Footsteps nurturing community resilience

Now earning global recognition from Forbes, Rafayat and Taqi are motivated more than ever to make their dreams come true: empowering more marginalised Bangladeshi communities to become self-sustaining and self-resilient.

In the latest iteration of Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia class of 2022, seven Bangladeshi youths made the prestigious list of global entrepreneurs and thinkers of tomorrow. Two of them, selected under the Social Impact category, are Shah Rafayat Chowdhury and Mohammad Taqi Yasir, co-founders of the organisation, Footsteps Bangladesh.

As a non-profit initiative focused on overcoming a multitude of social challenges, Footsteps designs social ventures to address three key areas: water and sanitation, climate action, and public health. They work with marginalised communities by developing their capacity and transforming them from being dependent on aid to becoming self-resilient. Since 2013, Footsteps has impacted over 300,000 people across 27 districts in Bangladesh.

Footsteps currently has four active projects: Project Trishna, where they provide clean water and sanitation; Disaster Resilience Program, where climate-vulnerable communities are trained to combat natural and social disasters, particularly in the aftermath; Shushasther Odhikar Shobar, where they work on improving healthcare infrastructure and services in remote communities; and Project WECan, where the goal is to create a green economy based on renewable energy.

"We call ourselves a 'next-generation organisation' because we work to create sustainable changes that last a lifetime," said Rafayat. According to him, instead of simply providing access to basic needs, Footsteps focuses on the bigger picture: building self-sustaining communities. He added, "We provide knowledge and capacity to marginalised communities so they can overcome poverty barriers on their own without the constant need for donor support."

When asked about the application process for Forbes 30 under 30, Chowdhury stated that the selection process is based on public nominations. "Based on the nominations, judges at Forbes conduct a thorough check and shortlist the names. Afterwards, they ask us to fill in a questionnaire. Our responses are then sent to distinguished individuals in similar fields as us, and they make the final decision," added Taqi.

Footsteps started in 2013 with a winter clothes distribution drive, where Rafayat and Taqi gathered around 300 volunteers to collect second-hand clothing, medicine, and aid for people in need in North Dhaka. Since then, they have been working with both public and private organisations, including the government, to set up clean water systems across Bangladesh and reach out to underprivileged communities.

It wasn't until 2020 that Footsteps received their first recognition, the Joy Bangla Youth Award.  "It took us seven years to come this far, and we poured our hearts into Footsteps," added Taqi.

Now earning global recognition from Forbes, Rafayat and Taqi are motivated more than ever to make their dreams come true: empowering more marginalised Bangladeshi communities to become self-sustaining and self-resilient.

The author is a sub-editor and feature writer at Toggle, The Daily Star. Email: rashid.tonmoy@thedailystar.net.