2 million children in Bangladesh drop out before they can read. AlterYouth connects you directly to a student — your scholarship lands in their family's bank account, every month.
The Crisis
Public primary schools in Bangladesh cost nothing. And yet, poverty forces families to pull their children out — to work, to contribute, to survive. The literacy rate sits at 76%. AlterYouth exists to close that gap, one student at a time.
Even without tuition, families forgo the income a child could earn. That trade-off forces 1 in 5 children to drop out before completing Class 5 — the point at which literacy is secured.
2 million children a year choose (or are made to choose) work over school. Without literacy they'll never harness the internet, access formal work, or break the poverty cycle.
10 million Bangladeshis live in advanced economies — the UK, USA, the Gulf. Statistically, there are more willing sponsors worldwide than there are students at risk. We just need to connect them.
bKash — Bangladesh's largest mobile wallet and a Gates Foundation investment — enables direct transfers to rural families. BDT 1,700 goes to the student each month; a BDT 300 service fee keeps the platform running. That's it.
How It Works
AlterYouth doesn't accept donations and doesn't sit between you and the student. It's a peer-to-peer scholarship platform — you are the sponsor.
Sign up and you're matched with a vetted student from a Government Primary School in Bangladesh who has applied for a scholarship.
A mobile phone is shipped to the student's family. They open a bKash account — their personal mobile bank account — to receive funds.
BDT 1,700 lands in the family's bKash account every month. A BDT 300 platform fee keeps AlterYouth running — like Airbnb's service charge.
View your student's attendance data and report cards through Class 5 — the milestone at which literacy is guaranteed.
Recognised By
I run a free streaming site — no ads, no paywalls, no subscription. If it's saved you a few quid, I'd love for you to put even a small amount toward a student in Bangladesh who just needs a little help staying in school. It costs less than a coffee a month and goes directly to a child.
Use Kaleem's referral link to get started. It takes under two minutes and your first transfer reaches a student this month.
Sponsor a Student via AlterYouth →