Zakat Foundation of America Makes Education a Reality for Bangladeshi Children

While developed countries are granted many privileges of having modern programs made to settle arising issues, not everyone has those worldly benefits. Undeveloped countries, such as Bangladesh, are not equipped with those kinds of amenities to easily progress through their everyday lives. Unfortunately, not many people are aware of these sorts of issues because they tend to be outside of their local radius.

As of January 15, 2017, Zakat Foundation of America’s Pre-Primary School in Bangladesh has been growing. This program houses 24 daycare children and 11 kindergartners. These students come together at the end of the school year in celebrating the end of their first term by playing different games during a field day event. As the classes began again for the next term, students were given new books, notebooks, backpacks, clothing and various other supplies to keep them fully prepared for school.

Students who enroll into this program usually come from difficult backgrounds. A newly enrolled student, 6-year-old Abhoy*, had to deal with the loss of his father due to cancer and his mother had no relatives to help. His mother gathered money working as a housemaid and was able to start paying rent to a home for her family, and she found this program to enroll both her son and daughter in.

I don’t want to work. I want to study. I enjoy studying and I am very happy now,” Abhoy said.

Another student, Sumon*, is enrolled in the pre-primary program. Along with her five siblings, she is torn between her separated parents. Her grandparents are her guardians and gave her a job at a market stand selling snacks. When Zakat Foundation of America intervened, they were able to take her out of work and enroll her in education, under her grandparents’ consent.

She comes to school regularly and is a very bright and good student. She loves to study and is always eager to learn more,” said Zakat Foundation of America field workers of Bangladesh.

* Names have been changed for confidentiality reasons

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