The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 1 April provided $1.3 million financial assistance to avoid trainees from dropping out of the ongoing training under Skills for Employment Investment program (SEIP).
The SEIP is providing sector-focused and job-ready skills training through partnerships with public institutes, industry associations and other organizations, covering skills requirements in 10 industry sectors.
“Each of the 22,619 current trainees will get BDT5,000 as one-time assistance,” said ADB Country Director for Bangladesh Manmohan Parkash. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused adverse impacts on the trainees’ livelihood and this assistance will help the trainees to continue their training as they are from poor households and chances of their dropping out are high due to the prolonged COVID-19 lock down.” “We have requested the Government to transfer the money timely to the trainees through their bank accounts”, Country Director Mr. Parkash added.
The assistance is additional to the $350,000 emergency grant approved on 27 March, and other ADB support package being put together in the health and financial sectors for tackling Covid-19 challenges in Bangladesh.
ADB has announced measures to help its developing member countries tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. On 18 March 2020, ADB announced a $6.5 billion initial package to address the immediate needs of its developing member countries as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. An emergency grant of $350,000 was approved on 27 March to support Bangladesh to procure health safety materials including personal protective gears, N95 masks, safety googles, aprons, thermometers, and biohazard bags. Visit ADB’s website to learn more about ADB’s ongoing responses.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.