Boat to Read

   

Boat to Read is a service of the Girls' Education Program of Room to Read. It provides pick and drop service to school and home during the 3 months of flood season. We rode along to attend a Reading

Festival.

We are in the Char areas in the Sirajganj district. This is where the Girls' Education Program (and scholarships) are being implemented in Bangladesh.  This area has its own geographical challenges. Chars are islands and riverside sand land masses that are vulnerable to sudden forceful flooding as well as erosion and land loss. These hazardous conditions, combined with lack of infrastructure and government services make living in the Chars difficult.  This results in more Char dwellers living in poverty as compared to the mainland population.   Jute is grown in this area and is a major export.

 We may be the first foreigners they have ever seen.  Many children do not go to school.

It was important to have John Wood there to see the program in action.

The girl in the photograph just won a prize from a reading game as part of the festival.

Few non-government organizations and even government departments have ventured on to the Chars and as a result little information sharing or awareness has happened among the local population. Hence, traditional practices such as child marriage continue to be quite prevalent.
The girls in the picture live on the Chars. Some would like to be teachers and doctors. A question they'd ask of three of us women in the group was if ours were "love marriages".  They are about 12 years old.

We want to show our support to the Room to Read teams and inspire them to keep up their work. Being there also lets us see first hand what the childeren need and the challenges they have to overcome. We honor the students, teachers, families and community and their desire to progress.  It is moving to see Room to Read in action!