Global Affairs Canada Approves World Renew Program

Imagine a rice farmer whose annual yield is destroyed by a devastating flood. He now has no way to feed and pay for the education of his children. When a man asks to marry his 13-year-old daughter, the farmer agrees. He sees her marriage as a standard step toward a better life.

In reality, this young girl’s life will only be more difficult. She will be taken out of school and have no decision-making power. She will develop health problems as a result of being far too young to bear children. Her entire future will be compromised, including her ability to care well for her children. The cycle of poverty will continue.

“At a community level, lack of education and knowledge prevents families from escaping poverty. They miss out on training and resources that could help them improve their livelihoods,” explains Gertrude Omoro, World Renew program manager. “Programs that focus on educating and empowering girls have proven to be the most effective in breaking this cycle.”

For decades, World Renew has been working in Bangladesh communities with high rates of teenage pregnancy, school dropout, and child marriage. World Renew is grateful to announce that a new program, approved and primarily funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), will allow us to build on this effective and longstanding work to reach more vulnerable youth.

The program, SAY SRHR (Supportive Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights), aims to provide information and support to young people and their families, particularly girls (ages 10-24), in select communities in Bangladesh.

“By supporting efforts against child marriage, we can ensure that girls stay in school, gain valuable skills, and contribute to their communities,” said Omoro, who will manage this program. “This not only benefits the girls but also their families and the entire community, creating a brighter and more sustainable future for everyone involved.”

GAC is awarding World Renew a generous contribution of $7,886,330 CAD over five years. This allocation is to be matched by World Renew’s church and individual donors with a $417,708 CAD contribution for a total fund of $8.3 million CAD.

A key feature of World Renew’s successful work in Bangladesh is the creation of Peoples Institutions that include women and pave the way for restrictive gender norms to shift. In these organizations women are equipped and encouraged to put skills and knowledge to use beyond the home. They pursue economic opportunities such as village savings and loan associations and start successful small businesses.

Through the SAY SRHR program funding, World Renew can scale up efforts to intervene at crucial points in young people’s lives so that they can know there are more choices available than those dictated by traditional gender roles. More girls can be educated and supported to know their rights, care for their bodies, and understand reproductive health and family planning. More families can be educated about how to prevent child marriage and how to properly support babies in their first 1,000 days of life. More women can be encouraged and equipped to confidently advocate for changes in outdated cultural practices that devalue women.

The SAY SRHR program is set to benefit about 210,930 participants in two communities in Bangladesh: the Dinajpur and Netrokona districts. Through the sharing of knowledge by participants, the program is also expected to improve the everyday lives of about 450,000 additional community members.

“World Renew is proud to work in partnership with the Government of Canada as we honor our shared commitment to assisting the world’s most vulnerable people,” said Mike White, interim executive director of World Renew-Canada. “Thanks also to our donors from churches and communities across the country who help make our mission of living justly, loving mercy, and serving Christ possible.”