The story of Mahinur, 14 years old, who thanks to the Sddb program of the Catholic organization was able to embark on the path of schooling. Coming from a poor family, he faced marginalization and indifference for a long time; Now she dreams of being a teacher. Like her, 6,378 people in eight districts receive help.
Gazipur () – «Caritas has shown me the way to the light. And I believe that one day I will be able to count on my own strength and alleviate the suffering of my parents. Mahinur, 14, is a disabled girl full of talents, who tells that she dreams of being a teacher one day. Born into a very poor family of nine members, in the Barishal district, in south-central Bangladesh, with her father Ali Akbar, a daily wage worker, and her mother Golapi Begum, a housewife, she has to share the meager resources with six other brothers.
In a context of serious difficulties, the young woman found help in the Caritas Bangladesh project entitled “Promotion of inclusive communities for older people, people with disabilities and drug addicts/drug users in Bangladesh (Sddb)”, which she learned about after a visit by volunteers . As part of the initiative, Mahinur became a member of the Probin Protibondi Hitoishi Club, which he regularly and actively attends, visiting the homes of other colleagues and gathering information and news about their problems, with a spirit of collaboration that has earned him the position of secretariat.
Mahinur regularly attends class VIII. In the first days of school, his classmates showed an attitude of indifference, if not hostility in some cases, but his joining the club and the contribution of the Cáritas project have allowed him to reinforce his educational level, also thanks to scholarships and incentives. This support has increased her interest in books, while her teachers express their satisfaction with the girl’s enthusiasm and interest, which provides her with additional motivation. Reflecting on her journey with Cáritas, the young woman says: “The project has provided me with educational support and motivation, and I am sure that it will continue to serve people and make a difference day after day.”
Today, her family is also willing to encourage and support her, dreaming of a better future for her. Today she frequently participates in Sddb project training courses and seminars, learning and challenging herself. Her acceptance in rural society is gradually increasing and she is becoming more self-confident as her knowledge and skills increase. Like Mahinur, Caritas Bangladesh finds solutions for people with disabilities through various projects, from which thousands of people have benefited and continue to benefit.
According to the National Survey of Persons with Disabilities (Nspd) 2022 of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (Bbs), there are almost 4.3 million people with disabilities in the country, mostly physically challenged. These are people who face significant delays and obstacles in accessing healthcare, education and employment. Only 40% of disabled people attend school, and only 27% participate in economic or work activities. However, with the necessary support, people with disabilities could become an asset to the nation.
A three-day national meeting dedicated to people with disabilities, promoted under the Sddb project of Caritas Bangladesh, has just concluded at the Holy Cross Pastoral and Retreat Center in Bhadun, near Dhaka. More than 200 people with disabilities from 24 different areas of the country attended the meeting. Daud Jibon Das, program director of Caritas Bangladesh, emphasizes that the Christian organization has been “working for more than 50 years to improve the lives of marginalized people.” Through the Caritas Sddb project, spread across eight regions, up to 6,378 people have benefited from aid and improved their lives. Shahadat Hossain, a social worker from Gazipur upazila, adds that “in the past, families used to hide people with disabilities out of shame. Thanks to various governmental and non-governmental efforts, people with disabilities are now openly demanding their rights.”
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