Education Bangladesh Project #23862

Educating the slums

by Maria Cristina Foundation

Project Report | May 29, 2020
2020 is here to test our resilience

By Maria Conceicao | Founder

Photo Credit Imran Ahmed

The challenges in recent months have been there for everybody in the world, however for developing countries, especially the slums where we work in Bangladesh, the challenges have been immense.

The year started well, we moved the majority of our students to a new school in Dhaka, with a fantastic reputation and with an array of extra-curricular activities that have never been available to our students before. The students are much so much happier and have a more positive attitude to learn and succeed.

We also continued our internship program, where we bring female students who have graduated high school to find internship programs, many of them paid, in Dubai. It has been a great success helping to prepare the students for Universities and careers outside of Bangladesh.

When Covid-19 hit the rest of the world, the crisis hit our communities in Dhaka x100.

First, business just stopped, this meant that those family members who were working, lost their income immediately.

Then the schools closed and so our students were stuck in their cramped makeshift homes with their families, unable to move about outside.

We have been desperately trying to support the families with food, toiletries and rent, we have had some great support but it has been a struggle to feed hundreds of people and so the struggle is ongoing.

The school switched to an online study program, but of course, the majority of our students do not have access to the internet and only a lucky few with generous sponsors, have mobile smartphones. We went on a mission to provide low-cost smartphones for all students so that they could access their classes and thanks to some amazing sponsors the majority now have phones and access – this is an ongoing project.

We were also able to send some used laptops donated by Du in Dubai, thanks to the amazing support from the UAE Embassy of Bangladesh.

Because of the lockdown, we have had 3 of our young ladies stuck in Dubai, with their internships finished they had no way to support themselves with food or toiletries, although thanks to some amazing supporters in Dubai they have managed so far, unfortunately, they have had to spend most of the money they had saved for University.

Although we have managed to find some solutions, the struggle is ongoing, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any easier.

One saving grace has been the ongoing coaching for many of our students from two really amazing ladies. Janine Bensouda who is based in the USA and Corrina Cross in Dubai. These ladies are professional coaches taking time out of their busy schedules to help our students face their challenges and to take positive action to better their lives. This has really lifted the morale and we have seen significant changes and development in the student’s actions and attitude.

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Dec 30, 2019
2019 Challenging but Successful

By Maria Conceicao | Founder

2019 has been a special year for us, but also a stressful one with many challenges.

We continue our main focus of getting students through to graduate high School grade 12, but we also try our best to do more than that for them.

For these students, from very challenged, marginalized backgrounds form a slum area in Dhaka Bangladesh, it is a massive achievement for them to be able to graduate from a reputable high school. Our goal from the very beginning, was to enable these students to compete with students worldwide, they have the potential, we aim to give them the opportunity. However, a high school education generally isn’t enough in this competitive world.

For any students in Bangladesh, let alone our students, it’s extremely difficult to get a University place. With very few places offered for a huge student population, it generally comes down to connections or influence. With our students being the first from their families to go to school it’s even more challenging.

So, we have been looking at alternatives and realizing that our experience with earlier projects, taking students out of Bangladesh to study proved to be life changing and an incredible learning experience, this has been one of our ambitious goals for the last 2 years.

In 2018 we managed to send 10 students to University in Portugal and in early 2019 another 7 students. Although this has resulted in a significant and positive transformation in a short amount of time, with students showing more confidence, better English and even some Portuguese language skills; it has come with financial challenges, we have struggled to gain enough sponsorship or funds to support the costs. Unfortunately, this means that the students now graduating high school will not get the same opportunity.

However, with a shift in strategy, we are trying a new approach, seeking work internships abroad (eg Dubai, UAE) where the students can work, learn and hopefully make some money to go towards their University costs. We have managed to put 12 students, all girls, through such a program since July this year, with some amazing companies in Dubai.

This program still comes with it financial and other challenges and is a longer route to University, but it’s a bit more sustainable and great life experience for these students.

In July we even managed to bring 8 girls between the ages 7 and 13 to Dubai for 1 month, for an incredible cultural experience. Businesses and individuals in Dubai and even visitors from abroad spoilt them rotten with dinners, parties, company visits, and leisure activities. It was fantastic for everybody, especially everybody who hosted these lovely girls – we hope to repeat this activity in 2020 for a new group of girls.

It's hard to believe some of the difficulties that these families face in their home country, we have had several heartbreaking situations this year, where the financial and even emotional support from MCF and our supporters, has literally saved lives.
Even when our students do get a break in life, such as coming to Dubai for work experience or similar, the authorities in Bangladesh try to stop them, giving no other explanation other than not trusting their intentions. This is especially true for the women and girls and it has taken extreme levels of perseverance and even some help from some of our supporters with influential connections to make it happen.

In 2020 we move onwards and upwards, we will continue to find ways to get our students to University or to find good employment opportunities and we hope to have more cultural travel experiences for our younger students.

Thank YOU so much for your support, in any which way or form. You have quite literally made some dreams come true in 2019. We hope you continue to follow our journey for 2020.

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Sep 3, 2019
HEARTBROKEN

By Maria Conceicao | Founder

Paperwork, lawyers, more paperwork, attestations, rejections, stress, arguments, accusations (of human trafficking), sweat, tears, perseverance, tolerance; those are just some of the things we had to go through to get the young girls to the UAE for their summer break. The red tape and difficult people and departments in Bangladesh, just to enable them to leave their country, is really unbelievable.

But we did it! and the girls had an amazing time. Thank you to the many people who made it amazing for them. I have honestly never, ever seen them so happy and excited as I did for the month that they were here in the UAE.

The only time they weren't happy is anytime somebody mentioned going home to Dhaka. Then they cried.

So, you can imagine my joy, when they were offered scholarships by Athena school. This was really astonishing news, I was over the moon and so was everybody who had met them. The girls were literally crying with shock and happiness, it was beyond belief for them.

But unfortunately it is not to be. I am heartbroken.

... and I know that the girls and their families are even more heartbroken than me. They feel that their dreams have literally been crushed and it makes me so sad.

We did manage to do this in 2010, with the help from some people in very high up places, we brought seven 12 year old students to the UAE with exceptional case student visas, to study until they were 18. It was something that had never been done before.

The same people tried their very best to help us again for these girls; but, unfortunately times have changed, formalities, laws and procedures have changed and become much, much tighter and it's just not possible, even at the highest level, despite trying every way.

People who know me know that I have a never-give-up attitude and I will never give up on these girls. But I trust my superiors and when they tell that its not possible, I know that this door is closed.

But just because one door is closed, it doesn't mean that there aren't other doors out there. They may not be able to study in the UAE this time around, but we will find them the opportunities, in other countries. We have to. There is always to way, especially when it comes to helping those in need.

I know that I am biased, but these girls are special. Anyone who has met them will agree. We have educated them since they were babies, they are outgoing, ambitious and full of potential - they deserve better opportunities, opportunities - and we will find them!

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