Give child labourers an education in Bangladesh

Introduction

Child domestic labour continues to prevent vulnerable children in Bangladesh from accessing education, safety and opportunity. Through UKBET’s Doorstep Learning Programme (DLP), we bring structured education, skills training and community support directly to children trapped in labour.

With your support in 2025, children have left workplaces and entered classrooms, gained practical skills and taken meaningful steps towards safer, brighter futures.

What your support achieved in 2025

• 477 children engaged in education and development programmes.

• 111 former child labourers admitted into formal schools.

• 290 children received structured academic support through DLP classes.

• 87 adolescents enrolled in vocational training (tailoring and beautification).

• 43 trainees now employed and 2 self-employed.

• 83 families received microgrants to strengthen household income and reduce reliance on child labour.

• 54 community awareness programmes conducted promoting education and child protection.

• 42 children completed self-defence training, strengthening confidence and personal safety.

• 36 internal teacher trainings and 3 external professional trainings delivered to maintain quality education support.

Learning progress

Children transitioning from labour often begin with limited literacy and numeracy. In 2025, we saw measurable improvement across all levels:

• 95% of pre-primary students can now write their name in Bangla.

• 80% can read and write basic English letters and numbers.

• All pre-primary students can perform simple addition.

• Older students can read with punctuation, write short paragraphs, perform multiplication and subtraction, and tell the time confidently.

All students also received structured life skills education, including hygiene and health awareness, adolescence education, moral development and basic first aid.

These foundations are essential for long-term retention in school and safe transitions into adulthood.

Case study – Rina (Not real name)

Rina (Not real name), aged 12, was forced to leave school due to poverty and began working as a child domestic worker. When she joined UKBET’s Doorstep Learning Programme, she had lost confidence in her ability to learn.

Through consistent academic support and mentoring, Rina rebuilt her skills and successfully transitioned back into formal school. She now attends regularly and speaks openly about her ambitions.

“Now I go to school and don’t work in houses anymore. I feel happy and I want to become a teacher.” — Rina (Not real name)

Rina’s (Not real name) journey is one of many examples of how education can restore not only learning, but hope.

Looking ahead

Child domestic labour remains a significant challenge, but 2025 has shown that sustained educational support, skills training and community engagement can create lasting change.

Thank you for standing with us.

Together, we are replacing child labour with classrooms, confidence and opportunity.