BYETS Project Launches Inclusive ICT Training for Empowering Youth with Disabilities 

The Building Youth Employability Through Skills (BYETS) project, in partnership with the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), is providing ICT training to Persons with Disabilities (PwD) at the CRP Manikganj training centre. This five-month residential program is specially designed to equip youth with disabilities with employable ICT skills. The training will cover both Microsoft Office and graphic design skills, tailored to meet the needs of the participants.

According to statistics from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2.80% of our population lives with at least one disability. Of those between the ages of 15 and 65, approximately 72% are not employed. This low employment rate is influenced by both institutional and social factors. On the one hand, inadequate infrastructure and transportation facilities limit the mobility of people with disabilities (PwD). On the other hand, existing employment policies are not well-suited to accommodate individuals with special needs.

BYETS with the customised ICT training for PwD, will enable them to pursue freelancing opportunities. By working from home, trainees can overcome the mobility barriers that often hinder their employment. Additionally, BYETS plans to continue supporting these trainees by helping them connect with freelancing platforms and become successful entrepreneurs.

By type of disability, physical disability accounts for the highest percentage with 1.19%, This initiative reflects the BYETS project's commitment to integrating people with disabilities into mainstream training programs.

The BYETS project is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) and it aims to reach out to 25,000 youth through training in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi divisions by 2026.