The Recovery And Advancement of Informal Sector Employment (RAISE) aims to provide services that can enhance earning opportunities for low income youth and COVID -19 affected Microentrepreneurs (ME) in urban and peri urban areas of Bangladesh. Through the project COVID-19, the affected will get inclusive financing to restore their business and receive capacity development support for business continuity.
Mohammad Samir Bepari, an 18-year-old youth, is the second child in his family, residing in Kuchiamora village, Sirajdikhan, Munshiganj. His father works as a hired driver, and his mother is a homemaker. With seven members in the family, their financial situation was tough, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused his father to lose his job. Due to these circumstances, Samir had to discontinue his studies after passing eighth grade.
With no clear path forward, Samir began spending his days aimlessly. However, through an elder brother in the community, he learned about the RAISE project implemented by BASTOB-Initiative for People’s Self-Development, in partnership with PKSF. Encouraged by this, Samir applied as an apprentice in the Automobile and Driving trade at Mohammad Motors, an automobile workshop near his village.
Samir was placed under the mentorship of Jahangir Khan, a master mechanic at Mohammad Motors, where he spent six months learning skills such as changing car tires, oil, brake pads, and bearings, along with various tasks related to diesel engines. Additionally, he learned how to drive.
During his training, Samir also participated in a Life Skills Development training course organized by BASTOB, which lasted five days. This training helped him learn important life skills such as customer interaction, stress management, conflict resolution, and emotional control, all of which he believes will guide him in building a better future.
Upon completing his training, Samir was employed at Mohammad Motors as a paid worker with a monthly salary of 5,000 BDT. He dreams of one day owning his own workshop and is grateful to PKSF and BASTOB-Initiative for People’s Self-Development for providing him with the support and training that set him on this path.
