ODOMMO: Driving Education and Opportunities for Girls in Rural Bangladesh

In a quiet corner of northeast Bangladesh, the ODOMMO project is igniting a bold transformation—one that positions girls not only as learners but as leaders of social change. In Kishoreganj’s Mithamoin upazila, where early marriage, educational inequities, and limited infrastructure often trap girls in cycles of poverty, ODOMMO (Operating Diversified Opportunities in Mass-Mitigation of Obstacles of Girls' Education) is opening new pathways through community-driven, gender-inclusive education reform.

Aligning with National Priorities

Bangladesh has emerged as the frontrunner in gender equality in South Asia ranking 24th globally with a gender parity score of 77.5% in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2025. Bangladesh has made noteworthy progress in gender parity at the primary school level, yet rural girls still face disproportionate drop-out rates at secondary levels, largely due to early marriage, social stigma, and lack of resources. By delivering targeted teacher training, digital education tools, and gender-sensitive advocacy, ODOMMO supports national efforts under SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

In 2022, 61.7% of young women aged 15–24 in Bangladesh were classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), compared to 21.7% globally—a staggering indicator of lost potentiall (sdg.gov.bd). ODOMMO’s gains in attendance, digital access, and teacher capacity directly counteract this crisis, laying the groundwork for stronger female labor force entry and economic engagement.

At the same time, child marriage remains a critical barrier—over 51% of women aged 20–24 married before 18, among the highest rates in Asia (sdg.gov.bd). Community sensitization sessions under ODOMMO are vital interventions that raise awareness and shift attitudes—creating legal, social, and educational space for girls to reach secondary and beyond.

Impact at Scale: Data Speaks

The ODOMMO project has delivered transformative outcomes that go far beyond numbers—they signal a shift in attitudes, systems, and access for adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh. One of the most significant achievements has been the sharp increase in school attendance among girls. Within just one year, average female attendance rose from 43.1% to 65.6%, highlighting a marked improvement in educational continuity and student engagement. This gain reflects the effectiveness of ODOMMO’s interventions in making schools more accessible, inclusive, and responsive to girls’ needs.

Alongside increased enrollment, there has been a significant rise in menstrual hygiene management (MHM) awareness. At the start of the project, only 19.9% of girls reported understanding MHM, but by the end of the year, that number had reached an impressive 80%. This dramatic shift has equipped girls with the knowledge and dignity to manage their health confidently, breaking long-held taboos and enabling them to attend school without disruption.

Digital and social empowerment have also been central to the program’s success. Through the establishment of two multimedia classrooms and the delivery of monthly STEM and SEL sessions, 318 students—284 of whom are girls—now access interactive, digital education that builds both academic and life skills. Moreover, 30 teachers have been trained in gender-responsive pedagogy, enabling them to create more equitable and engaging learning environments. These efforts ensure that both students and educators are better equipped to address the unique challenges faced by girls in the classroom.

At the community level, ODOMMO’s advocacy and awareness campaigns have begun to shift cultural perceptions that once discouraged girls’ education. More than 360 community members, including 318 women, actively participated in courtyard meetings where issues like child marriage, gender-based violence (GBV), and girls’ rights were openly discussed. These forums have fostered dialogue, raised awareness, and catalyzed local ownership of girls’ education as a shared responsibility.

ODOMMO demonstrates that strategic investment in girls’ education yields ripple effects: improved attendance, healthier communities, gender-equitable schooling, and rising digital literacy. In a country whose education budget remains low—just 1.8% of GDP in 2023—programs like ODOMMO show how targeted interventions can accelerate change even within funding constraints.