RAISE Project
(Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment)
The RAISE Project (Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment) works to enhance earning opportunities and strengthen economic resilience among low-income youth and micro-entrepreneurs in urban and peri-urban areas across Bangladesh. Implemented by Friends in Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB) in partnership with PKSF, and supported by the World Bank and PKSF, the project focuses on rebuilding and advancing informal sector employment following the economic disruptions caused by COVID-19. The project duration is from February 2025 to June 2026 and directly supports 225,500 participants, including low-income youth, micro-entrepreneurs, and COVID-affected small business owners.
Through a comprehensive approach to economic inclusion, the project provides apprenticeship opportunities to 73,000 youth under the traditional “Ustad–Shagred” system, enabling them to gain hands-on skills and workplace experience. In addition, 96,000 youth and micro-entrepreneurs receive business management and entrepreneurship development support to enhance productivity, improve business practices, and increase income. To ensure financial recovery and enterprise sustainability, 56,500 COVID-affected micro-entrepreneurs receive inclusive microfinance support, helping them stabilize and expand their businesses.
RAISE places special emphasis on disadvantaged and marginalized communities, including Dalits, ethnic minorities, inhabitants of char, haor, hill tracts, tea estates, coastal areas, and persons with disabilities, ensuring equitable access to economic opportunities. The project integrates digital systems such as a Case Management System (CMS) to streamline participant registration, training, certification, and employment tracking, as well as a Financial Management System (FMS) to automate budgeting, loan processing, and reporting. Psychometric profiling tools are also used to assess entrepreneurial capacity and creditworthiness, strengthening responsible financial inclusion.
Beyond skills and finance, the project provides psychosocial counselling and post-apprenticeship employment support, facilitating pathways to both wage and self-employment. Risk Management and Business Continuity training further enhances the resilience of informal enterprises against future shocks and uncertainties.
Through coordinated implementation with 89 PKSF Partner Organizations across the country, FIVDB is bringing PKSF’s RAISE interventions to grassroots communities, contributing to inclusive economic recovery, reduced social disparities, and sustainable livelihood development in Bangladesh.
