Shanti Schweiz – Bangladesh

Swiss Partners

Verein Shanti-Schweiz, Buchs SG
www.shanti-schweiz.ch
Jakob Schaub

Project Type:

Education and Quality Control

Technology:

Photovoltaics

Country:

Bangladesh

Project Status:

Completed

Project Start:

2017

End of Project:

2022

Contract:

2017.15

Documentation

Swiss Contribution

The Shanti-Switzerland Association, founded in 2005, has many years of experience in educating electricians in Bangladesh. In cooperation with local partners and based on the dual Swiss model, five 2-year electrician apprenticeships’ in theory and practice, have been completed in northwest Bangladesh since 2007.

Description

At the request of the local NGO RSUF, another electrician’s school will be built in the Rajbari district, one of the poorest areas of Bangladesh, as part of the project. About 25 apprentices will receive good general education, as well as electrical training in theory and practice in the 2-year courses, with a focus on renewable energies. Trained electricians are in great demand, find a job quickly and are able to build their own livelihood in the near future with their new earning potential.

Results

Together with local companies, the project partners have built a school campus with a school, internship facilities, offices, a material magazine and accommodations, including a water supply.  The power supply is ensured by the school’s own grid-connected photovoltaic power system.  The energy supply is supplemented with a biogas plant. The Radrapur school’s existing training materials were adapted and the 2-year pilot course was conducted with newly trained teachers. At the beginning of 2022, four women and 21 men completed vocational training. In February 2022, the next course was already started with 29 participants.

Impacts

The school’s graduates are highly sought-after specialists and, with the support of the school’s owner and operator NGO RSUF, quickly find jobs or start their own businesses. These trained professionals have the skills to realise installations in the renewable energy field, as well as for traditional electrical installations.  This work secures income and improves living conditions. For better financial support for future training, discussions are being held with local companies that benefit from the training in order to achieve partial financing of the school.  An application for state participation has also been submitted.