SPOTLIGHT:
ADOLESCENT CLUBS
Members of an adolescent club in a tea garden community in Sylhet, Bangladesh.
Adolescence is a time of growth and changes, but for many teenagers rural Bangladesh, adolescence means dwindling opportunities for independence and heightened familiar duties.
In the tea gardens of Sylhet, child-friendly spaces offer a safe area for kids under 10 to learn and play. But without continued outlets for engagement, those over 10 become more susceptible to harmful practices such as child marriage and labor exploitation.
To engage adolescents once they age out of child-friendly spaces, FIVDB started a network of adolescent clubs where boys and girls aged 10 – 18 to gather and learn. A variety of clubs meet after-hours in child friendly spaces and receive life skills education from FIVDB facilitators. While the clubs originally served as a place to socialize, the participating adolescents quickly became interested in doing more for their communities. Today, adolescent clubs across the region organize awareness campaigns on topics such as child marriage and hygiene to engage their communities in building healthier, safer villages.