“The results are so encouraging that we’ve received financial support from Oxfam Novib”
Lisa van Gerven, September 2005

Vialisa
In March 2003 the development organisation Vialisa was founded, the aim being the structural improvement of the future perspectives of street and working youngsters (from 15 years upwards), who live in the slum areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
These are often youngsters (basically still children) who become financially responsible for their family owing too little or no parental income.
In October 2004 the Vialisa office in Dhaka (the capital of Bangladesh) was opened. Since then, numerous youngsters have been found employment and an education programme has been set up.

Owing to an acute shortage of educational opportunities for youngsters, a second project has been started. In May 2006 the Education Centre Vialisa (ECV) was opened in the heart of the slum area Korail (in Dhaka). Thirty-eight youngsters receive a daily education via this centre and for six youngsters there is an advanced English course. In addition there are youngsters who are working or who are receiving training on their work placement.

The Target Group
The target group consists of under-privileged youngsters between the ages of 15 and 22 years. These youngsters live in slum areas, crisis-centres or on the street; sometimes with family members, sometimes completely alone.

In millions of poverty-stricken families the meager parental income is insufficient to support all family members. It becomes therefore a necessity, especially for the older children, to help through finding work themselves. Some children contribute to the family income by begging, others find a job with hazardous or severe working conditions. They polish shoes, hack bricks into pieces or become a rickshaw puller. Neither of these forms of employment contributes to a child’s self-development. In poor families, children provide an estimated 40 percent of the family income.

There are a few organisations in Dhaka who do indeed provide for street children. There are Drop-In Centres (DIC) where children can play, have a chat, have a bite to eat and receive lessons, escaping for a few hours at least from the harsh daily reality of life on the street. That’s however where the assistance ends. As soon as these children reach the age of 15 years their entry to the DIC becomes restricted, to make room for new children.
There is no provision in helping these youngsters build up an independent existence, thus a future for his/herself and the dependent family members. And yet this is what is needed the most!

“Children, women, the elderly......., there’s something for everyone. But these youngsters, the ones we have to help to further the development of their country, fall through the net.”
Lisa

The Objective
Vialisa runs a Social Employment Desk that functions as an intermediary between the business community and underprivileged youngsters. Using contacts and through mediation Vialisa can give semi or unskilled youngsters a chance to prove themselves within a business concern.

The objectives are:
- to place youngsters in companies that don’t exploit or involve them in dangerous work.
- to give youngsters a vocational training.
- to provide youngsters with a mentor who can give careers advice.
- to provide a medical examination and to help with health and medical problems.
- to provide guidance and advice on budgeting and help in learning to save for future emergencies or necessities.
- to provide help with work or family related problems.

The Results
After two years (2006) of hard work the results have been so encouraging that, via the Linkis programme, we have received financial support from Oxfam Novib.

Basic Education Course 54 youngsters
Job Training (in preparation for
a specific job) 14 youngsters
Vocational Training 20 youngsters
Permanent Employment 17 youngsters
Temporary Employment 9 youngsters
English Lessons 8 youngsters
Training (Personal Development) 54 youngsters
Drop-out 11 youngsters

Feel free to contact Lisa so that she can personally inform you about Vialisa: vialisa@vialisa.com