Md. Mehedul Islam, Kalai Joypurhat Correspondent:

With the aim of making adolescents and young women self-reliant and economically independent, BRAC Micro Finance Demand has provided free ducklings and chickens and cash assistance to 31 adolescents from different villages of Kalai Upazila after a one-day training under the initiative of Social Empowerment and Legal Protection Program.

On June 24, 2026, at 10 am on Wednesday, this assistance was provided to the trained Swapna Sarathi adolescents at a program presided over by Md. Korban Ali, Area Manager of the Micro Finance Demand Program, at the premises of BRAC Kalai Area Office under the direction of Officer Sales Khadija Khatun.

Kalai Upazila Livestock Officer Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman was present as the chief guest at the event. Md. Khaled Ahmed, Deputy Manager Micro Finance BDU was present as the special guest. Malay Saha Upazila Account Manager Kalai Md. Mozammel Haque, Branch Manager Dabi Md. Alhaj Uddin, Branch Account Officer, along with guardians, prominent people of the area and girls from Swapna Sarathi team were also present at the event. At the event, 20 ducklings were given to 12 girls and 20 chickens of improved breed were given to 19 girls, along with cash and certificates.

Earlier, they were given hands-on training from the Upazila Livestock Office on duck and chicken rearing, care, food management, vaccination and disease prevention. The speakers present at the event said that by developing the skills of the girls and involving them in income-generating activities, their confidence will increase and they will be able to contribute economically to the family.

Such initiatives will not only help teenage girls become self-reliant but will also play an important role in preventing child marriage. The parents present at the event were overwhelmed and praised BRAC for such activities. Rituparna Barman, Community Organizer, Cell, provided overall support in organizing the event.