What’s your New Year’s resolution? If you’re looking for inspiration, here is how the young people at Volunteer for Bangladesh spent their 2014
Our volunteers have been engaged in numerous volunteering activities throughout the year. These include: Different awareness programs, women empowerment programs, distributing new clothes to street children, calligraphy exhibition, first responders training program, programs with cancer-affected children. All these programs were initiatives taken and executed by our volunteers.
Volunteerism will be the winner for humanity.
January: Blanket drive
Like every other year, the volunteers set out to distribute warmth among the destitute in Jessore, Chandpur, Norail, Rajshahi, Noakhali (Hatiya), and other districts. A total of 2,000 blankets and 700 sweaters were collected from the more fortunate, and personally distributed by the volunteers.
February: Spreading care
Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide as an occasion to express love, and our volunteers marked this day by giving flowers and “Thank You” cards to nurses, out of respect for their dedicated service in saving lives. The event was carried out in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet.
March: Great Water Challenge
Volunteer for Bangladesh observes World Water Day every year at the Karail slum to instill the value of water among the youth. This year, 150 volunteers from 15 districts across the country came to Dhaka and participated in this one of a kind challenge. They cleaned Karail Lake, interacted with slum-dwellers, and helped in preventing waterborne diseases such as malaria. The underlying principle was the importance of water in everybody’s life – from the wealthiest to the poorest.
April: World Health Day
Volunteers celebrated World Health Day with 300 underprivileged children in Rajshahi. The children received free medical treatment from renowned physicians and dentists. In addition to the health checkup, they were also given lessons on healthy nutrition and were provided with medicine, saline and food.
May: Mother’s Day
Our mothers are our superheroes and as their children, our lives revolve around them. Unfortunately, as we get older we often fail to appreciate and express our love to them. This year on Mother’s Day our volunteers hit the streets to show appreciation for the best gift in their lives. They went to schools and markets giving out badges for mothers with the words: “Congratulations for holding the toughest job in the world.” The mothers were exuberant when their children went up to them and said: “Thank you.”
June: World Environment Day
More than 1,000 volunteers across 12 districts celebrated this day by planting trees and organising a bicycle rally to motivate the youth to be responsible for their environment. Trees were planted by the volunteers themselves with a pledge to respect their own environment.
July: School of survivors
Ramadan brings a different atmosphere. Besides being a religious duty, the Ramadan iftar with friends and family is an affair we all look forward to. Our volunteers organised an iftar party for acid survivors. They also spent time with them and applauded them for their bravery of survival.
August: The Great Kindness Challenge
Every coin has two sides, but we often point out criticisms only. The Great Kindness Challenge celebrated unsung heroes by giving them thanks and appreciation. Volunteers across 13 districts paid respect and gave badges and flowers to police officers, fire service and civil defense, journalists, Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, and other notable personalities for their devoted service towards this nation.
September: Flood relief
Flooding in Bangladesh is an old story, and every year flood-affected people lose their belongings and homes. Our Kurigram organisation extended a helping hand to these victims and distributed food among 200 families in Vogdanga Union, Kurigram.
October: Ranga Haate Eid Utshob
Eid is a joyous celebration, but unfortunately not every child is born with a blessed life. Like every year, our volunteers shared the happiness of Eid with street kids in 21 districts. The volunteers went out on the streets and applied henna, while giving them small souvenirs such as bangles and caps in an effort to bring colour to these destitute children’s lives.
November: Universal Children’s Day
Celebrated in 28 districts, 10,000 volunteers created awareness about the importance of a child’s education – their future. Citizens extended helping hands and invested in educating underprivileged children with their contributions.
December: My road my responsibility
Rather than sitting back and complaining, our volunteers went out onto the roads with brooms in hand to clean up the streets, because they believed it was their responsibility. While the volunteers swept, they spent time with the professional sweepers, and enjoyed a breakfast with them, where they expressed appreciation for their efforts in keeping our country clean. This event took place at different locations in Dhaka, as well as in Jessore.
