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.