On 4th September 2012, the India and Bangladesh study tour group visited UNICEF Dhaka office in Bangladesh. First, Ms. Iftikhar Ahmed ChowDhury, Communication Officer, gave us a lecture on the outline of UNICEF’s activities in Bangladesh and she explained main issues which are concerned with education, water sanitation, child protection, life skill training and health. Second, Ms.Shamima Siddky, Education Specialist at Education Section, delivered a presentation focused on Non-Formal Education. She mainly mentioned a structure of education in Bangladesh and consciousness of people for education and child labor. Especially, she emphasized the educational difference between urban and rural area. At the end of her presentation, We watched a short film focused on children’s voice.
After the briefing, we visited MAWTS. MAWTS is working with UNICEF and there, children between the ages of 13 and 17 are learning repairing mobiles, tailoring, motorcycle repairs and roof tiling. Many on them are coming from slum areas in Dhaka. We inspected the class rooms, talked and took pictures with students. It was very impressive that they have high motivations for acquiring skills through going to the schools. It was a wonderful day that we could interact with children in Bangladesh.
(Yuuka Hirakawa)