Opening Doors to a Brighter Future Through Early Childhood Education

Access to early childhood education in rural Bangladesh is limited for many families simply because young children cannot safely reach government schools. Even when a school is only a mile away, a five-year-old cannot navigate busy roads, rough terrain, or long distances alone. Without early education, the cycle of poverty continues—but with it, children gain the foundation they need to thrive academically and build brighter futures.

PSDI’s partners in Bangladesh, the Poverty Eradication Program (PEP), develops a relationship with village leaders and families to establish community-based schools that serve 30 Pre-K students each. Villages provide the building, and PEP supplies the teacher, learning materials, and daily meals—crucial in communities where malnutrition is common. Teachers are recruited from the village and are often poor themselves.

Schools operate four hours a day, six days a week for two years. Teachers implement kindergarten through second-grade curriculum preparing students for 3rd grade in government schools. Students learn Bangla, English, math, and social studies, and enjoy art, dance, and exercise each week.

Mothers help run the school and prepare food, strengthening community ownership and reinforcing the importance of education. With exceptionally low absenteeism and 95% of graduates continuing to government schools—often scoring above their peers—these centers are transforming futures. PSDI currently supports 43 schools, with demand for 8–10 more, and new schools consistently achieve the same strong outcomes: fewer than 5% absences, 95% completion, and 80–95% continuing on to further education.

The cost of operating a school in Bangladesh is $3,000 per year and the funding commitment is for two years to ensure students complete their early childhood education.  A single donor or a group of donors can fund a school and receive the right the name the school. 

The social return on investment of our education program is estimated to be between $4-$9 for every dollar invested.  A worthy investment that impacts families for generations to come.