Arif Arian had a dream that sets him apart from most other youths. He
wanted to build a school where street children would learn while having
fun.
Then instead of asking money from a sponsor, Arif turned to his
facebook friends. He wrote on his facebook page: What if we opened a
school for street children?
Amazingly he got so much of heart warming responses from friends and
their friends who wanted to volunteer for the cause that it took almost
no time for him to kickstart his dream project: Mojar School.
January 10, 2013. That was when Arif and his buddies’ open air school
in Suhrawardy Udyan had its first class with just 13 street children.
While sharing his experience with The Daily Star Arif says, "At first
we planned to have fun interaction with children and teach them
depending on how much they are interested to learn."
On the first day of their pilot project of Mojar School they found
that the children are thirsty to learn. And children's keen interest
helps Mojar School to grow and expand all over the city.
The Mojar School, one of the many projects of a registered
organisation Odommo Bangladesh Foundation, is a non-profit organisation.
Every day, in four different schools two hundred children study, eat
and interact on a regular basis.
Now the organisation is dreaming to build a shelter home for one
thousand street children. He adds, "People thought we were crazy. It
became necessary for us to do it prove that we can do it. Some were
doubtful whether we will continue with this mission. But we are here to
stay."
In the last couple of years, their single school has expanded to four
where 200 under privileged children study. They have also created a
600-volunteers network. With the support and help of these volunteers,
they are touching the lives of 2000 children outside these schools. And
this number is growing.
Each volunteer donates Tk 50 or more to run the schools and feed the
children. In return, they have been enriched with many great
experiences.
Wasifa Zannat, a coordinator of Mojar School, says, "The idea of
teaching street children sitting amid dusty roads was not appealing. But
when you interact closely, you will see that they are not dirty
beggars. It is fun to work with them."
Now they believe their work will help the country to build an enlightened generation.
