Youth in Action

1WE: reaching out to the masses

Saad Adnan Khan

Doing anything counts. Whether you decide to work in an NGO or youth or donation camp, as long as it helps individuals, you are on the right track. 1WE is a Dutch charity organisation, which has been active in Bangladesh for quite some time now. With the help of social media, 1WE wants to reach out to the young people of the nation and encourage them to get involved in several activities and projects that aim to empower and help the people of the grassroots.

The purple and orange rickshaw of 1We for the most deprived. PHOTO COURTESY: OMI SAYEK

One such project is the “Rickshaw Project”, where donors from the Netherlands can wire money, which then gets used behind the project. The money is used to make rickshaws (the 1We rickshaws in purple and orange), which are then given to poor families. The status and condition of the families are assessed. Teachers in rural areas help carry out the assessment and choose families who are the most deprived. The rickshaws become the properties and source of income for these families. This way the families get to elevate their economic condition. The project has taken place in Dhaka and several rural areas in Chittagong. So far, 115 rickshaws have been donated. Normally, rickshaw pullers have to pay Tk 100-150 to the rickshaw owners, but owning a personal rickshaw saves that money.

	PHOTO COURTESY: OMI SAYEK

Omi Sayek, an enthusiastic young worker as the team leader of the rickshaw project, says, “With the help of social media, we want to change the image of Bangladesh. We want to show the positive, the opportunities, the beauty, the talent, and the young generation. Showing Bangladesh in a positive way will make rest of the world see Bangladesh in a positive perspective. They would want to help more and make a difference. 1We prefers working with young people,”. He finished his graduation two and half years ago from International Islamic University in Chittagong. Two other young members- Sarwar Bappi and Nazrul Babu are also involved in 1We rickshaw project. “We hope that more and more young people work with us as “Buddies”,” says Omi. The term, “buddy” is used to refer to project moderators, who assist and facilitate project activities in different areas and districts.

There will be more rickshaw donations on May 19 in Chittagang. There are other projects that students can get involved with, such as slum project, animal project and community center project. More information can be found on the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ pages/1We-into-Action-for-Bangladesh/ 274753889227730. Interested people can also find about 1WE at: http://www.1we.com.

Book review

Durdorsho Paach Goenda

Salman Rob

If you are a big fan of the series 'Tin Goenda', this might be a pretty good book for you to grab. 'Durdorsho Paach Goenda' is a perfect read for whoever is into investigative stories. The book reads well and the situations are described in a very realistic manner. It would definitely be a treat to whoever loves an occasional adrenaline rush every now and then. Written by Shumonto Aslam, 'Durdhorsho Paach Goenda' was released in this year's Boi-Mela (Book Fair) as a publication by Annesha. The story is about five friends who get into a secret investigation. It has a very nice flow to it and gets you going once you start reading it. The ending is equally good. The only setback about the book is on the prints. The labelling was not up to the mark but all in all-- a very well written story. A must read for all the young minds who are ready to take an investigative ride and enjoy it.