ASPIRE
Your Monthly News & Updates

February 2019


Top-ranked seal for 2019
Global Giving awards several seals of recognition to OBAT

Global Giving is an international crowd-funding platform where OBAT has hosted some of its projects. Our two current projects listed on it can be viewed at: goto.gg/30136 and goto.gg/25821. 
During January, Global Giving awarded OBAT four seals for 2019:
  • Top-Ranked
  • Vetted
  • Site visit verified (A GG representative has visited our projects)
  • Effectiveness

We are grateful for the partnership of Global Giving and to all the friends and supporters we have found through it.
The students at the new preschool
Two new preschools in Chittagong

Forty little ones will get to study at two new preschools started by OBAT in the Raufabad area in Chittagong. OBAT has a robust preschool program with a total of 36 preschools operating in six cities.

A truck load of blankets
3,650 blankets distributed to Rohingya families

 There are about 900,000 individuals living and sleeping in bamboo shelters that are layered with tarp, and contain no beds, in the Rohingya refugee camps. The ground that they sleep on absorbs the cold and they use the 1-2 blankets that are distributed to them by other agencies, as a barrier between the ground and themselves. Our volunteer, Anam Ali after speaking with many of the youth from the Rohingya community, decided to distribute 3-5 fleece blankets per household, depending on the number of individuals in the household. With the amount that was raised by her through crowd-funding, 3,650 blankets were distributed.
Our heartiest gratitude to Anam for this wonderful endeavor and her immense hard work. We would also like to thank other volunteers for giving their time and energy to the purchase and distribution of the blankets and for capturing footage which can be viewed here.

Students holding up their books
New books distributed throughout OBAT schools

The Bangladesh government announced the 1st of January as a book festival day. To observe it, all the primary and high school across the country distributed
textbooks among the students. All of OBAT's schools also observed the day with a festive mood and distributed books among the students.
In the Rohingya learning centers, the children received notebooks in which they can practice writing at school and at home.
   
Visitors from the world over!
         
Left- Dr. Henna Qureshi
During January, we were fortunate to be visited by many friends. Dr. Henna Qureshi (OBAT's Board director) who also volunteers with MedGlobal, spent some time working at our clinics, where MedGlobal volunteers are a consistent support. Mr. Masum Rahman is also on OBAT's board and this was one of his several trips to the camps. He has been spending time helping OBAT's operations on several fronts.
The Vice-President of Community Affairs and Alliances, Mr. Azhar Azeez at Islamic Relief USA, also recently visited OBAT's Projects in Bangladesh. His focus was primarily on the Rohingya projects where he spent some time visiting OBAT's clinics for the Rohingya refugees.
Ms. Fareeda from Save the Children, visited our digital learning program for Rohingya children and was happy to see the kids excitement at learning through gamified apps. 
A team from Muslims of the World, consisting of the founder, Sajjad Shah of the Instagram platform, @MuslimsoftheWorld1 and his photographer, Mr. Mohammad Malick, visited the Rohingya camps to document the stories of the refugees on their platform. Mr. Malick later visited OBAT's projects in Chittagong  as well.



Ms. Fareeda
Mr. Azeez, with the clinic team
MOTW team with OBAT staff, leadership & volunteers
   

  
Masum Rahman- OBAT's Board Director

Teachers' training
Training hones teachers' skills

A five day long teachers training was held at OBAT's Syedpur School for the teachers of Syedpur, Rangpur and Bogra projects. The training was held from January 8th to 12th and was conducted by key education officials from the Education Department in Bangladesh. Thank you to all the trainers as well as volunteers for making the training successful.
Learning center students on education day
International education day brings joy to students

This year, the first ever international education day was observed throughout the world. We believe that education is a basic human right and are proud to have it as a cornerstone of our development projects. The day was observed with special activities in OBAT's education projects.
A class, with their teacher on results day
Great results for preschool children

Our Chittagong preschools' new years' day was very special as the school announced the results of their annual exams. Out of the two hundred and sixty-seven students who sat for the exam, two hundred and fifty-four students shone especially bright, receiving A grades (A+, A- and A's). We are very grateful to all the hard working teachers who have made this fantastic result possible.


RCF volunteer teaches a child correct technique for brushing teeth
RCF provides much needed dental services

The Refugee Crisis Foundation (RCF) has been working in the Rohingya camps, providing dental services six days a week. Over 700 patients have been treated so far.
The services provided include emergency dental treatment, extractions, scaling, fillings, antibiotics and pain relief. According to RCF, the oral hygiene
habits of the Rohingya refugees are quite different which results in severe problems. They brush their teeth several times a day with salt, charcoal or sometimes sand, causing destruction of tooth tissue. The dentists have repaired the cavities to prevent further damage.
However, to prevent this problem, RCF adapted the oral health education segment of their program. During the hygiene training, RCF volunteers taught the community how to wash their hands and brush their teeth properly and made them aware of the consequences of not doing either.


Clinic health workers organize workshop to boost literacy

The Community Health Workers from OBAT's health projects for Rohingya refugees, held their first workshop on January 10th to learn reading, writing,
and speaking in English. It was led by one of their own team members.

Community Health Workers provide on the ground
reporting and support to the medical team in the clinic for Rohingya refugees,
by visiting camp residents in their homes and providing basic
treatments and remedies, keeping the individuals healthy and the clinics less crowded.
Click here  to watch a part of the workshops.
The original playground
Playground to be rebuilt with donors' generosity

A playground that had initially been built for Rohingya children, was destroyed by the brutal monsoon season. OBAT's Board Director, Dr. Henna Qureshi, organized a fundraiser on Facebook and raised more than $11,000 for the rebuilding of the playground which will now begin reconstruction in February. Thank you to the incredibly generous donors and to Dr. Qureshi for this amazing effort to bring back smiles on the children's faces.
The new admits
 
OBAT ramps up skill-based education

Bangladesh is set on a swift path to industrial development. To keep pace with the industrialization, skilled human resources are needed. Keeping in mind the needs of the country, OBAT has brought radical changes in its education system. Providing technical education has become a high priority. Forty-one students who took their SSC (Secondary School Certificate) exam, have been admitted in the Government's Teachers Training College and BKTC (Bangladesh Korea Technical Training Center). The departments of study include Fashion Design, Woodwork. Computers, Dress Making, Farm Machinery, Knitting, Electronics, AutoCAD, Electrical and Mechanical work.


OBAT's Project Manager, Mr. Sohail Khan, with the students
Dhaka English School students go on an educational field trip

OBAT's Dhaka office arranged an educational tour for OBAT English Schools' students and teachers. They visited the National Monument of Bangladesh at Savar and also visited the Jahangir Nagar University which houses the largest sanctuary of migratory birds. Trips like these present an excellent learning opportunity for the students outside the classroom.
Mohammad Ashiq
Chittagong School students make us proud


OBAT's Chittagong office assisted four students
with admission into Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Authority for a six month long training.
After the completion of the training, the students, Ashiq, Hamid, Sameer and Nawshad, were placed in good employment positions in different industries in Chittagong.
All four of these students were initially OBAT's Schools' students and later studied at our tutoring center and received scholarships for further study. Currently, they are students of 12th grade in high school.
The kids in action
Cricket season kicks off

In January, we held the opening ceremony of OBAT Schools' cricket series.
The first tournament was held at the grounds of OBAT's Rangpur School. Cricket is a favorite
sport enjoyed by kids across the board, in our projects. Tournaments like these promote a
sportsmanship spirit and a positive and healthy outlook on life.

Use Facebook to multiply your philanthropic impact! 

Most of you probably have hundreds of friends on Facebook. Imagine harnessing all their philanthropic leanings into a fundraiser that you create for OBAT on Facebook! The result could be tremendous! 
All you need to do:
  • Go to your Facebook home page
  • Click on "Fundraisers" on the left side of your screen, under the "Explore" heading
  • Next click on, "Raise Money" and then "Get Started"
  • Choose OBAT from the Nonprofits area
  • Enter a few details and invite your friends
  • You are all set!
The good news is, a full 100% of the amount you raised will be sent to OBAT- Facebook does not deduct transaction fees any more for nonprofits.
Raise away!

Inspired? DONATE to our projects!

OBAT Helpers Inc. 
317.203.0603| contact@obathelpers.org |www.obathelpers.org
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