Changing society from within
Tale of barefoot researchers and facilitators working in three upazilas of Mymensingh
Women learners at an adult literacy centre at Ragubpur village under Nilaxia Union of Mymensingh Sadar upazila practise writing their names on slates.Photo: STAR
Barefooted researchers and facilitators are doing better engaging themselves in different activities under a project jointly taken up by Hunger Project and Brac in three upazilas of the district. Bely Akhter, one of the members of the project and also a resident of Mirzapur village in Khagdahor union of Sadar upazila, has recently taken an initiative to stop child marriage in her ward. She has been bitterly criticised from different corners and rebuked by her husband for involving herself in such an act. “We want to continue our campaign as it was learnt from the project that to build up a better society, all sorts of anti-social activities should be removed from it”, Bely said. The barefooted researchers and facilitators are now working under the project in four unions of the upazilas. The project started on August 3 in 2010 and will end this year. The unions are Khagdahor and Char Nilaxia in Sadar upazila, Ghoga in Muktagachha upazila and Jahangirpur in Nandail upazila. While talking with a group of journalists in Khagdahor union on February 10, the researchers and facilitators said they are happy to work with the project. “We have learnt something more about the society and what should be the basic factors to build up a balanced society,” they added. About the activities of the project, Abdur Rahim, president of Khagdahor union coordination committee of the project, said that they have already gained positive response from different sectors of the society. “Now we are aware of the bad effects of child marriage and importance of adult literacy which were once in negligible,” said Rahim. Rozina Akhtar, who runs an adult literacy centre at Mirzapur village in Khagdahor union, said being involved with the project, now they can talk with the chairman and members of the union parishad on various issues. She said the project has opened scopes for rural women to think together to solve the problems prevailing in their areas. The learners at an adult literacy centre at Ragubpur village in Char Nilaxia union said through practices for six days, now they can write their own names.
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