Marking World Humanitarian Day (WHD), the United Nations (UN) has recognized four Bangladeshi youths as "real life heroes" in its acknowledgement of their contributions to humanitarian services.
Akhi, a resident of Rupsar Char at Baghmara village in Khulna’s Rupsa upazila, is one of them. Owing to poverty Akhi dropped out of school after she passed class five. Even so, poverty failed to kill her indomitable intention of serving mankind.
Akhi is seen making masks with her sewing machine | Dhaka TribuneThe 17-year-old girl has been recognized by the UN for making face masks on her own initiative and selling them to her poor neighbours at prices they can afford during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Recently, this correspondent met the real life hero Akhi at her Baghmara village in Rupsa upazila. She shared details of her initiative of providing face masks to the poor at prices they can afford.
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Akhi, the younger daughter of Masud Molla and Anwara Begum, said: “At the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country, there was a scarcity of face masks in our village. The masks that were found in shops were sold at high prices that the poor could not afford. On the other hand, however, masks are some of the most important weapons to combat Covid-19 transmission.”
“Keeping everything in mind, I started making face masks and selling them to the poor people at cheap rates,” she said.
“I want to stand beside the poor all my life since I have been recognized as a real life hero for helping them. And I want to work for helpless girls,” she added.
