Empowering 1050 Women Entrepreneurs: MTI Partners with Ministry of Commerce for BRCP-I Project

In a landmark initiative to boost women's economic empowerment and strengthen Bangladesh's export capabilities, MTI Ltd. has been awarded the contract for the "Skill and Capacity Development of Women Entrepreneurs" project (Package SD-42). This vital undertaking is part of the Bangladesh Regional Connectivity Project-1 (BRCP-I), a major development program financed by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Commerce.

A Strategic Mission to Boost Women in Trade

The project's primary goal is to address the key barriers that prevent women entrepreneurs from fully participating in regional and global trade. The training will focus on women engaged in three of Bangladesh's most promising sectors: diversified jute products, handicrafts, and agro-processing. Over 12 months, the program aims to train approximately 1,050 participants, with a strong focus on a 75% female participation rate.

A Comprehensive Three-Phase Approach

MTI Ltd. will implement this project through a structured, three-phase approach to ensure maximum and sustainable impact:

• Phase 1: Refinement of Training Needs: This initial phase involves in-depth stakeholder consultations, data analysis, and a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) to identify the specific capacity gaps facing female traders. This ensures the curriculum is perfectly tailored to real-world challenges.
• Phase 2: Curriculum Development & Full-Scale Training: Based on the findings, MTI will develop comprehensive training modules and implementation manuals. This phase includes a Training of Trainers (TOT), pilot sessions, and the full-scale rollout of training across 40 batches nationwide.
• Phase 3: Post-Training Support & Evaluation: To ensure long-term success, this phase includes post-training support, refresher workshops for each sector, and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to measure the project's impact on promoting exports and empowering women.

The curriculum will cover a wide range of essential topics, including business plan development, export-import procedures, trade licensing (VAT, TAX, TIN), access to finance, quality standards (HACCP, BSTI), e-commerce, and export marketing strategies. By delivering this holistic and practical training, MTI Ltd. is proud to partner with the Ministry of Commerce to unlock the immense potential of Bangladesh's women entrepreneurs and contribute to the nation's economic growth.