Effects of EDS

The effects of EDS

EDS started in 2005 with ten children. Now EDS is an action oriented program where about 400 poor children and youth help each other to get education, improve their livelihoods and become change agents and leaders. In EDS university students volunteer to teach EDS high school students, the high school students teach EDS secondary school students who teach EDS primary school students. The achievements are due to the EDS staff and continuous dedication and hard work and the hard work and dedication of the EDS students, supported by their parents, university students and professors, various people in the local community and international volunteers.

These achievements are really good since EDS students usually come from challenging backgrounds. EDS has developed many young, responsible leaders and change agents who work from their heart to help poor children and youth to get education. EDS leaders learn life skills like problem solving, colleague guidance, team work, respect, honesty and possess great motivational capacities. Prior to joining EDS many of the EDS students were unable to write and read properly, got bad grades and did not go to school regularly.

"Here in EDS I can ask the teacher any question without fear"

- Juboraj, EDS Student.

Responsible change agents and leaders

EDS has developed many young, responsible leaders and change agents who work from their heart to help poor children and youth to get education. EDS leaders learn life skills like problem solving, colleague guidance, team work, respect, honesty (say no to corruption, drugs, ilegal activities and too early marriages) and possess great motivational capacities.

Although the EDS students often do not have enough to eat they prefer to teach younger EDS students voluntarily than teaching privately and earning money. They also have increased confidence in taking leadership during the sport activities, speak in class and perform during the cultural events. The EDS boys take care of the EDS girls like their own sisters and ensures their safety to/from EDS and school. One of our many outstanding young leaders is Shaun.

Shaun

EDS teacher and student

Shaun's father works in Shonali jute mills and earns 1-2 dollars a day. This is not enough to provide sufficient food for the family. Many parents working in the jute mill industry send their children to work in the industry instead of letting them go to school. Shaun (left in the picture) dreamed of getting higher education and when he was 12 years old he started in EDS. He studied hard and got good grades. When Shaun was 14 years old he thought that as EDS had supported him to get education he should support other poor children. So on own initiative he started teaching children in the Shonali jute mills area. Now he is 18 years, studies BSc at the university and makes sure 70 poor children in Shonali jute mills area get educaion.

Shaun and his brother Masum have motivated 15 university students to teach EDS children in Shonali. Shaun is very responsible and always comes well prepared and timely to teach in EDS. He never misses a single day because he knows from own experience how important it is to support poor children so they get education. Shaun could easily earn Money by giving private tuition, but for him it gives more meaning to teach poor children in EDS voluntarily.

Shaun (left in the picture)

Excellent school results - good learning community

The EDS students regularly go to school, get (and give) tuition in EDS before and/or after school and they are among the best students in the school exams Prior to joining EDS most parents were not aware about the importance of education and pedagogic methods to guide and support their children to get education, become confident and motivated to help others.

When the children got bad school results their parents thought their children were not able to learn and wanted to take their children out from school and send them to work in factories or marry them away. Because of EDS the parents have gained hope and confidence that they can influence their children's education and future positively. Now they motivate their children to get education and do not marry off their daughters at early ages An example of this is a 13 year old girl who was in sixth grade, she had never passed an exam before, so her parents and teacher thought she was lazy and beat her regularly. When the girl came to EDS we realized she was illiterate. Nobody had bothered to find that out before. She started to study in EDS and at passed all the following school exams.

Photo: Taslima Miji

Juboraj is an orphan and his grandmother Fatema Begum looks after him.

Parents - Gain hope and confidence in education

Prior to joining EDS most parents were not aware about the importance of education and pedagogic methods to guide and support their children to get education, become confident and motivated to help others. When the children got bad school results their parents thought their children were not able to learn and wanted to take their children out from school and send them to work in factories or marry them away.

The parents have gained hope and confidence that they can influence their children's education and future positively. Now they motivate their children to get education and do not marry off their daughters at early ages.

EDS Students studying.

From a father

"Earlier I was thinking that my children didn't need education as they were going to get married or work as labourers in the jute mill industry like me. When my daughter started in EDS, I realized the importance of education and now I want that all my children get good education so they can get better jobs and a better life than I have"

A mother telling on behalf of the EDS mothers

"Prior to EDS we were thinking as we are illiterate there is nothing we can do for our children's education. Now we have gained self-confidence and know that although we are illiterate there is a lot we can do to support our children's education"

A 13 year old girl in grade six had never passed an exam before, so her parents and teacher thought she was lazy and beat her regularly. Her parents thought she was unable to study and wanted to marry her off. When the girl came to EDS we realized she was illiterate. Nobody had bothered to find that out before. She started to study in EDS and passed all the following school exams. Her surprised and happy father said:

"Now I see that she is able to study. I will not marry her off, but rather pay all her educational expenses as long as she will need it".

International exchange of knowledge and skills

International teacher students and volunteers have visited EDS to exchange knowledge and skills with the EDS students. In addition to enhanced skills and knowledge this mutual exchange increases understanding, respect and accept for differences.

The students learned:

  1. About Bangladeshi school system by visiting local schools, universities and a teacher training institute.
  2. About the EDS action oriented learning system by observing EDS students teaching in EDS and visiting all EDS branches.
  3. About the EDS students livelihood by home visits and visits to the jute mills where the EDS parents work.

Local community - increased respect and support

When starting EDS many people in Moheswarpasha village had prejudices against poor children and youth. People didn't understand why Hafiz bothered to spend time with the poor children as he didn't gain economically from it. They tried to discourage Hafiz by telling that he would fail and become poor himself if he continued spending his own money for poor children's education. People adviced Hafiz to improve his own livelihood first and only help the poor children when he himself was rich.

Through EDS arrangements like sports, picnics, cultural and social activities EDS students and children, youth and adults from more resource rich families have fun together and create friendships. Through great school results and by teaching in EDS the EDS students proove to the society that they are able to learn and that they are responsible and honest.

Hafiz knew that if he did not help the poor children now to get education it would be too late. The children were at risk of destroying their lives by dropping out of school followed by or due to drug abuse, illegal activities, too early marriages or being child labourer in factories or at the market. Hafiz could not watch this happen, he was not able to eat when seeing that the poor children had nothing. So he decided to start EDS and do what he could with the small resources he had.