Dear Friends and Supporters,
Today is February 21 - Ekushey February. We Bangladeshis are fiercely proud of the Bangla language, and the fact that we fought with our lives for our right to speak it. Bangladesh was instrumental in pushing the UN to recognize February 21 as International Mother Language Day, in honor of the young university students who were killed on this day in 1952, while protesting the West Pakistan government's attempt to instate Urdu as the state language. Tomorrow there will be celebrations throughout the country commemorating Bangla poetry and literature. No February tradition in Bangladesh is as treasured as taking loved ones - especially children - to buys books at an "Ekushey book fair". The reality is however, that millions of children in Bangladesh will not be able to participate in such traditions - because they are unable to read.
The National Student Assessment recently found that 75% of students in Class 5 are unable to read Bangla at their grade level. This is a travesty that goes beyond an affront to our heritage. This means that millions of children are completing primary school woefully underprepared for further education, let alone gainful employment, or civic participation.
Right now, 150 Teach For Bangladesh Fellows are teaching more than 7,500 students who are at high risk of illiteracy. In addition to teaching math, science, and social science, we are bringing world-class literacy best practice into low-resource classrooms in Dhaka and Chattogram, and teaching children how to read. And you can help!
With a tax-deductible gift of 100 USD, you can help a child discover the joy of reading in their mother tongue - opening up the worlds of Kazi Nazrul Islam, Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Ray, Humayun Ahmed, and so many more!
Teach For Bangladesh is registered as a 501(c)3 in the United States. Click here to make a secure, tax-deductible donation online using your credit card or PayPal account.
https://www.teachforbangladesh.org/donate
Every contribution makes a difference. From all of us at Teach For Bangladesh - thank you!
With much love,
Maimuna
_,___
__._,_.___
