Deadline: 6-Aug-23
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is looking for up to two partners who can come up with innovative sustainable solutions to improve digital and financial literacy of Ready-made garment workers specially focusing on female RMG workers.
The training program may cover both soft skills, such as communication and negotiation, and hard skills, such as financial planning and digital services usage, to empower workers and create inclusive growth opportunities.The partners are encouraged to propose ideas for the training content that can enhance both soft skills and hard skills, fostering better inclusive growth.
The initiative nationwide will be implemented in major RMG clusters in Dhaka division (Savar, Gazipur, Narayanganj) and eligible applicants should be registered entities with at least one year of operation in the country.
Areas of Intervention
- Develop and pilot sustainable gender sensitive digital financial literacy training for female garment workers.
- Challenges/ Problem Statement and Objectives for solution
- RMG workers, particularly women, lack sufficient skills to meaningfully access a range of financial services to improve their financial health
- Lack of financial and digital services particularly targeting the needs of women RMG workers
- Limited resources/processes for continuous improvement of digital and financial literacy.
- Lack of sustainable strategy for ongoing access to information and learning.
- Objective: RMG workers, particularly women, increase their financial and digital skills through the trainings provided by the partners and sustainable solutions for continuous learning and access to information are established.
Funding Information
- UNCDF’s contributions can be up to USD 40,000, and UNCDF will award up to two applications depending on the investment readiness level, outreach potential of the solution proposed.
- Selected applicants will be expected to fund at least 30 percent (30%) of the total project cost in cash (for costs such technical resources, staff, and operational expenses). Applicants may apply independently or in a consortium, provided that the consortium has a pre-established partnership prior to when this request for applications was issued.
Eligibility Criteria
- Entity registration
- The applicant/organization/companies must be a registered entity.
- The applicant can be based anywhere in the world but must have authorization to operate in Bangladesh whether on their own, or through partnerships established. Applicants from a wide range of organizations and companies, including financial institutions (such as commercial banks, mobile financial services, and insurance companies), fintech companies, business development agencies, NGOs, payment service providers, e-learning platforms, start-ups, associations, and other relevant entities, are encouraged to participate. These entities should demonstrate a significant interest in developing and promoting digital financial literacy among RMG workers and similar low-income groups.
- Country of operation the applicant can be based anywhere globally having at least one year of operations in Bangladesh.
- Consortiums (when applicable)
- Applicants can apply only once under this RFA, whether independently or in a consortium.
- Joint applications between market players in the target country or countries are encouraged if the solution proposed will expand delivery networks and promote rural and/or other last-mile access to formal financial knowledge and services to RMG workers specially female workers.
- Applications from consortiums of organizations must show that the partnership was established prior to this call for applications.
- The lead applicant and their partner(s) must be registered entities with at least one year of operations and must have statutory accounts and audited financial statements for at least one operating year.
- Solutions to be supported
- Applicants must have an existing solution having tested proof of concept that is ready to undergo pilot testing for a duration of 6 to 12 months.
- Project funding
- Applicants must contribute at least 30 percent of the project’s cash costs (costs may include technical infrastructure, resources, and operations).
For more information, visit UNCDF.