1. What were the primary socio-economic, educational, and cultural challenges you faced growing up in the Tripura community in Thakurchara, Bangladesh? And what are the key challenges you faced in pursuing education?
I faced numerous challenges growing up in Thakurchara Village, which is located in the Khagrachari area, an extensive hilly area of Bangladesh in the southeastern part of the country. The Tripura community is one of the major communities of Bangladesh where people face many socio-economic, food, health, and educational challenges, both during my childhood and still now. The distance between my village, Thakurchara, and Khagrachari town is approximately 7 to 8 km. Kokborok Language is my mother tongue. In my family, my father was able to complete class 10 education, but my mother was unable to do so because her family migrated to India as refugees when she was a baby due to local discrimination and conflicts. She returned to her birthplace four or five years later, but the family homesteads, lands and properties had been taken over by Bengali settlers. Thus, my mother did not receive an education.
2. And how did you overcome them to achieve your academic goals?
My schooling began in our local primary school because my father did not earn enough to send me to a better school outside the village. Even though I completed my education to class six, I could not understand or speak Bengali well. I then came to the realization that I had to move out of the village and go to school in town if I wanted to further my education and achieve my goals. In the town, I would also be able to achieve an excellent level in Bengali language. I was accepted to Khagrachari Government Girls High School's in seventh class. It was not an easy thing going to school in Khagrachari town, and there was very limited transport back in 2006. As a result, I had to walk for most of the day, leaving my house very early every morning to get to school on time. It was 14 to 16 km from home to school and back again. Later, my family decided it would be better if I stayed at a relative's house while studying for the secondary school exam. I therefore moved out of my home and into town. I stayed in Khagrachari town until my Higher School Certificate had been completed. To further my education goals after high school, I knew I would have to move to Chittagong or Dhaka because Khagrachari is only a small town with no university. This was not a viable option for me at the time.
3. How did financial constraints impact your decision to temporarily halt your education, and what motivated you to resume your studies despite the challenges?
While I was studying at high school, my father's small business was unsuccessful, and my family had no way to support any further education. So, I had to give up my studies and I moved back to stay in the village. Being a dreamer, not reaching my ambitions, and spending a year at home was extremely hard for me. By this time most of my friends at home had been married because it is traditional in our communities to marry very young. Seeing their situation, I decided that I wouldn't get married until I had completed my university degree.
After one year I convinced my father to support my continuing studies at Chittagong's Premier University. Chittagong is much closer to my home and far less expensive than Dhaka. However, staying in a hostel or renting a house in Chittagong is a significant expense. My father made the decision that once more I should stay in a relative's house. I moved to Chittagong and started my studies, but the living situation proved difficult for me. I was expected to do all the household chores in addition to my studies. I found it very stressful and difficult to focus on my studies. This was compounded by the unwelcome attitude of my relatives who everyday complained and called me names adding emotional stresses 鈥淵our father is indebted to others because of you and your education, if you don't have enough money, why study? It鈥檚 like the proverbs 鈥渃ry for the moon鈥 It鈥檚 better to get married and ease your father鈥檚 burden鈥欌. I sometimes felt extreme disappointment and feelings of regret over this issue.
I decided that whatever they said, I would continue my studies, so I put up with this and kept going. After two years of this struggle, I decided to move to a Christian house for women. This house is for young Christian women and as I was a Hindu, I approached them to give consideration for my situation. I will forever be grateful that they decided to allow me to stay there, and I was able to successfully complete my undergraduate studies.
4. How did your experiences as an in-country volunteer and your collaboration with VSO Bangladesh and shape your career aspirations in the development sector?
After completing my degree, I was still not satisfied with my education, and at the same time, my family鈥檚 financial condition had not improved. So, if I wanted to continue my study, I needed a job.
I started hunting for a job that would allow me to work and continue studying. I was given the chance by VSO Bangladesh to collaborate with young volunteers from London. The project was in Mongla, in the Khulna District, the other side of the country from my home. It was a unique journey that changed my life and helped me develop my leadership skills for a sustainable future. This influenced my decision to work in the field of development and fulfil my social obligation to contribute toward everyone's progress. In my mind I still wanted to study, but as the VSO assignment was as a volunteer with a very small allowance, it was impossible to continue with the study expenses and living expenses.
5. How did you manage the financial challenges associated with pursuing higher education, and what role did work as a field research assistant play in supporting your academic aspirations?
Soon after I completed the VSO assignment, I was offered the chance to work as a field research assistant with BRAC James P. Grand School of Public Health. This was a blessing for me. Every week I put aside as much of my salary as possible after covering my daily living expenses. I was able to save enough money to pursue a master's degree in development studies. I enrolled at Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) which is one of the top universities in Bangladesh. Thankfully, Independent University Bangladesh awarded me a scholarship, allowing me to realize my dream. For which Independent University Bangladesh and all employees deserve my sincere gratitude.
Bad luck was with me as soon after I started my new studies, I had to return home because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. My department supervisor and my professor were very understanding and flexible enough to revise my course of studies to something that could be continued locally while I was living at home. My research 鈥楥hanging Patterns of Life and Livelihood: A Study of Tripura Community鈥 was presented as my master鈥檚 thesis and I was awarded my degree. My drive to succeed has been the force behind my successful journey to this point in my life, where I now work as a volunteer for UNESCO.
I am happy and honored to say that I am the first and only daughter from my extended family to complete a master鈥檚 degree, making my family very proud. My two brothers were not so fortunate, and facing the same struggles as I had faced, had to drop out of college after completing their Higher School Certificate and not go on to university.
In spite of all of these obstacles, I am always trying to inspire and encourage young people in my community to pursue education, pursue useful skills, enroll in beneficial programs, and much more. I try to support them by sharing information and connecting them to programs that support children from low-income families. Also, in an effort to provide free education to children from low-income families, I make every effort to connect them with safe hostels and orphanages so that they can be educated and play a role in the future growth of the nation and country.
6. How did your involvement in the Hooked-on Peace (HOP) project contribute to preserving your cultural heritage and promoting gender, peace, and sustainability in the Chakma and Tripura communities?
I was browsing Facebook one evening when I came across the Hooked on the Peace project posted by The Asia Foundation and UNESCO. The post was a call for young people from Chakma and Tripura communities to be part of a new project on storytelling. Through the untold stories from Bangladesh鈥檚 communities, young storytellers would explore gender, peace, and sustainability in their communities and share their tales with a wider audience.
I immediately applied and encouraged a cousin to do the same. As a result, we are now part of the storytelling project and a group of Tripura youth writing stories about their heritage and culture.
7. In what ways do you plan to use your skills and experiences gained from working with UNESCO to contribute at the international and UN level?
Through my current volunteer position in the culture unit at the UNESCO Dhaka office, I have gained invaluable skills and experiences that I am eager to leverage at the international and UN level. Working closely with the culture project manager, I have actively supported various cultural initiatives, contributing to the maintenance of UNESCO's mandate. My involvement has provided me with a deep understanding of the intricate workings of UNESCO and the importance of cultural preservation and promotion on a global scale.
In the future, I aspire to transition to a role within a UN organization, where I can apply the skills honed during my time at UNESCO. The exposure to diverse cultural projects, collaboration with stakeholders, and adherence to UNESCO's mission have equipped me with a strong foundation in international cultural affairs. I am confident that my hands-on experience, coupled with a solid theoretical understanding of UNESCO's goals, positions me as a valuable asset to contribute meaningfully at the international and UN levels.
Therefore, by drawing on the insights gained through my volunteer work with UNESCO, I am confident in my capacity to make meaningful contributions to international projects and initiatives that resonate with the values and objectives of the United Nations.
8. What is your future plan?
Even though this is a significant turning point in my life and work, I don't want to stop yet. I'd like to use my skills to continue to work in UN organizations. I would also like to study abroad and take my education to an even higher level. I will and want to apply the knowledge and skills I have gained to support both my community and my nation. Because this is my identity. So, I will never forget my roots from where I belong, and which is traditionally strong and culturally rich. I hope to fulfill my aspirations and establish a prosperous and positive community in my country of Bangladesh.
