Joy Bangla Youth Award brings out stories of publicity-shy youths working to change society

Some of them work with the physically challenged, some encourage children to become computer scientists while some inspire girls to take to sports despite the conservative rural society raising eyebrows.

Suliman NiloySuliman Niloy Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 Oct 2017, 02:51 PM
Updated : 22 Oct 2017, 02:51 PM

Thirty out of the 1,300 such organisations working across Bangladesh received the 'Joy Bangla Youth Award 2017' of Young Bangla for their contribution to grassroots socio-economic development.

The Centre for Research and Information or CRI, which acts as the secretariat of Young Bangla, a platform for young achievers, organised the awards ceremony at Sheikh Hasina National Youth Centre in Savar on Saturday.

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the prime minister's ICT affairs adviser and the grandson of Bangladesh's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman handed over the awards.

Jessore's Zahir Iqbal Nannu founded the 'Swapna Dekho' a social welfare organisation, which works in 11 specific areas, including the physically and mentally challenged people , destitute women and children, marginalised population and climate change.

The idea of the 11 goals came from the 11 sectors of the 1971 War of Independence, says Nannu.

"We use our own funds to run the activities. At a time when everyone is busy with themselves, people used to say we were crazy. The crazy people got recognised today," is how Nannu reacted after getting the award.

He said one of their projects involves going to school with computers and introducing those to the children. "It aims to encourage children to be computer scientists when they grow up."

The girls at Rangatungi United Women Football Academy of Rangpur are struggling for their rights in a rural society, where girls in sports are looked down upon.

Teenager Hannah Hembrom founded it in 2014. Speaking to bdnews24.com, she became emotional.

"First it was 'No football for girls', then 'You can, but not in shorts'," were just the few of the numerous ways Hembrom says they were being held back.

Against all odds, it has been three years for the 23-member squad that dream to play for the national team one day.

The story of Gazipur's Wheelchair Cricket Welfare Association is also an inspiring one. Founded in 2015, its 150 volunteers organise tournaments for the physically challenged teenagers and youths across Bangladesh.

"I can't believe that we have been invited to such an event...Our initiative aims to debunk the myth that we are a burden on society," said founder Md Mohsin.

In 2014, Fayez Belal along with some other like-minded people founded the Barisal Youth Society, which works to prevent violence against women.

It has now 10, 000 members and 800 volunteers working in all the six districts of the Barisal Division. Their huge network is the key to stop child marriage and to provide security for women who have been victim of violence.

Comilla's 'Durbar Foundation' was started with the sole aim to work for children living in the railway station in the southern part of the city.

Founded by Md Arifur Rahman and his friends in 2014, it now works with children in other parts of the city to prevent them from doing drugs, providing them with education and health care as well as livelihoods.

Sylhet's ' Kaktarua', however, adopted a different way to create awareness, camera lens. Their work centres on language and culture through short film and photography exhibitions.

It also organises workshops for the youth on how the camera can be a tool to highlight an issue.

'I Positive' from the northern district of Thakurgaon works on history and the spirit of the Liberation War.

Founded in 2011 by Md Shafique Parvez and his friends, it organises seminars, discussions and screening of films on the 1971 war along with workshops on ICT, career planning and providing support to underprivileged students.

In the hill tract district of Rangamati, Nirupam Chakma founded the 'Joomful Theatre' in 2015.

With its 250 activists, it organises plays, concert and dance performances every week in the district town. The aim is to keep the youth away from drugs and militancy by getting them involved with cultural activities.

'Murari Chand' in Sylhet considers theatre activism as a tool to change society. Golam Mahdi founded it in 2013, and it has produced several plays across the country.

Another theatre activism in Bogra, the 'Choupash Nattanchol' is working to create public awareness through performing arts. The 23-strong core body, led by Raja Fakir, produces a play every month on average, focusing on social issues and the Liberation War.

These 10 organisations along with 20 others were awarded on Saturday.

The CRI describes the Joy Bangla Youth Award as a 'network of young dreamers', through which it plans to work with them in the longer term.

On Saturday, four organisations, which won the award in 2015, were given Tk 500,000 each by Microsoft Bangladesh, a partner of the Young Bangla platform.

Prime Minister's ICT Affairs Adviser Joy urged the well-off to help these organisations.

State Minister Nasrul Hamid Bipu, one of the key persons behind Young Bangla, shared how they came up with the idea.

"There were a lot of young people doing great things throughout the country. We were looking for a way to spread their message and that's how Young Bangla started."

"They were alone when they started and we tried to help them. Now they have Sheikh Hasina and Sajeeb Wazed Joy with them."