It was good to visit the offices and meet the director, Mrs Siddiqui. She updated me on the progress being made of the organisation, both in Dhaka and in Jessore and the boarder district of Satkhim.
We visited the school of three classes in Adabor, a ten minute rickshaw ride away from the office. This was the second shift, for children between the ages of six to ten. There are plans to instate a class 5, making it three shifts. This is the stage when children are now put through a state exam – which could be a spring- board for them to a better school – or even to be used by prospective employers apparently. I did enquire if any children were employed. Only one it appeared – as a domestic servant.
The noise of each class carries easily through the ‘open plan’ cramped building, but the children seemed keen to learn. They recited poems in Bangla and English – including ‘1-2 Buckle My Shoe’. They happily sang the national anthem – Amar Sonar Bangla – ‘My Golden Bengal’, as well as ‘Amra Sobai Raja’ – ‘We are all Kings’. For children from the poorest communities, how poignant is that? I was also treated to a display of dancing by a few girls in the cramped space, accompanied by music from a mobile phone.
Back in the office we were joined for a quick lunch by Rezia Salam, the Vice Chair on the Board of Directors.
We visited the school of three classes in Adabor, a ten minute rickshaw ride away from the office. This was the second shift, for children between the ages of six to ten. There are plans to instate a class 5, making it three shifts. This is the stage when children are now put through a state exam – which could be a spring- board for them to a better school – or even to be used by prospective employers apparently. I did enquire if any children were employed. Only one it appeared – as a domestic servant.
The noise of each class carries easily through the ‘open plan’ cramped building, but the children seemed keen to learn. They recited poems in Bangla and English – including ‘1-2 Buckle My Shoe’. They happily sang the national anthem – Amar Sonar Bangla – ‘My Golden Bengal’, as well as ‘Amra Sobai Raja’ – ‘We are all Kings’. For children from the poorest communities, how poignant is that? I was also treated to a display of dancing by a few girls in the cramped space, accompanied by music from a mobile phone.
Back in the office we were joined for a quick lunch by Rezia Salam, the Vice Chair on the Board of Directors.
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