S DILIP ROY

Children living in the shoals (char) along the Teesta and Dharla rivers in Lalmonirhat are often deprived of quality education due to remoteness and poor communication with the mainland.

Witnessing this while working with various voluntary organisations, Nayem Rahaman, an undergraduate student of Lalmonirhat Government College, decided to help facilitate education for these children. In 2022, he founded Lalmoni Bidyapith, a voluntary educational initiative, with support from his friends.

Since then, the initiative has been spreading the light of education through four learning centres -- in Dawkir Char and Gobordhan Char on the Teesta riverbed under Aditmari upazila, and in Falimari Char and Khatamari Char on the Dharla riverbed under Sadar upazila. About 20 young volunteers are currently working with him.

With the slogan “Shoal children are not lagging behind in talent, but in opportunity”, the initiative now teaches around 50 school dropouts and underprivileged children in each shoal while providing necessary educational materials free of cost.

Initially, Nayem and his friends ran the initiative by raising funds among themselves, but they now receive support from donors and well-wishers.

Lalmoni Bidyapith also provides basic training in technical skills and access to technology. It raises awareness among children and their parents -- covering around 800 families -- on issues such as child marriage, superstition, health practices, and nutrition.

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