Learning Together in Pahariyapara with Arshirbad Team

[Nusrat Jahan Priya]

On 20 December, we—Sadia apu, Manira apu, and I—visited Mymensingh Pahariyapara Agamir School, a place deeply rooted in the hopes, efforts, and collective dreams of the community. The visit was both purposeful and emotionally grounding, as it created space for shared experiences, learning from one another, and witnessing the community’s growing sense of ownership.

Recently, the Pahariyapara community formed a group of local members to lead the baseline survey for the ARC initiative. Our main purpose was to share the lived experience of how the baseline survey was conducted in the Byaspur community.

Preparation and Grounding (20 December)

Before meeting the community, our team—Sadia apu, Manira apu, Selim bhai, Sumon bhai, and I—sat together at 6:20 pm on 20 December. This preparatory meeting was crucial. Sadia apu clearly outlined the agenda for the next day and shared how the Byaspur baseline survey was conducted step by step. Manira apu enriched the discussion by adding her own lived experiences from the field.

The purpose of this long, nearly three-hour conversation was to prepare Selim bhai and Sumon bhai for the upcoming community meeting. As community members themselves, they would be able to explain the survey process in familiar language, making it easier for people to relate and engage. By the end of the meeting, both Selim bhai and Sumon bhai felt confident and clear about their roles in the baseline survey.

That same night, Manira apu prepared her presentation for the next day. She carefully included photos from the Byaspur survey so that the Pahariyapara community could visually connect with the lived experience rather than seeing the process as something abstract or technical.

Community Meeting and Collective Ownership (21 December)

On 21 December, our meeting with the Pahariyapara community began at exactly 10:00 am—and their punctuality left me truly amazed. Children, parents, and elders all arrived on time, leaving behind their daily work to contribute to something they felt mattered. Their curiosity, enthusiasm, and openness filled the space.

We sat in a circle, just like our group SALT conversations, creating an environment of equality and trust. The meeting began with appreciation. Sadia apu thanked everyone for giving their valuable time despite their busy lives and for showing interest in becoming part of a research team.

She then asked a simple yet powerful question:

“What is your strength?”

One by one, people shared.
“I am a happy person, and I make others laugh,” one man said.
Selim bhai shared, “I try to live happily with everyone around me.”
A mother said, “I make sure my children go to school and study well—that is my strength.”

So many strengths emerged—small, honest, and deeply rooted in daily life. What stood out most was the way people asked questions whenever they felt confused. Some initially mixed up “strength” with “wish,” and instead of staying silent, they asked for clarification. This willingness to question and understand reflected true ownership—they wanted to learn, not just listen.

After the strength-sharing, Sadia apu asked why they wanted to conduct a baseline survey and why they wanted to be part of the research team. Their response was clear and collective: they wanted to identify the challenges holding their community back from development and wanted to solve the challenges together. Sadia apu appreciated them for their encouragement and  then she explained what a baseline survey is, why it matters, how it is conducted and about consent form..

Manira apu was then invited to share her experience from Byaspur. She explained the entire process beautifully—walking through the village, drawing maps, selecting households, taking consent, conducting both qualitative and quantitative surveys, analyzing findings, and finally sharing the results with the community.

What moved me deeply was how naturally she spoke. I had seen her prepare the night before, but during the presentation, she went beyond her slides. She spoke from experience, without nervousness, because she had lived the journey. Before the session, she had already connected with the community—talking with them, appreciating how they built their school. That connection gave her the confidence to speak from the heart.

Next, Sadia apu introduced the survey questionnaire. Community members were invited to review the survey questions, FGD and interview questions and add anything they felt was necessary to understand their challenges better. Everyone was divided into three groups. Manira apu, Selim bhai, and Sumon bhai acted as team guides, while Sadia apu moved around to ensure each group stayed on track. In the meantime Arshirbad team (Abir bhai, Manisha Didi, Sumita Didi) and their 3 community members  (Achol didi, Geeta didi and her son Gopal) joined us in our training. Manisha didi sat with Sumon bhai’s team, Sumita did joned Selim bhai’s team and Achal didi and Geeta didi joined Manira apa’s group. Manisha didi and Sumita didi supported our Sumon bhai, Selim bhai as they are new and also they shared their prior experience with the group. Their insights made the discussion even more impactful. True example of shared responsibility and knowledge transfer.

 

One moment that stayed with me was seeing a woman struggling to participate because she had to care for her small child. Even then, she tried her best to listen and contribute. Her dedication was quiet but powerful.

After an hour, each group presented the questions they wanted to add.

Manira apu’s group proposed questions such as:

• Why are girls falling behind in education?
• Why does child marriage still exist in our community, and who is responsible?
• What is our responsibility in stopping child labor?
• How can we prevent school dropouts due to financial challenges using our own strengths?

Sumon bhai’s group added:

• Why are we facing these challenges?
• How are some people contributing to social change?
• How can we use our existing resources more effectively?

After the presentations, Sadia apu appreciated every team for their effort. The community then identified 14 people to interview and decided to conduct four FGDs and 141 surveys. When asked about the timeline, they didn’t simply agree—they reflected. Acknowledging their daily responsibilities, they proposed conducting the survey on Fridays. The first date was fixed for 26 December, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. This decision-making clearly showed their ownership of the process. 

Sadia apu then shared how the Byaspur community presented their findings through Jari Gan. The Pahariyapara community reflected on this and suggested alternatives such as Islamic songs and drawings instead of songs and dance. They also expressed that they needed more time to decide how they wanted to present their findings.

Through reflection, experience sharing, and mutual discussion, the meeting came to an end. People left the school premises with hope and positivity, feeling that they were becoming part of something meaningful and transformative. They genuinely felt that they had designed the baseline themselves and took full ownership of it.

The Arshirbad team then visited the school and spent time walking around the school. The community members with them were visibly amazed to see how the school had been built through collective effort and community ownership. They deeply appreciated how the community used its own strengths to create this space for children. Their visit sparked a sense of possibility, and they shared their hope of doing something better in their own community. Their presence and reflections became a source of renewed inspiration for us and reaffirmed the value of the work we are doing.