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GCE Bangladesh Celebrates GYSD 2008 |
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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.
Global Youth Service Day is the largest annual celebration of young volunteers, where millions of young people in countries everywhere highlight and carry out thousand of community improvement projects. Relief International has been celebrating the Global Youth Service Day in Bangladesh since 2005 as part of its Global Connections and Exchange Program Bangladesh.
‘Cleaning My School Campus’:
‘Cleaning My School Campus’-this was the slogan for the GYSD celebration in 8 GCE Schools. The schools participated in the service projects include Pahartali Girls’ High School, Agrabad Govt. Colony High School, Steel Mills High School, Maizpara Mahamudunnabi High School in Chittagong District, Chowara Girls’ High School and Adventist International Missionary in Comilla Cluster, Uttar Badda Madrasa in Dhaka cluster and Begum Hamida Siddique Collegiate School in Kustia district.
Plant Tree, Fight Global Warming:
 Four GCE schools in Chittagong cluster promised to fight Global Warming through raising awareness about the role of tree plantation in their communities. Students and teachers at Agrabad Kolo Kakoli High School, Khawaja Ajmeri High School, Yusuf Multipurpose High School and British American Technology and Management Institute organized rallies and tree plantation program at their campus. In order to make people aware about the Global Warming the students also organized Street Talk Shows as part of the GYSD celebration.
Water and Sanitation:
 Lack of hygienic sanitation and clean water are two common problems in most Bangladeshi villages. Most villagers are unaware of the negative impacts of unhygienic sanitation on their health and well being. In order to raise awareness about the importance of hygienic sanitation and clean water students and teachers at Wireless Jhawtala High School and Garib-e-Newaz High School in Chittagong organized a series of events as part of the GYSD celebration. Teachers led by the GCE Education Lead Teachers hosted a discussion at ILC to teach consequences of using unsafe sanitation. Students also visited households in their communities to talk about importance of hygienic sanitation and drinking clean water. They also replied many questions on the same issues asked by the community members.
GYSD 2008 Picture Gallery
Fighting Avian Influenza:  GCE Associate School in Tongi, British American Technology & Management Institute organized community meetings to raise awareness about Avian Influenza and how their community can work together reduce the risks of the endemic. The students distributed informational booklets on Avian Influenza published by the concerned Government authorities.
Say ‘No’ to Child Labor: The students at the Rani Bilash Moni Govt. Boys High School in Gazipur surveyed their community to identify working children. About 10 working children were identified to attend the life skill workshop took place at the ILC. Some participating students decided to spend at least one day each week to help improve life skills of the working children.
Youth Volunteerism:  Meher Afjal High School in Chittagong organized a big rally as part of the GYSD celebration. About 500 students, teachers, community people participated in the rally. Through the rally the students raised awareness about the important roles youth can play in community development.
Food for Homeless:  Students in Yusuf Multipurpose High School and Shoilorani Girls’ High School in Comilla raised funds to provide food to homeless people in their town. Through this project the students were aware of the problems of homelessness.
Working for “Education for All’:More than one hundred students and community members in Rangunia took part in rally to advocate for ‘Education for All. The students also organized a street talk show to raise awareness about the importance of education.
Safe Driving: Students at Jessore Badshah Faisal Islamic School organized a program to raise awareness about traffic rules. GCE students led by their teachers visited a nearby bus terminal and met a group of drivers to talk about the traffic rules.
Disaster Management: Students at Khan Jahania Gonobiddayalaya in Bagerhat, one of the schools affected by the Super cyclone, Sidr in November in 2007, organized a public meeting on disaster management and preparedness. More than 40 community member attended the public meeting to discuss the impact of Sidr on their communities and how better they can prepare themselves for similar natural disasters in future.
Youth in Community Development:  Khulna Alia Madrasa highlighted the role of young people in community development. A group discussion took place at the school ILC to discuss various aspects of GYSD including its relevance in community development through the community services projects carried out by GYSD participants around the globe.
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