The Dutch Ambassador Gerben de Jong opened a new vocational training center in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This training center is an initiative of C&A and fully funded by the C&A Foundation. The new facility introduces a new course, specifically designed for industrial electrical wiring and safety, particularly in the garment industry.
This additional course will expand the existing curriculum given the number of serious fires which have taken place in industrial premises, and have been caused by electrical short circuits, or by overloading of the system. Existing courses include classes in plumbing, domestic electrical wiring, pattern making, sewing and mobile phone repairs.
“The Dutch Government has an active program in Bangladesh to support development. I believe Corporate Social Responsibility makes business sense. This aligns perfectly with our current policy: making the transition from traditional development to responsible and sustainable trade and investments. The welfare of the people in Bangladesh is leading. This new training center is a good example of how companies can take the responsibility to prepare young people for a professional career to contribute to economic growth of Bangladesh”, says Dutch ambassador Gerben de Jong.
In 2013, about 300 students can follow courses that will help them prepare for related career opportunities. The capacity of the center is planned to allow this number to go up to 1,200 students in the future.
The existing partnership between Grameen Shikkha and C&A led to the establishment of an earlier Vocational Training Center in Dhaka which was founded in 2008. In the meantime more than 2100 0 students have graduated from this original facility. The Grameen organisation is headed by Nobel Peace Prize winner prof. Muhammad Yunus.
“The Grameen organization is delighted to be associated with C&A Euro open for more than a decade. We have collaborated with C&A to conduct many social development and educational programs to serve e the poor and marginalized and the vocational training Centre in Kalma, Savar, Dhaka is the latest project in this long association. The center will provide training in vocational skills to almost 300 poor students annually”, prof. Muhammad Yunus stated at the opening.
Construction of the new Vocational Training Center was fully funded by the C&A Foundation, and the costs o of teaching will also be funded by the same e Foundation for a period of at least 5 years. CC&A believes it is vitally important to invest in a pool of qualified industrial electrical engineers.
This is an extension of C&A’s s partnership with Grameen, and our joint efforts in Bangladesh since 1996 to improve education and working conditions. Other projects in Bangladesh funded by C&A and managed by Grameen include water purification projects, mobile healthcare programs and education programs such as s primary education in the poorest areas off Dhaka.
About C&A Europe:
With over 1,500 stores in 20 European countries and more than 37, 50 0 employees C&A Europe is one of the leading fashion retail businesses in Europe. In the financial year 2011/2012 C&A Europe achieved total sales of 6.8 billion Euros. C&A Europe is an enterprise of Cofra Holding AG.
