feel the award > do the award > spread the award editor's...

T h e D u k e o f E d i n b u r g h ’ s I n t e r n a t i o n a l A w a r d B a n g l a d e s h

Editor: Professor M Manjurul Karim Member, EC, The DEA Foundation BD and Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka

National Director: Prof. Dr. K. M. Shariful Huda

Board of Trustees The DEA Foundation BD

M M Ispahani Limited Mr. Mirza Salman Ispahani Chairman, The Board of Trustees and Managing Director, M M Ispahani Ltd.

GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh Ltd. Mr. M Azizul Huq Honarary Secretary, The Board of

Trustees and

Managing Director, GSK Bangladesh

Standard Chartered Bangladesh Mr. Jim McCabe Treasurer, The Board of Trustees and CEO, Standard Chartered Bangladesh,

A K Khan & Company Ltd. Mr. A K Shamsuddin Khan Member, The Board of Trustees and Chairman, A K Khan Group

Concorde Garments Group Mr. Sayeeful Islam Member, The Board of Trustees and

Managing Director, Concorde Garments

Rangoonwala Foundation UK Mr. Tariq Rangoonwala Member, The Board of Trustees

and Chairman, Rangoonwala Foundation UK

Rangoonwala Foundation UK Nawab Khwaja Habibullah Askari Member, The Board of Trustees

Editor's Letter

his issue of newsletter of The Duke of Edinburgh‟s Award (DEA)

Foundation comes to you as greetings of Holy Eid-Ul-Fitr, Eid

Mubarak from the entire DEA family. The DEA family is now

extended beyond Dhaka and Chittagong, and we look forward

to cover every corners of Bangladesh, and thereby aim to

stretch the beauty of the award to the youngsters. Those who are

already graduated with Gold Awards, an Association for them have

recently been launched; this will further create Award Leaders from

them with a view to strengthening the Award philosophy to fresh

entrants. The story of a Gold Award Holder, Farhana Meghami, as you

find inside could be cited for example as we wish to create change

makers for the society. The DEA office is now in full preparation to be

validated and get full license from The DEA International Office early

next year. Let‟s hope for the ultimate recognition. Happy reading!

Richel Baroi

Award Coordinator & Vice Principal, Primary Section, Oxford International School

wish I had this type of challenge in my childhood! I get to choose

my own activities which will reflect my interests and passions! To

unleash my talents and broaden personal interests and skills –

what possibly can be better than this!

At the beginning of my career, I had made a vow, where I wrote with

invisible ink in my heart that, ‟ I will teach, lead and guide my students in

best possible way to make them better human being‟. If I look at the

back, I hardly can console myself in my performance appraisal about this

promise to myself. This is the point where I felt lucky to get chance to be

involved with this DEA programme.

May be I could not be the lucky one to avail this opportunity; but, I can be a guide, assist my students in their life, keep them motivated on target, help set their goals and inspire them! And now it has been possible because I am not only a teacher to teach them formal education but also an Award Coordinator of The Duke of Edinburgh‟s International Award to inculcate informal education, because they are participants of this world‟s most prestigious Award programme where they need not to compete with anyone to have the story of success in their life. I feel so much better now.

T

I

Volume 3 (3) Published: July 2014

Feel the Award > Do the Award > Spread the Award


of Adventurer Journey Khairul IslamTaj (Silver Award Participants)

n the fixation of date, we started our long

anticipated journey of Silver Level of The Duke

of Edinburgh International Award Programme,

on 20 February 2014. After a long agony of expectations,

a group of ten members including me and the tour

operator Prasanta Majumdar, boarded the Chittagong

Mail. Two attractive places –Sitakunda and Patenga Sea

Beach –awaited us at the end of the long ride.

Instead of a luxurious compartment, we opted for the

general coach as we wanted to share the experience of

the common masses. However, to our dismay, after

twenty minutes of journey, when the train stopped at the

airport station a large multitude of people seized the

chamber leaving no empty space even to breathe. It was

alarmingly chaotic and soon we submitted ourselves to

fate and reminding us of our grandiose promise, we

turned to concentrate on ourselves only. Amidst our

boisterous moments, a provision of snacks provided

some relief.

With the dawn approaching, gradually we were able to

look outside the window. Flanked by varied geographies,

our train was darting past the greenish fields, tall trees

and small mountains until we stopped at Sitakunda

Station. Our first adventure started here, mounting the

1565 feet high Chandranath Hill. Its majesty was awe-

inspiring when I glanced at it.

Under the scorching sun, we began our arduous climbing

at ten o‟clock in the morning. In our two and half an hour

climbing, we had to pause several times to breathe and

drink water. Happily, the security was reassuring and we

were pleased to see hundreds of fellow climber up there.

Though it strained on our physical aptitude, the feeling

upon the completion of the challenge was inspiring. The

canopy of trees and a vast array of undulating land

soothed my eyes as I gazed upon standing on the top.

The following morning brought us to Potenga beach, a

place that touched my heart. The vast stretch of water

gave me a sense of magnitude and soon I found myself

knee deep in water. It was the ebbing time but we had our

fun darting across the sandy shore and splashing upon

the water. I had moments in treasure as I rode on a speed

boat, surfed and took loads of photos. A horse ride that

was completely unexpected added to my happiness.

O


The opportunity was a life changing experience having

two days in the lap of nature. I never imagined we had

such majestic places in our country. I discovered that I

have a part of me that was quite unknown to me before. I

felt free there as my spirit rose high. I had abundance of

fun and experience that I still cherish. I would very much

like to be a part of any journey that is as much exciting as

this one.

Meeting Success he Award includes 9 proved impacts apart from

many tangible and intangible benefits. Improving

employability and sustainable livelihoods is one of

those positive impacts the Award has. Those dabbed on

not only the Awardees of other countries but also that of

Bangladesh.

Farhana Meghami Zulhash who is a current student of

American International University, Bangladesh is a name

of inspiration to all youths of Bangladesh. Her

achievement could once again show the world how the

Award changes life and plays a vital role in providing

opportunities for young people to develop essential life

skills, complimenting their formal education or work place.

„In Bangladesh, 80% of the population is aged less than

40, meaning that there is, and will continue to be, huge

pressure on employment. The country needs young

people who are skilled for work, but also entrepreneurs

who can create their own businesses and employment‟.

Young people like Farhana, 23, from Dhaka, who

completed their Award, developed that capability are

more worthy to meet real life challenges to implement the

dream.

Farhana's entrepreneurial skills were honed while she

completed her Service section at the Bangladesh

Association of the Aged elderly home. What she saw

there inspired her to create a groundbreaking project to

empower its elderly female residents, and many other

women in her local community.

She had noticed that there were many female residents

who did not need to be there, but who had nowhere else

to go because their families couldn‟t support them and

they could not support themselves financially. Once she

T

- Vincent Van Gogh


discovered that these women were gifted with handicraft

and patchwork skills which they weren‟t using, she set up

a business which involved the residents selling handmade

jute baskets and exquisite textiles, while passing on their

skills to young women. Foreign buyers signed up for

regular purchases and these women were recognized for

the first time in their lives for their ingenuity and talent.

Farhana estimates that around 900 women have now

benefited from this project to empower them

economically. Women such as Renu are happy to testify

to how their lives have changed as a result: “I feel I can

now earn my own living as this initiative has given me a

chance to actually discover the hidden talents that I

have.”

Not surprisingly, being able to demonstrate these kinds of

entrepreneurial skills has helped Farhana to land her own

job with one of her dream employers: the UN. “After my

first conference of representing the Award on behalf of my

country, I came across another seminar where I placed

my presentation in front of valued members of the United

Nations. They acknowledged my journey with the Award

and were also very pleased with the activities I had

completed.”

he Members of The Board of Trustees of The

Duke of Edinburgh‟s Award Foundation,

Bangladesh (The DEA Foundation BD)

collaboratively hosted a reception function to honor the

contributions of the Heads of the Educational Institutions,

Award Coordinators and Award Leaders of the Award

Units at Heritage Restaurant, Gulshan-2, on Saturday, 25

January 2014.

The programme inaugurated through a welcome speech

delivered by National Director Professor Dr. K. M.

Shariful Huda. The occasion became a meeting place of

prominent personalities where British High

Commissioner to Bangladesh, His Excellency Robert

Winnington Gibson CMG graced the programme as

Chief Guest. Among the Members of Board of Trustee of

The DEA Foundation, BD, Mr. Jim McCabe, CEO,

Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh, Mr. M Azizul

Huq, Managing Director, GSK Bangladesh, Mr. A K

Shamsuddin Khan, Chairman, A K Khan Group were

present. Members of Executive Committee of The DEA

Foundation, BD also joined the Programme.

T

Challenges are what make life

interesting and overcoming

them is what makes life

meaningful. - Joshua J. Marine


Host Mr. Mirza Salman Ispahani, Chairman, The DEA

Foundation Bangladesh and Managing Director, M M

Ispahani Ltd., congratulated all the participants for their

passionate effort to help the youths of the country.

DEA ith a mission to reach the Award to all walks of

youths, The National Award Authority (the NAA)

in Bangladesh is working ceaselessly. As a

result, the Award is available not only in Dhaka

and Chittagong but also Rangpur, Rajshahi and

Sylhet districts. The vision the NAA cherishes is to cover

all of the divisions and later on all the Upazillas

progressively, but obviously not forgetting those intuitions

that are yet to be Award Units in the green areas.

Recently few institutions formally opened The Award

programme for their students-

1. Summerfield International School (SIS),

Dhaka: SIS started the activities of The Award

Programme through a Launching Program on 16

February 2014 at Senior Section of the School. Host

Honorable Principal Ms. Anjum Husain, Principal, SIS,

Dhaka, cordially thanked The NAA_BD officials for

supporting SIS to run the programme for the students.

She formally launched the programme and announced to

make it compulsory for all eligible students of the school.

2. Shahjalal University of Science & Technology

(SUST), Sylhet: After signing the Award Unit Operator‟s

License in January 2014, SUST formally launched the

the Duke of Edinburgh‟s International Award on 25 June

2014. Prof. Dr. Aminul Huq Bhuiyan, Honorable Vice

Chancellor graced the occasion as Chief Guest and

introduced the programme for the students of the

University. The Award Coordinator Prof. Dr. Muhammed

Younus, addressed the students highlighting the value of

the Award Programme. A formal presentation on the

Award was presented by Mr. Faisal Hossen, Executive

of The DEA Foundation BD.

3. Anandaniketan, Sylhet: As of 25 March 2014,

Anandaniketan opened the Award to all of its students.

Ms. Shameem Chowdhury, Academic Head, formally

inaugurated its operation in the school that observed 50

students enrolled for their Bronze Award on the

launching date.

W


The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Foundation Bangladesh

House # 412 (Flat C), Lane # 07 (West), Baridhara DOHS, Dhaka Cantonment, Dhaka- 1216 Tel: 02-8414344

Web: www.deabd.org Email: [email protected]

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