friends participate in the games. We enjoy a lot. On behalf of all I would cordially thanks to ActionAid to gift us an enjoyable day”.
Read More

Blog, News

Introducing Sahakom Mobile App: Empowering Child Sponsorship Communication through Training of Trainers

ActionAid Bangladesh is thrilled to announce the launch of the Sahakom Mobile App, a groundbreaking technology designed to revolutionize the way we communicate and connect with child sponsors.
Read More

Blog

ClimateInjustice #WaterCrisis

I joined my ActionAid Bangladesh colleagues and volunteers engaged in the preparedness initiatives to mitigate the impact of #cycloneMocha.
Read More

Blog, News

Being trained in leadership, the children of Kurigram are already planning to work on climate change and justice.

Child leadership refers to developing leadership skills in children, while cultural movement refers to the promotion & preservation of cultural values & practices.
Read More

Annual Reports, Publications

ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Your trust and confidence on ActionAid Bangladesh gave us the strength to continue working for ensuring a just and sustainable society for all. Our commitment of long-term partnerships for sustainable change shall not waiver. We therefore dedicate the Annual Report 2022 to ‘Partnership 4 Change’.
Read More