From Patriarchy to Progress: One Woman's Fight for Equality Through Education
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Born into a patriarchal Muslim family in Bangladesh, I constantly battled against gender disparity, witnessing favoritism towards my brother while feeling marginalized as the second-born daughter. Despite facing systemic inequalities, I persist in my fight, recognizing education as the key to addressing and eradicating such injustices.
Caught between familial expectations and personal passion, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery. Leaving behind a lucrative career, I embraced uncertainty to pursue my true calling in education. Despite familial opposition, I founded the Grow Your Reader Foundation, driven by a relentless determination to promote literacy.
With meager resources, I set up 28 library stations having 10,000 readers across Bangladesh, igniting the love for reading in thousands of children. When adversity struck with the pandemic, I adapted, launching Wheels of Wisdom: WoW to reach even more underserved communities. It’s mobile library project, providing books and internet access to 16,000 children in 12 underserved communities in 3 different regions in Bangladesh.
From humble beginnings, our impact grew. Street by street, we introduced the “Book Garage” street library project, providing access to books in every corner. Our open-air schools welcomed eager minds, breaking barriers to education.
Now, as we stand with 33 street libraries having 5500 books in 4 different regions and two thriving schools having 250 students, our mission remains clear: to uphold the right to read for every child. I may not have fulfilled my parents' dreams, but I am happily fulfilling the dreams of other parents. But I can't do it alone. We need support to ensure every child has the opportunity to read, learn, and dream. Together, let's uphold the ultimate freedom: literacy for all.
Website: https://growyourreader.com/
Caught between familial expectations and personal passion, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery. Leaving behind a lucrative career, I embraced uncertainty to pursue my true calling in education. Despite familial opposition, I founded the Grow Your Reader Foundation, driven by a relentless determination to promote literacy.
With meager resources, I set up 28 library stations having 10,000 readers across Bangladesh, igniting the love for reading in thousands of children. When adversity struck with the pandemic, I adapted, launching Wheels of Wisdom: WoW to reach even more underserved communities. It’s mobile library project, providing books and internet access to 16,000 children in 12 underserved communities in 3 different regions in Bangladesh.
From humble beginnings, our impact grew. Street by street, we introduced the “Book Garage” street library project, providing access to books in every corner. Our open-air schools welcomed eager minds, breaking barriers to education.
Now, as we stand with 33 street libraries having 5500 books in 4 different regions and two thriving schools having 250 students, our mission remains clear: to uphold the right to read for every child. I may not have fulfilled my parents' dreams, but I am happily fulfilling the dreams of other parents. But I can't do it alone. We need support to ensure every child has the opportunity to read, learn, and dream. Together, let's uphold the ultimate freedom: literacy for all.
Website: https://growyourreader.com/
