Jim McCabe, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh, speaks at a press conference at the launching of Goal, a community programme, on Monday. 

Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh has partnered with BRAC and Women Win to launch Goal in Bangladesh.

Md. Ashraf Hossain, Director General, Department of Women Affairs launched Goal in Bangladesh as chief guest, while Jim McCabe, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh was present, said a press release.

Rashida Parveen, Senior Programme Manager, Education Programme, BRAC and Bitopi Das Chowdhury, Head of Corporate Affairs, Standard Chartered Bank, Bangladesh, was also present.

Goal is a unique community programme that aims to empower young women for personal and economic development using sports and education as vehicles for change.

The Goal curriculum is based upon four training modules focusing on financial literacy and livelihood under module ‘Be Money Savvy’; communication skills under ‘Be Yourself’; health and hygiene under ‘Be Healthy’; and confidence and life skills under ‘Be Empowered’.

In Bangladesh, Goal will target adolescent girls living in eight upazilas of three districts of Bangladesh. These districts are Sylhet, Bogra and Narayangonj.

Speaking at the ceremony, Jim McCabe said, “Standard Chartered’s sustainability strategy has elements that are aligned to the aims of several Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Goal is Standard Chartered Bank’s response to MDG focusing on promoting gender equality and empowering women. Bangladesh is moving forward in terms of women empowerment with a lot of women contributing significantly to the RMG sector.

Dr. Safiqul Islam, Director, Education Programme, BRAC said, “We trust Goal will empower adolescents girls to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives and to become active agents of social change.”