Women's Economic Empowerment through Social Enterprise in Bangladesh

Rayhan Kabir joined the Presidential Precinct for the 2018 Global Leadership Forum during his time as a Community Solutions Fellow. He is currently completing Master of Public Policy & Administration with a focus on social change, while also working as the Executive Director of the Bangladesh-based company, Pebblechild Bangladesh Ltd. He began working with the organization in 2009 as a graphic designer. Shortly after joining the team, he moved into the role of rural center coordinator and began working in project management as well. In 2014, the organization recognized the need for an Executive Director, and Rayhan stepped up.

This year, Pebblechild will celebrate International Women’s Day both virtually and in-person. Rayhan explains that they will be participating in a global social media campaign and hosting discussion about their impact on rural communities as well as the importance of involving women in decision-making.

The values emphasized by International Women’s Day, including imagining an inclusive and gender equal world, are engrained in the Pebblechild brand. Initially founded in 2004, Pebblechild’s parent organization, Hathay Bunano, keeps women’s economic empowerment at the center of its work. The Pebblechild brand offers handmade, guaranteed fair trade children’s toys and textiles to consumers around the world. The organization employs over 6,000 women in rural Bangladesh as the production team, enabling them to work the days and hours that are compatible with their schedules and without traveling away from home. These sustainable jobs afford women access to a level of economic empowerment not otherwise available to them.

Rayhan explains that they were forced to shift their distribution model and turn much of their focus to eCommerce with the onset of the pandemic. This change has created an uptick in demand as more of the world has access and interest in the products. With this growth, the organization’s goal is to expand the number of women in production by at least 1,000 each year through 2025.

The expanding production team and growing demand for Pebblechild products have also created a need to expand the business team. One of the things that Rayhan is proud of is that women have filled each of the new roles as they have been created. It is essential, he believes, to have women involved in these decision-making positions where they are steering marketing and distribution plans in addition to the production roles available to rural women.

While at the Precinct, Rayhan participated in a live panel discussion around Women’s Economic Empowerment. Watch here on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/bZwpat3JsCY

For those interested in engaging in the kind of work that Rayhan and the Pebblechild team do, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. In social enterprise, he says, it is important to create a product that is marketable, sustainable, and of consistent quality. The social impact of the brand requires a viable product. Rayhan also recommends having a strong grasp of the needs of the population you are working with. For instance, Pebblechild’s impact goals include rural economic development, engaging women who are unable to work away from their homes, and enabling mothers to stay with young children while working.

In the cultural and economic context of rural Bangladesh, Rayhan notes that it is particularly important for men to use their access to resources and power to stand in support of women. Through his work, he helps create paths to financial empowerment but recognizes that there is always more to be done. For Rayhan and Pebblechild, women’s economic empowerment is not just about providing training or grants. It is about connecting them to sustainable jobs that allow them to participate in the economy without contradicting cultural norms or the needs of their families and communities.

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This article is part of a series of alumnae spotlights in celebration of International Women’s Day. To read additional spotlights, visit https://presidentialprecinct.org/IWD/