FFACT project participants in Bangladesh learning about data analysis methods
None of us ever talked about debt bondage with the government. Now, debt bondage is a key agenda in our meetings with [them]”. – FFACT project participant (Bangladesh)
In 2024, Verité completed the Fostering Fee Accountability and Cost Tracking (FFACT) project, a pioneering initiative to help migrant workers make smarter choices about job opportunities in labor recruitment corridors between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as between Bangladesh and Malaysia.
Leveraging innovative digital tools, the project promotes worker-centric data that grassroots CSOs can use to drive evidence-based advocacy efforts. Local partner organizations in India and Bangladesh received specialized training in digital data collection, allowing them to systematically document recruitment costs that workers should not have to pay. The project’s impact was significant, with 95% of participants reporting increased confidence in using data to engage with key decision-makers and advocates on debt bondage issues. Empowered with this resource, civil society and community leaders are engaging directly with local government officials, companies, and recruitment agencies.
By partnering with Free the Slaves and Manav Sansadhan Evam Mahila Vikas Sansthan in India and Sheva in Bangladesh, the project established awareness-raising networks in migrant-sending communities vulnerable to debt bondage. Utilizing tools like SAFE TIPS handbooks and mobilizing community leaders, the project trained over 2,000 individuals to recognize and respond to potential debt bondage risks during the job recruitment process.
The FFACT Project is funded by the United States State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
Verité Team Voices
“The close collaboration with workers’ organizations and migrant communities allowed me to see how our partner organizations grow and embrace the new tools in their work with migrant workers. Folks who have been advocating for migrant workers’ rights for more than 20 years found new ways of working – with a data-driven approach, and with a labor supply chain tracing approach.”
– Sarah Lince, Senior Program Manager
