1dI members,

Next meeting is at 10:15am on Thursday, Feb 8th 2007.
Location: Cafe Mango (next to Mastermind School, same goli as Metro)
*go to the reception and say you’re for the meeting*

MAKE SURE EVERYONE is PRESENT.
Official group photo to be taken!

It’s the end of the year and this is my year-end post of all 1dI members. Our organization is now over 4 months old, still a baby but is ready to take small steps ahead. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of all our members, enthusiasts and seniors-bubbling-to-advice-us – so a big THANKS to all of them on behalf of the entire team.

For everyone’s benefit, I’ll sum up our activities till now.

Winter Clothes Collection
The project was introduced early Novemeber to all members. Everybody was expected to use individual contacts and collect as many clothes as possible. Niloy and Rasha were asked to “spread the word” around Academia (which has done little/no community service as a school/college). Apparently, that kinda “word” never got around – but thankfully, both gave up a certain amount of old clothes which they collected from friends, exteneded families and home. As for the rest, most of the members collected clothes from their homes, friends and extended families; while many also “spread the word” around very effectively and collected clothes from a variety of sources. In the end, we counted a total of approximately 650 clothes, plus 29 pairs of old shoes! Although we were a little late in receiving and packing ALL the clothes, it is finally DONE and we have sent it off to Chhinnamukul this morning. Chhinnamukul is a reliable NGO that will be distributing our collection to Kurigram and nearby areas. Zubair and I particularly selected this NGo for the following reasons:
1. They will be distributing clothes to the north/north-east areas, which are least developed and actually, genuinely NEED help.
2. They were willing to provide us with a transport for carrying the clothes from my house to their office
3. MMCSC has worked with them before and they proved to be trustworthy
4. They are willing to provide us with photographs during the time of distribution, which will give 1dI its much-deserved recognition and proof of its activities
5. They were the easiest to communicate with
6. They are nice, enthusiastic and friendly folks! =)
So, a GREAT JOB to all the people who put in their efforts! Way to go, dudes and dudettes!

ARBAN Trip
This was one of our most memorable and exciting “activities”! We visited ARBAN, a local NGO that provides primary education to slum-children and vocational training to the underpriviledged. The employees were extremely friendly and helpful, so another THANKS to them. We later visited the schools, which are located inside the slums (photographs provided in the blog) and talked with the children. It was great to find out that they kids LOVED coming to school, weren’t too shy to respond to our questions or sing/dance for us and each of them have dreams. We were thriled to know about their ambitions – doctors, engineers, teachers, one scientist, three pilots, a bus driver, a police officer, a RAB officer – and we could see visions sparkling in their eyes. Their spirit, enthusiasm and dreams have secured a place in our hearts and 1dI will remember them. Special thanks to Rasha’s dad, Mr. Khadimul Islam who took the kind initiative of arranging this trip for us! We loved it!

AWF Volunteer Work
1dI members were sent off to do 2-weeks of volunteer work with Autism Welfare Foundation (AWF). The motive behind this was to familiarize our members with a different kind of reality. Apart from that, it was basically done to get their lazy asses off the couch, make them work and spend some quality time with a bunch of kids who love company. Each member was expected to visit AWF twice (once every week) in accordance to the routine and spend a minimum of 1 hour 30 minutes, helping the teachers and playing with the kids. The following outlines the records of members at AWF:
1. Zubair and Diya : Both were present on both days. They taped their activies, gave out chocolates (not a very clever move! =P) and took Mohit and Mustayin as apprentices for each day.
2. Tushmit and Amreen : Both were present on both days. They submitted reports on time, attended the fair and worked well.
3. Abrar and Niloy : Abrar went on the first day, but due to his crazy-5-subject AS & A2 exams in January, was excused from going on the second day. Niloy was present for both days, took photos and had a nice time.
4. Mayeesha and Farhana : Farhana quit midway, so I won’t count her (didn’t go on any day!). Mayeesha went on one day and informed me that she wouldn’t be able to go on the second due to trasportation difficulties.
5. Aaqib and Rasha : Aaqib didn’t go at all (thinking of a punishment). His excuse was that Niloy and Rasha had left him on the day he was supposed to go and he didn’t remember the address. Rasha didn’t go on the first day, but was there for the second.

There were a number of meetings held, several ideas, many wasted plans and the quitting of a valued EC member. I don’t think any of it WASN’T worth it, simply because 1dI has started its very long journey and we’re still learning. Besides maintaining our academic standards, growing immunity to annoyed parents and dealing with our own lives’ busy schedules, 1dI was an additional responsiblity that we took on and I’m very happy with whatever we’ve done so far. It takes time, patience, perseverence, determination, dedication and hardwork to get ANYTHING so big done.

I hope all our members realize this. Nonetheless, I’m grateful and proud of us as a team and I hope we can do great and greater things. I’ll probably call in a meeting when I’m done with the cow-slaughtering and stuff (it’s so much fun to watch it! =D), plus when I manage to get my grades to a respectable level. Parents are pissed! =(

BTW, GOOOOOOD LUCK to Niloy, Rasha and Abrar for their exams this Jan. INSHALLAH, they’ll do pretty well! =)

Happy New Year, guys!

Diya loves you all!

This is the story of 100,000 people in 144 villages of three Upajilas in Jessore. Since July 2005, they have been suffering from prolonged water-logging. This is a result of the implementation of the faulty Khulna Jessore Drainage Rehabilation Project of the Asian Development Bank and Bangladesh Water Development Board. Please see http://bhobodoho.blogspot.com/ for the various awareness raising, lobbying and assistance initiatives undertaken by Drishtipat, in collaboration with BELA, Chetona, Suchinta.com and students of BRAC University, BUET and Virginia Tech, on behalf of these victims of neglect.

One of our initiatives is to try to ensure that the young children of this afflicted area are able to continue with their education despite the financial hardships imposed on their families as a result of this disaster. 550 students in 20 villages are slated to appear for theis SSC exams in the coming year with no monetary means to pay for their registration fees. At roughly 1200 taka per student, we are trying to raise $10,000 before the end of the year 2006 to help these students take their exams. For further details, please visit http://www.drishtipat.org/blog/2006/12/10/bhobodoho-tragedy/ and read the Zafar Iqbal article at http://www.shuchinta.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/mziSep2706.pdf .

You can lend a helping hand to these struggling students who are fighting back bravely despite the harshest of conditions amid man-made disaster, and trying to continue their education. Show that you care, and help us show that our individual contributions of time, energy and financial help can do what the authorities have failed to do – help these people.

To donate via paypal – http://www.drishtipat.org/virginia/ or mail your tax-deductible donation to Drishtipat, P.O. Box 1581, New York NY 10156, USA.  For more information, please email us at info@drishtipat.org and we will get you connected with the DP Virginia team who are currently leading the Drishtipat initiatives to help support the people of Bhobodoho.

Thank you and season’s greetings to all ,

Drishtipat team
Hear, Speak Out and Help – you can make a difference!

While you’re on the net, why not light a symbolic digital candle to show your support in fighting Internet child pornography. They’ll ask for your name, country, email address and comments. If more than a million people lights the candles, it will be used to draw up a petition to get the authorities to stop these websites – jara apparently freedom of expression-er name eshob kore!

Members can individually light candles using their own names. We’ll light a candle for One Degree Initiative after we figure out an appropriate comment in the next meeting, which will be any day after Diya’s eyes gets cured! We are all praying for her (right?)

The address is -

www.lightamillioncandles.com

P.S. Congratulations team on the successful clothes collection drive. Last year, Mastermind Community Service Club managed only 200 pieces of clothes. We got nearly 300 in two weeks, Alhamdulillah! Yippeee! Keep them coming.

This is my first blog post, so don’t get judgemental – Zubair

Check these two sites for some laughs (of course it is better to have Google Video Player to see the vides clips) -

www.maniacmuslim.com

www.ummahfilms.com/season1.html

I emailed this to you all personally. Here’s a quick update for the blog.

The ARBAN trip is on Saturday, 25th Nov. All memebers must meet by 9am in front of Etcetra (Rd 27, Dhanmondi). ARBAN is located in Mirpur and they will provide us with transports. Rasha’s dad will be accompanying us during the trip.

Members Who’re Going :
1. Zubair
2. Diya
3. Tushmit
4. Amreen
5. Niloy
6. Rasha
7. Aaqib
8. Mayeesha
9. Farhana

All members must bring their ID cards and BE on time.

We will INSHALLAH return home by 1:30pm (latest).