Honing Skills, Changing Lives: BRAC’s P.A.C.E. Program for Women Workers

The Personal Advancement and Enhancement Program, implemented by BRAC and funded by Gap Inc., offers immersive training to help women workers build skills, boost confidence, and take charge of their careers and their personal lives. The program is designed according to social context, environment, and caters to the needs of women workers.

The program takes place phase by phase and aims to increase women’s capacities in problem-solving, decision-making, and other key life skills. P.A.C.E. is a sustainable model, arranged according to the context of country, culture, and workplace, that serves both participants and contributors.

Program Overview 

Participants engage in skills required for real-life problems

Participants engage in training curricula covering communication, time management, problem-solving, and decision-making using participatory learning principles and techniques. Consequently, this hands-on approach allows them to practice and internalize these skills in real-life scenarios. 

Program Reach and Early Success

The participants are upskilled through an immersive experience. By February 2024, 10,469 artisans had participated in the program at various Ayesha Abed Foundation sub-centres, including Jessore and Kushtia. Therefore, many reported increased self-confidence and improved communication skills, showing the tangible impact of the training.

Furthermore, the program specifically focuses on dismantling gender constraints that hinder women’s decision-making abilities and problem-solving skills. In fact, by recognizing and addressing these social barriers, P.A.C.E. creates an environment where women feel empowered to make meaningful choices.

Impact and success stories

The P.A.C.E. training program has changed the lives of many of the participants and trainers taking part in it. 

For instance, Rehnuma (name changed to maintain privacy), a participant from Nonimoddho sub-center of the Ayesha Abed Foundation, shares that she sometimes struggles communicating with her husband when they discuss their son, who has been asking them for a bicycle that is out of their budget. 

‘P.A.C.E. training teaches me to communicate effectively with my husband about my son’s needs. Currently, we are resolving the problem together by taking a loan from BRAC’s microfinance program.’

Meanwhile, Mr. Arif, a P.A.C.E. trainer, states that, ‘Whilst training others on this program’s values, I continue to enhance strong workplace networks with supervisors, artisans, and all stakeholders of my job. As I manage time better, I am also able to prioritize my personal life and spend more time with my daughter.’

BRAC’s P.A.C.E. transforms both the participants and trainers

Self-transformation and community connection

Many graduates form peer support groups to share advice, encourage one another, and explore entrepreneurial ventures. These networks foster a sense of community and accountability, further boosting their confidence.

The program addresses many vulnerabilities and challenges of women, filling the gap in their knowledge and skills, building their self-esteem and self-worth, one of the main reasons women feel free to be themselves.

By leveraging an engaging, supportive learning environment, P.A.C.E. continues to equip women with vital skills and self-assurance. As more sub-centres adopt this training, BRAC moves closer to its vision of empowering women workers to transform their lives and communities.