Our Approach

Breaking the Cycle of Exclusion and Empowering Urban Climate Migrants

Bangladesh’s cities are home to millions left out of mainstream development, pavement dwellers, residents of informal settlements, and families in severely underserved slums. Recognizing the multidimensional nature of urban poverty, SAJIDA Foundation launched the SAJIDA Urban Development Integration Network (SUDIN), a flagship program delivering community-rooted, integrated support to those most excluded.

Drawing on Two Decades of Urban Poverty Work
SUDIN builds on nearly 20 years of SAJIDA’s experience in urban poverty reduction, including milestone programs like Amrao Manush and Improving the Lives of the Urban Poor (ILUEP). At its core is a theory of change grounded in multi-sectoral, synergistic interventions, ensuring durable improvements in household well-being and urban resilience.

Delivering Tailored Solutions Through Caseworkers

Caseworker approach: Building long-term, supportive relationships with households.
Individualized Household Action Plans (IHAPs): Tailoring interventions to the unique needs of each family.
TaroWorks digital platform: Streamlining data collection to ensure decisions are driven by real-time evidence, from frontline workers to program managers.

Addressing Vulnerabilities Across Six Streams

Livelihoods

Income generation, financial literacy, and stability.

Livelihoods

Health & MHPSS

Access to essential health and mental health services.

Health & MHPSS

Education

Ensuring children’s sustained school enrollment.

Education

Community Building

Strengthening cohesion and safety nets.

Community Building

Service Integration

Linking households to social protection and public services.

Service Integration

Mental Health

Expanding agency, voice, and safety.

Mental Health

Recent Milestones

Live Monitoring

The implementation of live monitoring data sharing by the SUDIN education stream facilitates real-time tracking of intervention progress, enabling the operation & design teams to swiftly detect and resolve any issues.

Capacity Building

SUDIN team leaders are trained in classroom management and teaching strategies to ensure quality service and capacity development, while teachers receive training and resources to enhance their support to children.

Mobile Literacy Module

The economic stream introduces a mobile financial literacy module to empower unlettered SUDIN participants in utilizing mobile financial services like Nagad & BKash, to help improve their microbusiness operations.

Reaching Households on the Frontline of Urban Poverty

Since inception, SUDIN has reached 4,600 households across three urban cohorts in Dhaka, Gazipur, Chandpur, and Chittagong, each cohort receiving two years of intensive support. Migration patterns reflect broader urban realities:

78.8% of participants are internal migrants.
51% displaced by lack of employment in their hometowns.
17.7% displaced by climate shocks such as floods and cyclones.

Transforming Lives Through Measurable Gains

31.2% increase in average monthly income
Households moved from consistent deficit to a BDT 2,906 average monthly surplus
97.4% reported improved economic conditions; 63.8% sustained gains after program completion
94% of women reported having a voice in key economic decisions
Women reported feeling safer in their communities (97.4%) and at their home (98.7%), a significant increase from 51% at baseline
92% of the households reported continued school enrollment post-program (100% among pavement dweller households)
Sustained knowledge gains on maternal health, nutrition, and adolescent SRHR

Scaling Urban Resilience for the Future

With 40% of Dhaka’s population already living in slums and Bangladesh’s urban population projected to reach 118 million by 2050, SUDIN aims to build a replicable model for urban resilience, ensuring excluded communities and climate migrants in informal settlements can access stability, services, and dignity.

Our Projects

Shotta

Advancing Economic Justice for Dalit Women in Bangladesh

Dalit women in Bangladesh face systemic exclusion and dual discrimination, 97% lack stable income, even though many possess basic apparel and handicraft skills. At the same time, women-led small businesses in fashion and handicrafts are growing but struggle to find skilled artisans and access business development support. This creates a unique opportunity to bridge gaps and build inclusive economic ecosystems.

Unlocking Skills and Opportunities

Upskilling Dalit women in apparel and handicraft production.
Connecting artisans to small businesses in need of skilled labor.
Mentorship and networking support for women-led businesses to strengthen their growth and sustainability.

Building a Reinforcing Ecosystem

Shotta’s approach ensures that artisans and small businesses don’t just survive but thrive together. By linking marginalized women with entrepreneurial opportunities, both groups reinforce each other’s success, creating a cycle of empowerment and economic inclusion.

Scaling Toward a National Model

The goal is to expand Shotta into a national model of economic justice, reaching 1,000+ Dalit women artisans across 10 locations while building thriving, inclusive market ecosystems that enable women and small businesses to grow side by side.

Nurunnahar's Impact on the Community

“I am learning something new every day in this role. My mentors guide me on how to care for the community, and I genuinely enjoy working here. It brings me joy to know that my actions are making a positive impact on someone's life.” - Nurunnahar Akhter, SUDIN Shasthya Bondhu