|
GCE Bangladesh Schools Celebrate Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) 2009 |
|
|
|
The Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) brought much excitement and anticipation along with it this year as Relief International-Schools Online Bangladesh decided to celebrate its importance. The organization carried out different community service projects from 24th to 26th April throughout its GCE schools network in
Bangladesh as part of the Global Connections and Exchange Program. GCE schools from all over Bangladesh Dhaka, Tongi, Gazipur, Comilla, Jessore and Chittagong participated actively in the program. The main objective was to highlight the value of computer education for disadvantaged children and other acts of community service.
GYSD is an annual global event that highlights and celebrates the contributions of youth to their communities through volunteer services. During Global Youth Service Day, youths around the world organize community service projects to address the needs of their local communities through service, to be recognized for their contributions, and to be a part of a global youth service movement. Relief International has been celebrating the Global Youth Service Day in Bangladesh since 2005 as part of its Global Connections and Exchange Program in the country.
Campaign against drug use: The teachers and students of Chowara Girls’ High School organized a project against drug addiction. Students actively prepared and put up posters with many slogans about the adverse effects of drug use and later formed a rally moving around the community.
Garbage Cleaning: A number of GCE Bangladesh schools from Jessore, Chittagong, and Comilla organized the Garbage Cleaning Project. They cleaned their school campus, class rooms, Internet Learning Center as well as their community. A rally was also held in their community in order to promote awareness about their environment and request everyone to keep their house and community clean.
Health Program: The students of Pahatali Girls’ High school in Chittagong arranged a basic health program for their community. Teachers and students went to the houses in the area and provided information about the basic health issues such as personal hygiene, balance diets, the correct procedure of washing hands, etc.
Zebra Crossing Repair and Creation of Decoration Pieces from Scrap Materials: The students of Rani Bilashmoni Govt. Boys High school in Gazipur organized these two activities. They repaired the zebra crossings in front of their school which was their community service project during GYSD celebration in 2006. The main objective of their project was to reduce the number of accidents that occur when people fail to use zebra crossings .They also made some decoration pieces such as flower, national monument, light etc. by the using scrap materials.
Computer education for disadvantaged children: On April 26 & 27 Relief International-Schools Online Bangladesh, in collaboration with Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs(BCCP), organized the computer education program for economically disadvantaged children. BCCP is implementing "IT Exploration For Children Center" (http://www.bangladesh-ccp.org/It-edu.html) at Mohammadpur in Dhaka. Students from two GCE schools, namely the British American Technology & Management Institute and Uttar Badda Islamia Kamil Madrashah, visited the IT Exploration Center and provided the basic computer training to the disadvantaged students over a period of two days. The GCE students were thrilled at the prospect of being able to provide this volunteer service to the disadvantaged children.
On the other hand, the students of the IT Exploration center were also very happy that they were able to acquire some basic computer knowledge from the GCE students. In order to further enable the students to learn the use of ICT tools, Relief International provided them with a digital camera. BCCP also provided some books about health and some comics to the GCE students.
The celebration of GYSD was a tremendous success as students and teachers together collaborated avidly and enthusiastically. The very essence of GYSD is passion and interest for volunteer activities to create a better community for all, and that is exactly what these participants had. Relief International looks forward to more celebrations like these in the future. |
