Empowerment

Empowered by Law

Empowered by Law

Being unaware of your rights is as good as not having any by Raeed Abd-Allah Chowdhury After getting married, Bilkis was emotionally and physically abused by her in-laws for not bringing in enough dowry. The law in Bangladesh criminalizes the extraction of dowry from...

Momota: Matriarch

Momota: Matriarch

Momota has been married for over 10 years, and lives with her husband and two sons on a riverine island (char) called Khockhali in Gaibandha district. Even though it has been quite some time, Momota has yet to receive her mehr (dower), a mandatory payment from the...

Josna Rani: A Queen in Her Own Right

Josna Rani: A Queen in Her Own Right

Rani, meaning queen in Bangla, lives up to her namesake. She was the oldest among her siblings in the remote village of Radhabalabh, 28 km from the nearest district town. At the age of 15, Josna Rani’s family married her off to a day labourer; being forced to do so...

Chandra Banu: Never Too Late

Chandra Banu: Never Too Late

When Chandra was a girl, she lived in a char (riverine island) so remote that she did not have any access to education. In her village there were no schools, or even opportunities to learn in an informal setting. She lived most of her life without even knowing how to...

Akhi: Wise Beyond Her Years

Akhi: Wise Beyond Her Years

Twelve-year-old Akhi is a student at one of Friendship’s secondary schools. She is one of five children in a family living in the chars of Bangladesh.  Since her mother stays at home to take care of the house and children, the burden of earning household income...

I got an A+

I got an A+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTaWRBQef6g Friendship News DeskJanuary 30, 2020 Results time has traditionally been a time for celebrations at Friendship schools, since our students are used to outperforming their peers around the country in spite of their relatively...

Socrates in School – an ethical education

Socrates in School – an ethical education

Artwork by 10-year-old Samima, student of a Friendship Learning Centre in the Rohingya refugee camps. Building people with character is core to strengthening the future of our planet by Claire Hamid Many of us learn ethics simply through the inevitable turbulence of...

Fighting for a Fair Chance

Fighting for a Fair Chance

Friendship paralegal in Gaibandha fights for a 12-year-old girl to give her exam and stay in school by NAUSHAD ALI HUSEINJanuary 28, 2020 It’s exam day for the grade fivers. The exam centre buzzes with activity as students arrive and prepare to take the test. As exam...

Express Yourself

Express Yourself

We like what you're wearing! But how's the weather, lately? by Rad Sharar bin Kamal The extreme heat of the summer gave no pause to the managers of the global fashion industry, despite climate change popping up on headlines worldwide. Once the heat subsided, shelves...

Shamim’s Woes

Shamim’s Woes

Shamim Mia is a student of class 8 at a Friendship Secondary School. These secondary schools use a proprietary ICT-aided system that combines lessons that are pre-recorded by teachers from reputed schools in Dhaka, computers and monitors, and solar technology to power...