A Dhaka University based platform SAVE Youth Bangladesh has offered “32 Youth Promise Fellowship” for the young researchers to conduct social research on the impact of Covid-19 in the country.
The researches or programs will be conducted, by students of nine public universities in the country, on different aspects of the socio-economic impact of Covid-19 on the society, with an aim to inspire and engage the youth as agents of change in the community.
The Youth Promise Fellowship program is being implemented by SAVE Youth Bangladesh and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), funded by UKaid.
While conducting the research project, the students will promote countering and preventing misinformation, rumour, hate speech, and social stigma related to Covid-19, said Aynul Islam, moderator of the project, also an associate professor of Dhaka University.
The fellowship will empower students’ voice, he added.
The fellowship will provide students with the financial support of Tk 5,000 per month, initially for six months, starting from Friday.
The amount will be increased in the future based on their performance, said Aynul Islam.
The findings of the study can be used to solve various problems of the society in future, said Amina Yasmin, a fellowship recipient of Barishal University.
It would also help the students to utilize their free time during the lockdown period which has made them anxious about their studies, she added.
Many youths, interested to work for the country, are seen to fall back from such work due to financial crisis, I think this fellowship would be a blessing for them, said Mahtab Uddin, a fellowship recipient of Chittagong University.
I have been working as a volunteer from the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. This fellowship will motivate me to work for the community," he added.
"This type of opportunity is rare for us and it would help me work for the marginal people of our area," said Tuhin Chakma, another facilitated student of Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The 32 student awardees are from Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, Barishal University, Islamic University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University, and Jagannath University.