HAPPENINGS AT THE DHAKA PROJECT...

The past 6 months have been exciting and hectic ones.
With help from staff members based in Dhaka, volunteers from overseas and funding from Emirates Airline Foundation, we built a school!

The new school was built to accommodate some 450 children who were dispersed throughout the neighbourhood schools. Costing more than Dhs 250,000.00 ( 68,073 USD - 43,068 EUR ) [ thank you Emirates Airline Foundation! ], additional classrooms were created and 21 extra teachers were recruited full-time. Besides the building cost of constructing the new school premises and improving educational facilities, the funds available were also used to buy educational materials as well as to beef up the daily nutritional intake of the kids at meal times.

700 children are now attending classes at The Dhaka Project.

Other events and social activities that took place in preceding months can be summed up as follow:

• Formation of cultural dance troupe :
  With assistance from volunteers in Dhaka, a Bangladeshi
  dance troupe was formed. Selected children went through the paces learning local cultural dances. We now have a well-trained cultural dance troupe who entertain visiting guests and overseas volunteers.
  More importantly, this demonstrates that marginalised kids from slum dwelling environments and given proper nurturing and opportunities, can be developed to become the best that they can be.



• Iftar Get-together :
  During the Holy Month of Ramadan, 100 children from The Dhaka Project celebrated "Iftar" at the Dhaka Sheraton. Hosted by the hotel, the excited kids were treated to a sumptuous meal to "break-the-fast". It was the very first time they sat down for a meal in a 5-star hotel.
  This special dining experience left lasting happy memories for the children.



• Novartis of Dhaka "Dhaka Project Day" :
  Pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis of Dhaka hosted a "Dhaka Project Day". Staff of Novartis based in Dhaka visited the grounds of The Dhaka project. With food and all sorts of goodies for the children, staff members of Novartis spent time playing with the children, serving food and drinks and generally giving the kids a time of their life with fun and games. This special treat for the children is a yearly Novartis community-service affair. Besides this annual reaching out social programme, Novartis regularly donates medicines for use in our First Aid Centre.



• * Volunteers from Abroad :
  A mix of volunteers from abroad visited The Dhaka Project to lend a helping hand in all sorts of different ways. The past months saw visitors come share their professional skills with the children and teachers; doctors, nurses, language teachers, drama teachers etc...came a-calling.
  Visiting volunteers bring special joy and glow to the lives of the children under the care of The Dhaka project. The kids get to practice their English-language speaking skills and develop
  interaction skills with visitors of diverse cultures and ethnic background.



• The Dhaka Project "Oscar" Awards :
  Organised by Rahimafrooz, the official local sponsor of The Dhaka Project in Bangladesh, a "Staff Award" ceremony took place on 25th March 2008 in an exclusive downtown Dhaka restaurant. Various staff members working at The Dhaka Project were honoured and recognised for outstanding contribution to The Dhaka Project's humanitarian activities. These individuals excelled in their area of work responsibilities, whole-heartedly giving their time and commitment to the children whose future and hope in life depend very much on selfless
  staff members' support.