Slumgirls

Primary education for young girls

The children or sisters of the young women who come for tailoring class, often join them. (read more at Fair Trade). That’s why the coordinator of the handicrafts, Dino Halder, started teaching them. In 12 years, the education has been developed into a primary school. Many girls form the neighborhood found their way to this special school.

The school operates under the umbrella of the LEF for Life organization. In 2021, the school employs 8 teachers to guide the children of mostly single-parent families. Mathematics, language, hygiene and social skills are the most important topics in the first two years. From class 3 they follow more and more all subjects proposed by the government, because they’re able to take the official PSC exams in class five. To keep the attention of the children, the lessons are much more creative comparing to a regular primary school, but overall quality has the highest priority.

The school provides all 165 students a decent meal a day. The children often come to school without a proper breakfast and also for supper there is not enough food for all family members.

Secundary School

After finishing primary school, they check who has interest and ability to continue their education. Especially for girls, being a teenager in the slums is a real nightmare. They cannot move around safely, they do not have access to proper hygiene and they’re often seen by the family as a burden, which can be solved easily by an early marriage. This was the main reason for Dino to start a boarding school, so every young person who’s interested can develop him or herself further in a safe environment.

With financial support from Australia and Japan, LEF bought a plot of land just at the outskirts of Dhaka. By April 2021 forty girls and twenty-five boys have a safe haven, where they live peacefully and continue their study. Six teachers, two hostel mothers and a father are available to guide the students on a daily basis.

After 3 years of secondary education, the student has access to a variety of vocational training courses, which gives especially the girls a better chance on the job market. The last two years of the secondary school are in cooperation with another school, due to licenses for the tests and exams, but hopefully they will soon be able to organize everything by themselves.

Tongi shelter

A house, owned by Dino’s family in Tongi, a suburb of Dhaka, accommodates 25 young children, who are unable to stay at home, due to difficult or poor family circumstances, or coming from remote areas. They join a local primary school and from grade 6 they can continue their study at the earlier mentioned boarding school. They are cared for by 2 hostel mothers and a cook.

The coordinator

As English and Bengal Teacher, Dino Halder is able to take good care of his wife and child.
But he felt privileged and thought he had to do something to reduce the need for his poor fellow man.
He has done this for years by providing work for poor women in the countryside, but there was too little progress in it. They listened very badly to the wishes of customers, regularly spotted stains in the new substances, washing the embroidery wires to prevent shrinking etc.
Due to the many complaints, he has finished the embroidery and the focus direction went to Sew Atelier, because there is more demand for it and the educated young women can find work more easily, either in a clothing factory, or in a small local workshop.

In addition, the school also has grown from primary school to high school and even a few class evening school for all children, who have to work during the day to contribute to family income.

Dino's years of support to the poorers of the poor reserved in a reward of "One Love International" in June 2017.
We hope that he continues for many years with his fantastic support to the "Slumgirls" and JW Support will continue to contribute to realizing all goals.