FINDING QUALITY ITEMS AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE AT A FAIR PRICE SHOP

——————- Ifsia Mahin

Women workers in the Ready-Made Garments (RMG) sector in Bangladesh are in dire need of better nutrition, diet, hygiene, and sanitation education. Despite the fact that they form an integral part of the economy, they often lack access to basic nutrition, health, and well-being services due to a lack of resources. Access to quality nutrition is a basic human right, yet many people, especially those living in poverty, are unable to get the nutrition they need. The Annapurna project aims to develop an accessible, affordable, and quality solution for RMG (ready-made garment) workers on health, nutrition, essential needs, and conceptions of a healthy lifestyle to combat nutrition-relevant deficiencies. Through partnerships with two factories, the project will create a fair-price shop that offers workers groceries and health nutrition products at a reduced price, allowing them to access nutritious food at an affordable rate. By leveraging the private sector and negotiating fair rates with traders and suppliers, the project will provide the RMG workers with access to nutritious food that is of better quality and at a lower cost than the local market.

The inclusive business model is an innovative approach to reducing the monthly expenditures of workers and enabling a change in their behavior towards their health, nutrition, and financial inclusion. This model has the potential to empower workers, especially females, by giving them the choice of purchasing quality goods at affordable prices. Through the Fair Price Shop, workers will get access to discounted goods, payment options, and micro-credit facilities, as well as a wide range of quality goods and products from renowned manufacturing brands in Bangladesh. These items will be available at prices that are suitable for the worker’s financial capabilities, so they can save time and money for themselves.

To promote better nutrition and a healthy lifestyle for its employees, Romo Fashion Today Ltd. launched the Protein Nest Fair Price Shop on October 10, 2022, an initiative funded by the Ocean Foundation in France and implemented by the Association for Community Empowerment (ACE). This initiative provides more than 2000 garment workers at Romo Fashion Today Limited with access to nutritious and healthy food and daily commodities at discounted prices, helping to improve the quality of life of garment workers and their families. Another Fair Price Shop will be launched at TeenAge Modern Fashion Limited, Hemayetpur, Savar.

The ACE organization is a non-profit organization that strives to make a real difference in the lives of people in need. Their mission is to empower the community and spread the benefits of fair-price shops among everyone, regardless of their economic status or background. Through their efforts, ACE is making a real difference in the lives of those in need, helping them get the resources they need to build a better future.