Hafsa’s remarkable feats in community development

Hafsa Tasnim, a student of Bangladesh Agricultural University, received the IVD Bangladesh Volunteer Award 2021 for her activities in community development. The event, titled "Volunteering Contributions towards Community Development in Bangladesh", was organised by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, UNV Bangladesh, UNFPA, VSO, and WaterAid.

Hafsa's tireless efforts to coordinate female self-defence training and raise awareness against dowry violence for Bonhishikha granted her the 6th position among 20 volunteers. Bonhishikha is a Dhaka based feminist, not-for-profit organisation that advocates for gender equality and the emancipation of women.

"One of the many challenges I face is the lack of proper facilities, such as clean toilets or safety. I do not always have the opportunity to participate in field activities or even when I do, I have to leave early as I have a strict curfew," she expressed.

With the hope to enlighten, enrich, and entertain the youth, Hafsa and her friends founded Team Utsav. It is an organisation for people who love celebrating festivals – both religious and seasonal. When Hafsa began her university life, there were no arts clubs or faculty, to her dismay.

"I am a fun-loving person who believes that the pursuit of cultural traditions should be an extension of curriculums. Nothing brings people together like festivals, because they teach us the importance of community and strengthens the tenets of a society. That's why my friends and I felt the need to start Team Utsav during our first year of university," shared Hafsa.

Team Utsav ties in with her future goals which are to continue working to improve upon the lives of farmers. For that, she believes she can put the skills and lessons she has learned from her undergraduate degree to good use.

"I want Team Utsav to grow and have branches in other universities. My goal is to encourage social cohesion through all kinds of festivals and bind people from every religious, economic and social background together," said Hafsa.

Hafsa is also involved in Green Voice Bangladesh, an environmental youth organisation. Moreover, she is working to establish schools for underprivileged children in her home district Khulna.

Hafsa is currently working at Bangladesh Betar and hopes to be a news presenter soon.

The author is a student of BRAC University, and a freelance journalist. Email: shanzaychowdhury@gmail.com.