The USAID, an American overseas development agency, in Dhaka yesterday launched a five-year Leadership Development Programme (LDP) to engage young people in alleviating poverty, creating jobs and protecting the environment.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Ahad Ali Sarkar and US Ambassador Dan W Mozena jointly inaugurated the programme in the Edward M Kennedy centre, said a press release.
The newly launched 5-year programme will prepare around 24,000 community leaders and Bangladeshi youths in 16 districts to become advocates for alleviating poverty, creating jobs, and protecting the environment.
In his inaugural remarks, Mozena said the programme will help young people develop leadership skills, become community development change agents and promote democratic processes.
Implemented by Counterpart International in partnership with local civil society organisations, the programme will train community leaders and youths through civic education, mentoring, internships and service learning activities to address local community development challenges.
The programme builds on the past experience of USAID’s Leaders of Influence (LOI) programme, which reached more than 20,000 community leaders between 2007 and 2011.
-With The Daily Star input
