In the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh, where Islamic extremists prey on vulnerable and uneducated women, the women are becoming educated and empowered to make positive changes in their communities and generate new economic opportunities. Children, in turn, have improved opportunities for breaking free of extremist ideologies and extreme poverty. Since 2006 the Amarok Society has been working to defeat ignorance through educating mothers. Mothers in slum neighbourhoods educate children too poor for school. On a daily basis these mothers pass on their education they receive to their own and neighbourhood children in their own huts. Amarok Society rents a room in one of the poorest areas in the slums of Dhaka to teach 25 mothers who, in turn, commit to educate at least 5 children in their own homes.
Rotary Club of Powell River has led a $9,750 project to fund the Amorak Society along with the Rotary Clubs of Pender Harbour Madeira Park, Gibsons and Sechelt and with a $3,250 Rotary District Grant from The Rotary Foundation.
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The funds were used to pay a very small salary to a teacher, rent a hut in the poorest slums, purchase school supplies for the mothers and children they will be teaching, books, a white board and other basic class room supplies. There are no tables and chairs.
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As the mothers and their children in the slum neighbourhoods become skilled in reading, writing and life skills they spur on positive changes in their families and neighbourhoods. Economic opportunities increase as women, and their students, learn to read and write. 25 mothers plus 5 children each equals 125 individuals directly plus the spin off, humanitarian values, decrease in family violence, job opportunities, decrease in child marriages, confidence building in dealing with authorities.
Children taught by the mothers have graduated from secondary school. Many have graduated from college and university. Once they have education, they can't become un-educated.
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The mothers no longer see themselves as victims and instead a positive force of change for all. For instance, although Bangladesh has the highest number of child brides in the world, in 20 of the 24 neighbourhoods served by the Amorak Society, there have been almost no child marriages in recent years. With new knowledge and confidence, these women have also caused city officials to repair ignored but needed walkways in the slums, fill pot holes and keep reduce power outs in these slums for the hottest times of the day.
To continue supporting the Amorak Society school a group was formed to have a puzzle designed and manufactured and more recently the Rotary Clubs of Powell River, Pender Harbour and Sechelt have been selling the puzzles to provide ongoing funding.