Home
Welcome to Connect-Bangladesh!

Welcome to Connect-Bangladesh!


The Global Connections and Exchange for Bangladesh promotes integration of technology into Bangladeshi schools, including teacher capacity development in terms of both technical skills and teaching methodology. The program's main goals are to increase global dialogue and educational opportunities by installing modern computer equipment with Internet access in schools, and to develop training and learning projects for teachers and students. The GCE is designed to promote equity of access to technology in a region lacking technological resources and enabling infrastructure. The Internet Learning Centers set up under the program have emerged as a community resource, and are managed as a community asset, with the goal of sustainable income-offset operation within a five year window.

The project has produced a replicable telecenter model which has enabled access and learning for 50 core schools after the addition of 20 D.Net Schools.

Scene from an ILC in Bangladesh(Podcast)

Read or download the latest brochure on RI-SOL's school based telecenter project in Bangladesh (PDF version)

Read Digital Learning article ' Three generations of school- based telecenters: A look inside the RI-SOL Bangladesh Project'

RI BD in NEWS

Watch GCE Bangladesh Channel on YouTube



New
Rural school teachers learn use of ICT in class room activities NEW!

RI conducted a day long training program titled ‘Teachers Professional Development (TPD) in ICT’ at BIAM (Bangladesh Institute for Administration and Management) Foundation in Dhaka on 20 October 2008. This induction training was organized for the teachers of the 20 rural schools which have recently joined the GCE program. RI-SOL has connected these schools to the Internet through wireless GPRS technology. Read More

Call For Applications: ICT & Youth Leadership Training 2008 NEW!

Relief International –Bangladesh is offering a 2 days ICT & Youth Leadership Training for GCE Bangladeshi Youth students. Participants will be trained in the use of technology and communication equipment to promote social activities and community development. The training will enhance the skills of these youth leaders to act as catalysts in their communities by transferring their knowledge about technology and development to other youth in their communities through utilization of the technology resources available at their school’s Internet Learning Centre (ILC). Read More

Download Application Form


Kansas students exchange information boxes with Bangladeshi schools NEW!

Rani Bilashmoni Govt. Boys High School in Gazipur and John Marshall Middle School in Wichita Kansas are set to exchange its FIRST Information box. This exchange is part of the latest GCE online collaborative project aimed at exchange of information about a country and its culture first hand. The project will hopefully spark steady communication between Bangladeshi and American Students through the exchange of a series of information boxes on a periodical basis. Read More

Download Application Form

Media Telecenter Workshop at Bramhanbaria High School NEW!

Relief International Bangladesh is planning to host another Media Telecenter workshop at Bramhanbaria High School on 16 October 2008. The objective of this workshop is to focus on providing access to media resources and simultaneously educating the people about the role of media in protecting human rights. Through the workshop, the students, local journalists and civil society representatives will learn about the use and integration of Information and Communication Technologies in Journalism and Media advocacy. Read More

Download Forms
Form1, Form2


“The Flat Classroom Project” NEW!

The Flat Classroom Project is a global Hands-on working together project for middle and senior high school students. It was founded by Vicki Davis (Westwood Schools, USA) and Julie Lindsay (Quatar Academy, Quarter). The project uses Web 2.0 tools to make communication and interaction between students and teachers from all participating classrooms easier. Read More

GCE BD teachers join the global online projects: NEW!
“International Postcard Exchange”

Rani Bilashmoni Govt. Boys High School in Gazipur has joined the online collaborative project titled “International Postcard Exchange”. Mrs. Melissa Schur, St. John Vianney School in San Jose in California in the U.S.A., is in charge of coordinating this project. The main objective of the international Post Card Exchange project is to involve students worldwide to create postcards showcasing their country, culture, school, teachers and so on and engage in International exchange. A group of schools comprising of St. John Fisher School (Canada), Collège "Les Franchises"(Europe), Speak Up English Language School (Serbia), Institute Comprensivo "G.Galilei" (Italy) and Shchors, Chernigov region (Ukraine) have participated in this project so far. The Rani Bilasmoni Govt. Boys School, one of the 50 GCE schools in Bangladesh, has also contributed to the project, the information of which is available at http://mslss.edublogs.org/.

Youth Journalism and Human Rights Camp’ NEW!

Relief International (RI) is planning to host a three day residential ‘Youth Journalism and Human Rights Camp’ under the umbrella of its European Union -Media Access and Education for Human Rights Program from the 27th till 29th of October2008 at BRAC, TARC in Savar. This Camp is targeted for youth enrolled in the secondary level education in class IX, X or XII (between the ages of 14 to 18 years) interested to acquire knowledge on Human Rights and/or Journalism issues. The participants will be selected on a competitive basis with special preference given to the disadvantaged students from ethnic minorities and needy backgrounds. Female students are encouraged to apply.
Please note that students will not be charged for their participation. Moreover travel stipend will be provided to offset any transportation costs involved.

The last date of submitting the application is 21st October 2008.
For any further information please contact the RI Country office, Dhaka.

Camp Information
Application Form

The Disney Minnie Grants GYSD 2009 (U.S. and International Applicants) NEW!

The Walt Disney Company and Youth Service America are excited to announce grants of up to $500 to support child-led service projects. These grants support children (ages 5-14) in planning and implementing service projects in their community. Teachers, older youth (15-25), and youth-serving organizations are also eligible to apply, if they engage younger children in planning and implementing the project. Read More

New Schools Online Education Website- A passport to global citizenship! NEW!

This September Relief International Schools Online (RI-SOL) launched its new Online Education website -http://SchoolsOnline.org. The website is envisaged to be the passport to global citizenship for all the teachers and students engaged in the RI programs and activities. It will enable the RI SOL community to allow students to create their own accounts such as that of MSN Space, Facebook (social networking websites) and collaborate with their peers abroad on educational and service projects. Read More

Award giving Ceremony for ICT and Youth Grant 2008 held in Dhaka NEW!

The ICT and Youth Grant Award ceremony took place in TARC- BRAC, Savar, Dhaka on 31st August 2008. 41 children from various schools in Dhaka, Tongi, Gazipur, Comilla, Jessore and Chittagong participated in this competition. Only 5 projects were selected as the ICT and Youth Grant Award Winners. The participants were evaluated on performance in five areas namely Objectivity (Achievement/Effectiveness), Innovation, Appropriateness, Motivation and Replication/Usefulness. The winners of the competition received an award certificate accompanied by a small grant to implement their ICT based project.Read about the Winning Projects
Read More

Celebrating the International Youth Day NEW!

“Youth and Climate Change: Time for Action” was the slogan for this years International Youth day celebration observed by two of the GLOBE Schools under Dhaka and Comilla cluster on 12th August, 2008. The objective of this celebration was to raise awareness about youth contribution towards the society.Read More

TVC Training in Comilla 2008 NEW!

RI-SOL BD conducted another training session under its “Technology Volunteer Corps Training Program” from 26th till the 28th of August 2008 for the schools participating in the GCEP program in its Comilla cluster. The training was held at the GCE Internet Learning Center (ILC) in the Yusuf Multipurpose Technical High School. There were a total of 19 participants consisting of students, teachers and community users from the Yusuf Multipurpose Technical High School, Chowara Girls' High School, Adventist International Missionary School, Chowara Adarshaw Degree College and Comilla Ajit Ghow College.Read More

Check out the Current Issue of RI SOL BD Newsletter NEW!

The aim of this Newsletter is to keep interested public informed about the RI activities taking place in Bangladesh.

Newsletter (January- August 2008)

Few highlights of this issue are:

ICT and Youth Grant 2008;
GLOBE Inception Workshop held in Dhaka;
RI-SOL joins hands with D. NET for GCEP Expansion;
Focus Group Discussion on “Youth Involvement in Civic Engineering and Volunteerism”;
UNESCAP Bangkok officials visit GCEP ILC etc…

Should you wish to give any comment or feedback on this newsletter issue, please write to


Technology Volunteer Corps Training Program in Chittagong NEW!

RI-SOL conducted a training program for the GCEP Chitaggong cluster from 21st of July till 23rd of July 2008 under the “Technology Volunteer Corps Training Program” . The training was held at the GCE ILC in Wireless Jhawtala Colony High School. There were a total of 18 participants consisting of students, teachers and community users from two schools namely Wireless Jawtala Colony High School and Pahartali Girls’ High School. The purpose of this training was to develop their dexterity in ICT use plus provide necessary management support to their respective ILCs. The training covered various relevant issues including Hardware assembling, operating system and software installation, setting up Internet Connection, Email, Website browsing, Web Blog etc. Read More
Media Coverage
Photo Gallery

RI-SOL Joins Hands with D. Net for GCEP Expansion NEW!

Relief International- Schools Online (RI-SOL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with D. Net (Development Research Network) on 26th of July 2008 to implement the Global Connection and Exchange Program through 20 school based Computer Learning Centers (CLC) in Bangladesh. RI SOL will support D Net to connect the 20 CLCs to the Internet This co-operation will also focus on GCE activities which include online collaborative projects coordinated centrally by RI-SOL Dhaka and USA office, Teacher Professional Development (TPD) training, ICT Youth Leadership Training, Technology Volunteer Corps, International teachers and students exchange etc. This agreement marks a significant leap for RI-SOL in expanding GCE activities across the country. Read More
Media Coverage 1
Media Coverage 2
Media Coverage 3

Focus Group Discussion on “Youth Involvement in Civic Engagement and Volunteerism” NEW!

Students of Rani Bilashmoni Government Boys School, Sirajuddin Sarkar Vidya Niketon and Joydepur girls High School participated in a group discussion on “Youth Involvement in Civic Engagement and Volunteerism” held at the ILC in Rani Bilashmoni Government Boys High School on 7th July 2008. The objective behind this forum was to get an overview about Youth’s mindset with regard to Civic Engagement, Volunteerism, Social awareness and its contribution to the social development.Read More

i EARN visits Relief International NEW!

On Thursday July 17, 2008 Ms. Farah S. Kamal, Country Director of iEARN-Pakistan and Dr. Edwin Gragert, Executive Director of iEARN-USA visited Relief International- Schools Online (RI-SOL) in Bangladesh for mutual discussion on working collectively in future. iEARN ( International Education and Resource Network), based in the USA, is a non profit organization working in 115 countries.



Teacher Professional Development Training in Comilla NEW!

As part of the Global Connection and Exchange initiative, a Teacher Professional Development (TPD) training session was held at the ILC of Yusuf Multipurpose Technical High School on the 29th and 30th of June 2008. The objective of this training was to ensure that the teachers were well-equipped with enhanced skills to incorporate the use of ICT in their teaching methods. Read More



Winning Projects of Environment Day 2008 Competition NEW!

In order to encourage GCE students to engage in environment activism, RI SOL GLOBE program organised a competition on the occasion of this year’s Environmental Day. Participants of this year’s Environment Day celebration were invited to write a one page Project Concept Note on any environmental issues. Twenty students submitted their entries on various topics ranging from tree plantation and classroom cleaning to community awareness on environmental issues. Five best project concept notes were selected as winners of the competition. RI SOL GLOBE Program Team will collaborate with the winners to implement the winning projects. Read More and Wining List

UNESCAP Bangkok officials visit GCE ILC at Uttar Badda Madrasa

Officials from United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Bangkok recently visited a GCE Internet Learning Center at Uttar Badda Kamil Madrasa in Dhaka cluster. During the visit, Mr. Clovis Freire and Dr. John Timothy Denny from Information, Communication and Space Technology Division at the UNESCAP met a group of GCE students and teachers at the ILC. Read More
More Photos


International research team visits GCE ILC in Gazipur NEW!

On 5 June, 2008, an international research team visited the GCE Internet Learning Center (ILC) at Rani Bilashmoni High School in Gazipur. The team met GCE students, teachers, community members and RI SOL staffs to discuss impacts of access to information on schools and communities. The visit was a part of an international study on public access to information being carried out jointly by Washington University in the USA, Development and Research Network and Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee in Bangladesh. The participating countries in the study are Bangladesh, Nicaragua and Chile.Read More

GCE Students March to End Child Hunger

On 1st June 2008, more than one thousand GCE students from 22 schools in Dhaka, Gazipur, Chittagong, Comilla, Jessore, Kustia in Bangladesh joined the "Walk the World 2008", a global event to raise awareness about child hunger. The largest Walk took place in Dhaka which was joined by more than 500 children, celebrities, staffs of UN agencies in Bangladesh, Standard Chartered Bank, TNT and Hellen Keller. GCE Students from Rani Bilashmoni School in Gazipur joined the grand Walk in Dhaka which was coordinated by the WFP. The other grand rally took place in Jessore which was attended by three GCE schools in the region.Read More

Walk the World 2008

Date :1 June, 2008
Venue: All GCE core, partner and associate schools in Bangladesh

RI-SOL in collaboration with the UN World Food Program in Bangladesh will organize a number of events/activities to celebrate the Walk the World 2008 throughout its network of schools across Bangladesh. Walk the World is the world's largest annual global fundraising event and was first launched by TNT in 2004. This year On June 1st, WFP together with its corporate partners TNT and Unilever will once again take to the streets to raise funds and awareness for the 59 million children that attend primary school hungry. For more information on the event: Click Here
Read More

Second GLOBE Teacher Workshop Held in Dhaka

The Second GLOBE Workshop was held at RI Dhaka office on 12th May, 2008. The overall objective of the workshop was to introduce the GLOBE program to newly recruited GLOBE Lead Teachers and to discuss GLOBE protocol in implementing the project activities in Bangladeshi schools.
The day long workshop was attended by existing GLOBE Lead Teachers as well as the newly recruited GLOBE Lead Teachers. A total of six teachers attended the workshop. Ms. Lazina Sharmin, Education and Exchange Coordinator and RI GLOBE Coordinator moderated the workshop while the GLOBE Coordinator for Bangladesh, Mr. Habibur Rahman conducted several sessions on issues such as protocol of the GLOBE, lesson plan strategy on hydrology and data entry methods on GLOBE web portal. Mr. Rahman also demonstrated use of Global Positioning System ( GPS) to the workshop participants. Read More

GCE Bangladesh Celebrates GYSD 2008

As part of the Global Connections and Exchange Program, Relief International observed the 9th Global Youth Service Day 2008 in April throughout its GCE school network in Bangladesh. This year GYSD was celebrated by 23 GCE schools in Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla, Jessore, Khulna, Bagerhat, Kustia, Tongi, Rangunia and Gazipur. The participating schools organized a number of community service projects ranging from students rally to project on Global Warming, from women education project to group discussion on disaster management and preparedness. Read More
GYSD 2008 Picture Gallery

International Online Conference on Agenda 21

On 8 May 2008, three GCE students from Yusuf Multipurpose School in Comilla, British American Technology and Management Institute in Dhaka and Pahartali Girls High School in Chittagong participated in the Agenda 21, an international online conference hosted by him German UNESCO Associated Schools (ASPnet Germany) and the Baltic Sea Project. The theme for the conference was Transport and Communication Developing the 21st Century. To learn more about the online conference, please visit: agenda21now
Read More

GCE Bangladesh selected as a finalist for Stockholm Challenge Award 2008

GCE Bangladesh program has ben selected as one of the finalists for the Stockholm Challenge Award 2008 . The Stockholm Challenge Award is an ICT for development programme at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Sweden. It culminates in the Challenge Week Event, May 19-22, 2008. The Stockholm Challenge 2008 features a six category Award for ICT for Development projects. The best projects will win the prestigious Stockholm Challenge trophies. The prize ceremony will take place in the City Hall on May 22, in the evening. An extended program of workshops, conference, study visits and social gatherings will bring together the most inspiring ICT entrepreneurs, researchers and students from all over the world to share experiences and knowledge.Read More

Bangladeshi Students Celebrates Earth Day 2008

GCE students in Bangladesh joined the global celebration of the Earth Day through web chat, public rally and Internet research on environment, tree plantation in school campus and focus group discussion. Three GLOBE schools in Dhaka and Comilla cluster celebrated the Earth Day on 22 April 2008. The activities undertaken by the students, teachers and community members were aimed at raising awareness about the importance of the Earth Day and the role youth can play in protecting our Mother Earth. Read More

Worldwide Freedom for the Worldwide Web: U.S. Efforts to Protect Internet Freedom

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice established the Global Internet Freedom Task Force (GIFT) in February 2006 as an internal State Department coordination group to address challenges to freedom of expression and the free flow of information on the Internet. GIFT's core aims are to maximize freedom of expression and the free flow of information and ideas, to minimize the success of repressive regimes in censoring and silencing legitimate debate, and to promote Internet access.Read More

Bangladeshi students discusses US Election in international online Forum

In March, two GCE schools in Bangladesh ( Sirajuddin Sarker Vidyaniketan and British American Technology and Management Institute in Dhaka cluster) took part in a vibrant online discussion on United States Elections and Presidential Race hosted by IREX Washington DC. The online forum started on March 24 and run through March 28, 2008.Michelle Austin and George Burkes jointly moderated the online forum. George Burkes has worked as a reference specialist for the US State Department in the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) for three-and-a-half years. Prior to working at the State Department, he worked for twelve years for the Congressional Research Service. Read More

International Women Day celebrated in Bangladesh

On 8 March 2008, several GCE schools in Bangladesh organized day long activities including rally, open discussion about the womens right and the present situation of women in family, society & country to celebrate IWD. More than 250 students, community members and teachers attended various activities to commemorate the day.Photo Gallery

GCE Students participated in Human Rights and Journalism Camp in Dhaka

Relief International organized a Youth Journalism and Human Rights camp as a part of its ongoing project titled 'Media Access and Education for Human Rights: Bangladesh'. The project is aimed at making the marginalized youth and communities aware of the power of media to influence society and making media accessible to them. The project targets the rural and semi urban youths, local journalists, media professionals and the public at large, and implements enabling technologies appropriate to the existing infrastructure. More information on the project can be found at www.media-humanrights.org. This project is built on ECA supported Global Connections and Exchange. Read More
Photo Gallery

Media Coverage
The Daily New Nation, 24 March 2008
The Daily New Age
Young People's Media Network

Award giving Ceremony for ICT and Youth Grant Held in Dhaka

On 20 March, 2008, a group of enthusiastic students gathered at RI Dhaka office to receive ICT and Youth Grant Award. Ten winners from Comilla, Chittagong, Jessore and Dhaka attended the day long event took place at RI Dhaka office. The winners also participated in some group activities including presentation of action plan and key activities of the winning projects. A session on web site creation using free blog site such as wordpress and blogpost was also part of the event. Winners committed that they would publicize their project activities through websites and community meetings.
Photo Gallery

Winners of ICT and Youth Grant Announced

After a long and anxious wait, the results of the ICT and Youth Grant are finally announced. RI SOL invited applications from Bangladeshi youth (up to 18 years old) to participate in an ICT and Youth Grant competition. (Please find the announcement here.) The grant competition is part of Global Connections and Exchange Program-Bangladesh. The GCE is a project of Relief International-Schools Online which has set up internet enabled computer centers in 27 schools in 10 districts in Bangladesh to facilitate ICT based education and cross cultural projects for students, teachers and communities.Read More

GLOBE Inception Workshop held in Dhaka

The Inception workshop on the GLOBE project was held on 4 February 2008 at RI Bangladesh Country Office in Dhaka. The key objective of the day long workshop was to introduce the GLOBE to the participating students and teachers in Bangladesh. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program. GLOBE's vision is to promote and support students, teachers and scientists to collaborate on inquiry-based investigations of the environment and the Earth system working in close partnership with NASA and NSF Earth System Science Projects in study and research about the dynamics of Earth's environment. Read More

Podcast: Scenes from a Bangladeshi Telecentre

Check out Andy Carvin's video montage of a RI-SOL telecenter based in Chowara Girls School at Comilla from this link:

- http://mefeedia.com/entry/117012/ (opens new window)



February 2008
So You Think You Can Dance? (Global) This lesson plan shows students how traditional dancing is a unique cultural tradition in many societies, yet connected to other traditions in many ways. This lesson also requires students to think of the role cultural dance plays in their community, and to help revive the importance of cultural dance. Students will interact with other youth participating in cultural dance in other countries. They will engage the youth in conversation about the similarities between traditions. Students will also visit local organizations that practice and promote traditional dance. The plan culminates with a project documenting what they have learned. Students will take photographs and make documentaries about traditional dance, and possibly even document themselves performing cultural dance.
Who's Online
We have 13 guests online

Latest News

Popular