Mentors and friends

We are experienced professionals, university and school students, from all over the world.

We are truly inspired by how the EDS children and youth. Although they live in very stressful environments and have experienced challenges we can’t even imagine, they go back to school to complete their education and even mentor other children and youth to do the same. They show in practice that every child and youth is a resource who can influence their own life, their family and community in positive ways and create a more humane world together. They have created a learning community based on love, freedom, empowerment, democracy and joy. We have a lot to learn from their endurance, perseverance, willpower to never give up and faith that everything is possible.

Although the EDS children and youth have created positive changes in their community, they still face enormous negative pressure from family, friends and the community who tell they waste their time on volunteerism, EDS has no value, they are stupid and not able learners and they are called bad words when they think critically, have independent opinions and challenge the gender roles expected of them.

To the EDS children and youth, international people have high social capital. It’s unthinkable for a vulnerable child or youth in Bangladesh that international people will talk with or care about them. So, when we acknowledge the EDS children and youth’s volunteer work, it increases their confidence in themselves and that their EDS engagement is valuable. This gives them increased energy to endure any challenge and reach their goals of education and helping others. It also motivates their families and friends to realize the importance of EDS, so they become more supportive.

Also, students and professors from the Khulna University (KU) and the Khulna University of Technology and Engineering (KUET), both renounced universities in Bangladesh, are mentors and friends of EDS. The students teach and mentor the EDS children and youth school subjects and the value of education. They also engage in the EDS action research.