SAY SRHR Project Takes Flight: New Initiative to Transform Adolescent Health in Bangladesh
A National Level Project Inception Meeting of the Supportive Adolescents and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SAY SRHR) Project was held at Hotel Lakeshore Grand, Dhaka, on September 29, 2025. The project is jointly funded by Global Affairs Canada and World Renew. The five-year-long project stands as a testament to the pursuit of enhancing the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) of vulnerable adolescents and young girls (ages 10-24) in Bangladesh, specifically focusing on selected communities of Dinajpur and Netrokona districts. The meeting brought together a dynamic mix of researchers, policymakers, and health experts to showcase groundbreaking work and chart a new course for sexual and reproductive health (SRHR) in Bangladesh.
After opening formalities and introductory sessions, the welcome speeches from Kohima Daring(Senior Country Director), Gertude Omoro (Project Manager, SAY SRHR) and Ruairidh Waddell (Chief Program and Impact Officer) from World Renew underscored the gender transformative approach of the project and how it targets the gender-related root causes of poor SRH outcomes for vulnerable girls in the two districts.
Followed by the welcome speeches, Kohima Daring, the Senior Country Director of World Renew and Francis Mondol, the Project Lead of SAY SRHR, presented the roadmap to the project. They reiterated the project’s alignment with the six WHO health system building blocks. With 210,937 direct beneficiaries, including 2185 people living with Disabilities, the project aims to upgrade community and union-level health facilities to deliver gender-responsive and adolescent-friendly SRHR services. Furthermore, the project flaunts the support from its implementing organisations and partners, SATHI(Sustainable Association for Taking Human Development Initiatives), PARI (Participatory Action for Rural Innovation Development Trust and LAMB (World Mission Prayer League), as reflected by presentations from Elsie Hasdak (HR Director, LAMB), Gabriel Rozario (Executive Director, PARI) and Catherine Rina Guda (Assistant Director, SATHI).
The auditorium was filled with insights and questions as the open discussion session convened. The special guests, Dr Hasan Ibne Amin from the Planning and Research unit of the Department of Health of the Government and Dr Md Sultan Ahmed, the Director of MCH Services Unit, conveyed their appreciation for the project. While Dr Amin highlighted how relevant and academically sound World Renew’s People Institution Model is to the project, Dr Ahmed emphasised its significance in implementing the National Strategy for Adolescent Health, the 8th Five-Year Plan and the 4th Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Program. The program concluded with the speech from Ms Farzana Sultana as a representative of Global Affairs Canada and the speech from the Chief Guest, Md. Daud Miah, the Directorate General of NGO Affairs Bureau, Chief Adviser’s Office.
The Inception Meeting for the SAY SRHR Project was far more than a formality; it was a potent declaration of a collective commitment to gender equality and the health rights of young women in Bangladesh. With the strategic alignment of World Renew’s expertise, the project now moves from blueprint to action. By focusing on systemic change and community-level services, the SAY SRHR Project offers a clear, actionable path toward realising the nation’s health goals, promising a future where vulnerable adolescents in Dinajpur and Netrokona have the knowledge, resources, and support needed to own their sexual and reproductive health.
Sources:
- World Renew’s Website
- World Renew’s People Institution Model