Source: Courtesy

Since childhood, Ayesha Akhtar has watched her parents do everything they can in their power to help the underprivileged. Growing up in an established household, where philanthropy was a way of life, Ayesha followed her parents’ footsteps. Learning from all that her family had done, Ayesha took it upon herself to carry on their good deeds.

In April, 2013, Ayesha founded Rokeya Foundation- a boarding school for underprivileged orphan girls and girls with single parents. On August 2013, Rokeya Foundation was on its feet, ready for operation.
Named after Ayesha’s mother, the organisation currently provides shelter and food, as well as primary education. “We’re giving these girls a home and freedom to choose where to go from here," says Ayesha. "Some of the girls want to start work early, some want to go for higher education- I plan on helping them achieve their dreams in any way that I can and hold their hands until they are ready to go off alone and tackle the world on their own.” Rokeya Foundation can easily house over 30 children.
Situated in Gazipur, Rokeya Foundation is not only an orphanage but also serves an Old Home for women. “When the elderly reach a certain age, it becomes difficult for them to live with their families considering how busy the other members are," says Ayesha. "They usually end up home alone throughout the day, left to their own devices -- which ultimately leads to a depressing life for the remaining number of years. They need people close to their age, someone they can talk to, relate to, and carry out the usual day-to-day activities with. For that very reason, I believe an old home is very much necessary.”
Ayesha is personally financing the costs required. “I’ll do what I can for as long as possible. The help I need from others is to cooperate and help out other orphan girls. There are still many little girls out there who need our help, girls who I haven’t been able to reach out to yet,” says Ayesha. Rokeya Foundation also has free community clinics for girls and women set up not only within Dhaka, but outside the city as well.
Ayesha plans to expand her work so as to help acid and rape victims, victims of the Savar tragedy and more.

To contact Rokeya Foundation, visit their Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/RokeyaFoundation