Education support can transform lives, and the story of Ashiq Sarkar from Kumarkhali Serkandi Sardarpara is a perfect example. Born to Tapan Sarkar, a nochimon (local transport) driver, and Anita Sarkar, a day laborer, Ashiq’s journey from a small village to becoming a diploma holder and a part-time office assistant at Kumarkhali Government College is truly inspiring.

Due to the poverty of the family, Ashiq faced many financial challenges in his studies from a young age. In such a situation in 2007, Ashiq was enrolled in a nursery class at the Child Animation Centre in Kumarkhali Adivasi Para.

‘Child Animation Centre’ is an important educational support centre run by FAIR, a rights-based and development nonprofit organization. This centre, providing academic support, helps students with daily school lessons and extracurricular activities like singing, dancing, poetry, birthday celebrations, educational tours, and wall magazines. This program continues to contribute significantly to the intellectual development of students.

The centre was managed by an animator who ensured that students were enrolled in mainstream schools, attended classes daily and held monthly parent meetings. Animators played an important role in providing appropriate educational support, especially as parents in this community were often unaware of the importance of education. Due to this lack of awareness, illegal activities like child marriage and child labor were going towards a high rate. Due to FAIR’s exceptional intervention and inclusive education support, dropout and child marriage rates have come down to zero with increased community awareness about education.

FAIR, ‘Child Animation Centres’ are basically established in Dalit, Harijan or Adivasi rural areas. Animators in these centres acted as guardians, not only providing educational support but also providing advice and necessary educational materials from infancy to sixth grade and beyond. These communities were often deprived of basic needs such as food, shelter and healthcare, faced discrimination and were excluded from mainstream society.

Before Ashiq, no one in his community could cross the primary school barrier. Ashiq passed his SSC in 2018 for continuing education support from ‘Child Animation Centre’ and completed his Diploma in Electrical from Kushtia Garai Polytechnic Institute in 2023. His success did not stop there. Currently, she works as a part-time office assistant in Kumarkhali Government College and aspires to pursue higher education.

FAIR implements this program with the financial support of Bangladesh NGO Foundation. Ashiq’s story highlights the profound impact of educational assistance on marginalized communities. It shows how initiatives like the ‘Child Animation Centre’ can break the cycle of poverty and inequality by empowering individuals through education.

Educational assistance is not just about providing books and learning materials; It works to nurture dreams, build confidence and create opportunities for the child to succeed. Ashiq’s journey from a backward caste boy to a diploma holder and an aspiring student of higher education exemplifies the transformative power of educational assistance.

Ashiq’s story inspires us to expand our community’s educational support. By doing so, we can ensure that many more children from marginalized communities have the opportunity to achieve their dreams and contribute to the nation’s growth. Join us in our mission to provide educational support and change lives.

Together we can make a difference. Let’s support education for all.