The wall of joy: Morshed Mishu's toy-filled mission

While walking along the streets you may come across the Manobotar Deyal, translated as Wall of Humanity, where people can hang clothes or other essentials. Similarly, cartoonist Morshed Mishu has built a unique display of kindness — a wall adorned not with ordinary embellishments, but with toys. The wall was set up on 25 December at Ibrahimpur in Mirpur-14. This unique initiative, taken by Morshed Mishu, aims to bring joy to children by making use of toys that would otherwise be discarded.

"The story begins with the idea of creating a wall where unwanted toys can be placed for others to take," explained Mishu. "One of the cartoonists from Unmad, Mehdi H Khan, received a few old toys from his friend and he was thinking about donating them to an orphanage. But I thought what if we build a self-sustaining wall like Manobotar Deyal with these toys? This is how the initiative came to be," he elaborated.

Photo: Morshed Mishu

An important figure in this story is Nahian Echo, a Bangladeshi toy manufacturer. Upon learning about the wall, Nahian didn't just offer verbal support; he took a step further by donating 100 or 150 toys. Mishu hung about 25 or 30 toys on the wall and the children took them with joy.

However, you might wonder what would happen if a single person steals all the toys? To that, Mishu answered, "That wouldn't happen as a designated guard keeps a watch on the toys." The project also received financial support from another start-up named Esscre, showcasing a collaborative community spirit. So, there are no financial constraints and Mishu is planning to put up two more walls — one in Mohammadpur and another in Bailey Road.  

What's notable about this initiative is its simplicity and effectiveness. This innovative wall filled with toys is a straightforward yet powerful idea that addresses two critical issues — waste reduction and bringing joy to children. In a world where consumerism often leads to unnecessary wastage, this project offers a sustainable alternative that benefits the community.

Moreshed Mishu has been actively involved in such projects that bring attention to pressing social issues. His initiative, Project Khale Hobe, is a prime example of this. Moreover, Mishu's engagement in painting city walls is not merely an aesthetic endeavour. His initiative #Flash_Mop focused on cleaning and beautifying urban areas, thereby improving the quality of life for residents.