The need for assistance to the urban poor of Bangladesh continues to be strong and, as a result, the Goal and Purpose of the UCEP Programme remain entirely valid. It currently reaches a small proportion of working children and aims to reach more. The way UCEP was established and has developed make it extremely susceptible to changes in the overseas aid policies of foreign governments. For both of these reasons, it is important that UCEP finds ways to raise higher levels of funding from non-donor sources.

However UCEP is not yet sufficiently well-prepared to embark on an expansion programme and needs to strengthen its funding position. Given that it has been unable to raise the funds it required for this transition year, it is inconceivable that it could raise the amounts required for 2012.

DFID can assist by providing funding targeted at programme delivery (rather than land purchase), at a gradually decreasing level, safeguarding core activities and developing UCEP’s capacity to be self-sustaining. It can assist UCEP to develop a detailed business planning strategy and management information system which generates up-to-date, relevant and transparent analyses on which financial and policy decisions can be made.