Over 40 Unilever Bangladesh employees conducted engaging workshops with 1,000 school children in Teach For Bangladesh (TFB) classrooms in Dhaka and Chattogram to promote values of self-esteem and body confidence over the last week.

Dove, a personal care brand of Unilever, runs the Self-Esteem Project, which globally began in 2004 and promotes that beauty should be a source of confidence, not anxiety, and aims to build the next generation with confidence so that they can unlock their full potential.

In the workshops conducted across the two regions, students were informed about the societal pressure on physical appearance and the impact it can have on self-esteem. They also discussed the impact of social media on the perception of beauty, which often makes people look artificially beautiful.

Through dialogues and insight sharing, students understood that focusing on their talent and uniqueness rather than comparing themselves with others would help to build their confidence and self-esteem.

The students did several activities and role plays to discuss and internalise what real beauty is about to help improve their self-esteem. At the end of the session, all the participants pledged to be kind to others and to be positive change agents for their society.

Afzal Hassan Khan, marketing director of beauty and wellbeing and personal care at Unilever Bangladesh, said 8 out of 10 girls are so concerned with the way they look that they opt out of important activities. "We want to ensure that young people grow up enjoying a positive relationship with the way they look. That is why we are actively working to help them raise their self-esteem and realise their full potential."

Ijma Rahman, acting CEO of TFB, said, "We believe that every child is worthy of love, dignity and belonging. Through this collaboration with Unilever for Dove Day, we are confident that our students will understand that beauty standards are a social construct and that they are loved and beautiful just the way they are."