Global Fund for Children (GFC) emphasizes funding cohorts, groups of organizations with shared interests, to harness social capital and foster transformative change. Within the Addressing Root Causes (ARC) initiative, I co-facilitated the Mangrove Hills Cohort…

During a recent SALT session in the Basa Line area of Bhatpara Tea Garden, I had the privilege of meeting a young girl whose story of compassion and strength touched everyone present. Her experience reminded us how acts of kindness, even in the face of loss, can shape our confidence and build stronger communities. 

Radhika shared that in December…

I am incredibly proud to be a daughter of Byaspur village. My love for my village, stories, and books has always been at the heart of my journey. This blog is a reflection of how a small idea in our community has sparked meaningful change, strengthened bonds, and nurtured a culture of storytelling and reading.

Listening to the…

Today, during the GFC Bangladesh Cohort’s self-assessment meeting, I experienced something truly inspiring. As we reflected on our journey together, I noticed how smoothly and quickly we were able to make collective decisions. It wasn’t just about efficiency—it felt like a sign of deeper understanding among us as a team.

Each of us brought our own perspectives, ideas, and experiences to the discussion, yet our conversation flowed effortlessly. It felt as though we’re beginning to…

অনেকদিন ধরেই কমিউনিটির একটি স্বপ্ন ছিল—নিজেদের কমিউনিটিতে গাছ লাগিয়ে সবুজে ঘেরা একটি সুন্দর পরিবেশ তৈরি করা। ড্রিম বিল্ডিং সেশনে সেই স্বপ্নটি আরও স্পষ্ট হয়ে ওঠে। কিন্তু দীর্ঘদিন বন্যার পানি জমে থাকায় তারা তখন বৃক্ষরোপণ শুরু করতে পারেনি।এখন সময় ও আবহাওয়া উপযুক্ত হওয়ায়, কমিউনিটির মানুষজন নিজেরাই উদ্যোগ নিয়ে সেই স্বপ্ন বাস্তবায়নে নেমে পড়েছেন। একসাথে তারা বিভিন্ন স্থানে গাছ লাগানো শুরু করেছেন। তাদের বিশ্বাস, আজকের এই ছোট্ট চারাগুলো একদিন বড় হয়ে তাদের এলাকা করবে আরও সুন্দর ও প্রাণবন্ত।কমিউনিটি…

A few days ago, during the masculinity session at the RURAL AID office, the conversation with Kaushik da turned out to be deeply inspiring. It began with a SALT Conversation during which many of his strong qualities came forward — he is a person with a good heart, always stands by others, has a positive mindset, and does not lose focus when facing challenges. He also believes that cooperation and standing together is his duty.…

During the masculinity session held in the Basa Line area of Bhatpara Tea Garden, the experience of conversing with two young men was deeply inspiring. The session began with a SALT conversation, which revealed several of their strong qualities—they are kind-hearted, respectful towards everyone, always stand by others in times of trouble, value true friendship, and are well-wishers of their village community. These qualities show that they not only hold positivity in their character but also…

Today, a group SALT activity was conducted with middle-aged and elderly men. It was a meaningful experience that brought together diverse thoughts and experiences. The main topic of discussion was “concerns and their possible solutions.” Together, the participants reached a consensus on taking concrete steps to address these issues.

Everyone shared…

In the quiet surroundings of the Basa Line area in Bhatpara Tea Garden, a simple yet powerful story emerged during a recent SALT session with a 21-year-old youth named Feroz. His account of a helping hand offered on an ordinary day resonated with profound lessons in kindness, unity, and community spirit.

Feroz recalled an incident from a few…

“Change Begins When We Believe We Can” — A Journey of Learning between Two Tea Garden Communities

On 19th September 2025, ten community members from Raimatang Tea Garden (Church Line) set out on a journey to Jathu Line, Dalsingpara community, the community which is not under the ARC. This wasn’t just a visit — it was an opportunity to witness how unity and determination can transform a…

‎I am Sumita Bin, a facilitator at Arshirbad Organization. My work in the community is not only about listening to people’s life stories, it is also my passion. I search for their strengths, speak of their dreams, and together we reflect on how they can bring positive changes in their own lives. Every day, I learn something new. But recently, one experience…

"অফিসিয়াল স্টাফদের মাঝে গ্রুপ SALT সেশন"

অফিসের স্টাফদের সঙ্গে Masculinity Individual SALT করার পর, কিছু কর্মকর্তা ও কর্মচারীকে নিয়ে একটি Group SALT আয়োজন করি। এই সেশনে পুরুষ ও মহিলা—সব শ্রেণির স্টাফ অংশগ্রহণ করেন। সবাই নিজেদের ভাবনা, অভিজ্ঞতা ও অনুভূতি খোলামেলা ভাবে শেয়ার করেন। একে অপরের কথা মন দিয়ে শোনা ও বোঝার মাধ্যমে সম্পর্কের ভেতরে একটি পারস্পরিক সম্মান ও বোঝাপড়ার পরিবেশ তৈরি হয়।

★ নারীদের নিজের বাড়ি নেই:

মেয়েরা ছোটবেলায় বড় হয় বাবা–মায়ের ঘরে। তারপর বিয়ের পর যায়…

আমি কখনো ভাবিনি আমি এবং আমার স্বামী আমাদের সংসারে সমানভাবে, সমান ঘন্টা কাজ করি। গতো এক মাস হলো আমাদের সংসার জীবন শুরু হয়েছে। আগে যখন বাবা-মায়ের সঙ্গে থাকতাম, প্রায়ই আব্বুকে বলতে শুনতাম“এতো কাজ শেষ হয় না কেন? সারাদিন কি করো?” তবু দেখতাম, মাঝে মাঝে তিনি আম্মুর কাজে সাহায্য করেন, হয়তো কাপড় শুকিয়ে দিচ্ছেন, কিংবা বাজারের ব্যাগটা হাতে নিচ্ছেন। তখন এসব দৃশ্য আমার কাছে সাধারণ লাগতো। কিন্তু বিয়ের পর বুঝলাম, দুইজন কর্মজীবী মানুষের সংসার একদম অন্যরকম এক অভিজ্ঞতা। আমরা দুজনেই চাকরি করি, আর কোনো…

In a village called Kewndaha, I had a conversation with an old man named Jagai Hansda about masculinity. I first asked him what a man is or what do you mean by a man? He replied that I would first say a man who respects women. If there were no women, no human being would be born, then there is a division according to gender. A man means performing the most difficult duties. Of course, some duties are divided between men and women. He said that our times were not very good. We had to work in…

While walking around Nandwal village today, I saw a man cleaning his garden in front of his house, Rajaram Ulpe. The calm and contented expression on his face reflected how peacefully he spends his time in the company of nature. Upon greeting him, we sat under a chikoo tree and began our conversation.

His life story begins in the 1980s a time when…

During today’s SALT session at the Bhatpara Tea Garden, I had the honour of meeting Jugnu Chik Baraik ji, a respected 62-year-old elder from the Basa Line area. What he shared with me deeply moved my heart and taught me valuable lessons about humanity, compassion, and social unity. 

Jugnu ji narrated a poignant experience reflecting his kind and generous nature.…

On September 26, 2025, a heartfelt session on masculinity was held with the male staff of Rural Aid, facilitated by Nityam and Sanjeev.

Acknowledging the difficulty men often experience in discussing masculinity, the session began with a simple warm-up question: “What did you like the most today?” This eased participants into the dialogue, allowing…

In the heart of Bhatpara Tea Garden’s Basa Line lives Anil bhaiya, a 49-year-old parent whose life is steeped in compassion and courage. During a recent SALT conversation, 

he opened up about an inspiring incident that continues to fill him with pride.A few months ago, work took him to Kalchini, around 10–12 kilometers from his village. By the…

  বেশ কয়েক মাস যাবত ম্যাস্কিউলিনিটি নিয়ে কাজ করতে গিয়ে আমি একটি অভিজ্ঞতা অর্জন করেছি। কিছুদিন ধরে একিই দিনে প্রথমে আমি আমাদের কমিউনিটির একজন বড় সদস্য এবং পরে জয়নগর মাধ্যমিক বিদ্যালয়ের একজন ছোট শিক্ষার্থীর সঙ্গে ম্যাস্কিউলিনিটি সল্ট করি।

এই সময় আমি একটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ বিষয় উপলব্ধি করি— যখন আমরা ছোটদের সঙ্গে ম্যাস্কিউলিনিটি নিয়ে আলোচনা করি, তারা…

When we think about change in education, we often imagine big reforms or new facilities. But sometimes, change begins quietly inside a classroom, through one teacher’s motivation, care and creativity.

Last August 2025, I visited a low resourced community based Government Primary School in Bangladesh, where I had the opportunity to facilitate a SALT conversation with a teacher whose story touched me deeply. She has been teaching for many years and shared how much she loves her work…