HUGO BOSS Women’s Café
Project Name: HUGO BOSS Women’s Café
Project Timeline: 2022 – 2026
Funding Organization: HUGO BOSS (Germany)
Development Organization: Phulki (Bangladesh)
Partnership in the Project: Eco Fab Ltd., Eco Couture Ltd. (Bangladesh)
Project Goal:
The goal of the HUGO BOSS Women’s Café is to provide a safe environment where women can collaborate, learn from one another, participate in training, and seek support on various important issues. These include labor and human rights, legal advice, health resolutions, and conflict resolution. Additionally, the café aims to create a child-friendly learning environment that fosters creative growth in an ECD-based childcare center.
Project Purpose / Objectives:
- To organize women workers from the RMG sector and adolescent girls/young women from slums, actively involving them in the decision-making process and advocating for their interests.
- To establish a safe and dependable community-based childcare center, assisting low-income working mothers in achieving financial independence.
- To ensure the proper development and care of underprivileged children of low-paid working mothers.
Project Outputs:
- Ongoing support for adolescent girls and young women in the community, with training in workplace, family, and social development.
- Working mothers are given the opportunity to continue their work while keeping their children in a secure environment.
- Parents do not need to spend money on childcare services.
- Children enjoy a secure learning environment and gain knowledge in social skills, development, and behavioral learning.
Project Working Areas: Mogorkhal, Gazipur and Dhaka
Positive Outcome:
The HUGO BOSS Women’s Café is a community-based initiative where any woman working in a partner factory, or from any other sector, can come to discuss issues related to work, family, personal life, etc. The Women’s Café serves as a meeting space for adolescent girls and working women to receive training on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), health and hygiene, and rights-based issues. In addition, there is a community-based childcare center focusing on the learning and development of children. The children benefit from social, behavioral, and hygiene education.
The most significant change has been in the mindset of the women workers. Before the training, many of them tolerated mistreatment at work without addressing it. However, after receiving training on abuse and harassment, they became more aware of these issues and began noticing problems that were previously overlooked. Additionally, after training on family planning, health, and hygiene, the workers have become more conscious of their overall health and well-being.
For example, many women who once used cloth during menstruation have now begun purchasing affordable sanitary napkins from the Women’s Café. This shift reflects the positive impact the training has had on both their personal and professional lives.
The parents of children enrolled in the childcare center have expressed satisfaction with the safe environment provided for their children. Moreover, women from various backgrounds, each facing unique challenges, visit the Women’s Café. After the training, they have shared their experiences, providing valuable insights into their needs and concerns. This project has also enhanced our ability to communicate and engage with factory management more effectively.