Oktavmäertchen Volunteers raise €9,672 for Children in Bangladesh

The sale by the volunteers of the "Oktavmäertchen" 2018 of rosaries and objects of worship on the stand of Caritas Luxembourg has raised €9,672 for children in the suburbs of Bangladesh's capital.

The sum raised will go to the project of crèches that Caritas Luxembourg supports in Bangladesh. This project allows women workers in the textile industry to work with peace of mind knowing that their children are in good hands. It also allows other women to train as a nursery teacher and open their own nursery home.

This afternoon, Corine Van Reeuwijk, Project Manager at Caritas Luxembourg, presented the project in detail to the volunteers whose commitment during the Octavmäertchen made it possible. Indeed, every year between 300,000 and 400,000 people arrive from rural areas to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Most are very poor women living in shantytowns who are looking for work opportunities in the textile industry. In order to work, they are forced to leave their young children alone during the day.

Childcare options are therefore essential, which is why Caritas Luxembourg has set up crèches for children up to 5 years old. To date, 10 nurseries to accommodate 200 children have already been opened. Qualified and trained early childhood education staff - recruited from the local community - accompany and surround babies and young children in their daily activities.