HOPE: Now official

The sky was overcast on Wednesday, April 25, 2007, but that didn't stop the lounge in Campus 4 from lighting up with sheer energy, as Help Our People Empathize (HOPE), launched the first ever community service network in the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). Senior faculty members and administration officers of IUB attended the programme.
MC'd by Sarah Fatma Ahmad (PR Officer, HOPE), the programme opened with HOPE co-ordinator Munsia Naureen Ahmed speaking about the vision that led to the inception of the organization. This was followed by the official launching of the programme by IUB's Vice Chancellor, Professor Bazlul Mobin Choudhury, with a slideshow presentation created by Taskin Rahman (Brand Manager, HOPE), which was accompanied by the popular Phil Collins song 'Another Day in Paradise'.
Sabrina Fatma Ahmad, Publications Manager, HOPE, spoke about the organization and outlined the activities of the team. This was followed by a speech by Sadia Kalam, Event Support Manager (HOPE)/Liaison Officer for Streetwise, where she presented Streetwise, an NGO for the rehabilitation of street children. The students of Streetwise recited poetry to the amusement of the audience, and earned laughter and applause through a comic skit they enacted. They were then presented by token gifts by the Vice Chancellor.
Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Omar Rahman spoke on the occasion, praising the initiative taken by the students, and particularly their emphasis on the concept of 'empathy'. He was followed by the Vice Chancellor, who announced the introduction of a new credit system for community service, to be introduced to the academic program at IUB from Autumn 2007, and added that the members of HOPE had already earned their credit point.
Dr Ahaduzzaman M Ali, Director of the Department of Media and Communications, also spoke on the occasion, lauding the efforts of the students, and appeared visibly moved by the achievements of the group.
The launching ceremony concluded with the rendition of the HOPE anthem 'Amra ebhabe aalo jalabo' by Farshid Alam and Adnan Islam (Logistic Support Officers).
After the launching, the action moved downstairs to the HOPE Headquarters in Room 103, where the Vice Chancellor inaugurated an exhibition of paintings by students of the Dhaka Deaf Welfare Association. The paintings on display depicted scenes from the 1952 Language Movement, and the theme was 'Amar Ekushey'.
Meanwhile, the entrance to Campus 4 was packed with action as a third faction of HOPE, headed by Food and Beverages Co-ordinator and other HOPE members conducted a charity food sale. Featured at their stall was an assortment of fresh fruit drinks, tehari, chotpoti, brownies, kabab, rolls and dry snacks donated by BD Foods Ltd. The conclusion of the 2-hour sale saw all the items being sold out, and according to HOPE Treasurer Efaz Rahman Khan, the total funds generated from the sale amounted to Tk 7000.
The functions ended on a celebratory note, and it is hoped that future HOPE events will be just as successful.

we're touching lives

A day of hard work

Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration

~ Albert Einstein

Never more did those words ring true than on Saturday, April 21. Our dedicated Samaritans flocked to Campus 4, armed with glue, scissors, colors, ready to transform the sitting lounge into an attractive venue for the event. With 4 days to go, the tension in the air is palpable!
Yours truly was stuck in the office, but that's not to say she didn't have HOPE at the back of her mind... but this post isn't about me, is it?
Working from 10:30 am to 6pm (do you ever see such labour being put into assignments? Huh? Well, do you?) they got the posters and profiles (Streetwise) done...and then visited Streetwise where it was love at first sight with the kids. Makes all the trouble feel worthwhile.
On the other end of town, we had one Adnan Islam braying...I mean, singing, as he put the final touches to the 'HOPE anthem'. Isn't it wonderful how different elements are coming together into this one program? Slide show, performance, music, speech. Hmm...we're going to have to re-think the programme schedule.
An oops moment came in when we heard that Art Director/MC Kashfee came down with the fever. Right now, we have Sarah on standby, but get well soon, Kashfee! It wont be the same without you!

Achievements at the end of the day:

* Posters/Profiles done
* Song ready
* Streetwise ready for ak-shunn!
* We're decided on the logo
* Our blog has a 'Photos' section

Let's keep our fingers crossed, shall we?

Streetwise

Gearing up for the launch

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Countdown continues

HOPE seems to be growing at an amazing speed, Mashallah! To keep everything organised, we're assigning posts to members for the sake of division of labour. Please note that this is NOT a hierarchical structure, and there are no 'bosses', except maybe Munsia Miss. The proposed structure is as follows:

Munsia Miss -Coordinator
Efaz (Dhrubo) - Treasurer
Taskin - Brand Manager
Sadaf - Graphics
Kashfee - Art Director
Sumaiya and Esha - Food and Beverages Coordinator
Sadia - Event Support Manager and Liason, Streetwise
Salman - Photographer
Muntaser (Abir) - Videographer
Adnan, Farshid, Saquib - Logistics
Sabrina and Sarah - PR and Publications
Tan-Az - Event support/think tank

Good work, guys....more power to HOPE!

Progress

As the countdown to April 25th begins, things are beginning to pick up pace. Here's what's happening so far:

* The VC Sir has kindly allowed us to pick a colour for our room. I'm all for a basic white and military blue theme to go with our logo; any other suggestions? The paintwork is progressing at a good pace, and we should be able to move in by the 24th.

* Adnan, Saquib and Farshid got gifts for the StreetWise children who will be performing on 25th

* Sarah (our newest volunteer, and my sister) bought the invitation cards and agreed to deliver them once we've print.

* We also have an official photographer! Salman Saeed (yep, the dude who swam across the Bay of Bengal and is an ace photographer) wants to join HOPE

* Discussions have been carried out on the following: my speech for the launch, set-up of the painting exhibition and song writing with Farshid, design of the logo and the presentation with Taskin, photo display with Sadia

We're still not decided on the logo, so I'm putting up all the ones I have with me...any takers? Vote!

HOPE Headquarters

Great news for HOPE members and affiliates!

We're getting our own office. This cozy suite (currently being revamped) is located at the ground floor of Campus 4, IUB [90, Park Road, Baridhara]. Looks like everything we've worked for is beginning to come together!

Event Calendar for Spring 2007

April 25

Official launching of HOPE at Campus 4, Independent University.

Time 12:30 pm

Activities:

* Introduction of HOPE, and interactive presentation
* Performance by students of Streetwise
* Painting exhibition of artwork by physically challenged students
* Food sale (proceeds go to charity)

Welcome!

Dhaka, home to some 11 million people, is the center of political, cultural and economic life in Bangladesh, enjoying the highest literacy rate amongst other Bangladeshi cities and a diverse economy. While the urban infrastructure is the most developed in the country, Dhaka suffers from severe challenges such as pollution, congestion, supply shortages, poverty and crime.

Living in this situation on a day-to-day basis, it’s easy to turn a blind eye to the problems and issues; it’s like tuning out that pitiful-yet-annoying chant of the little flower-girl knocking on the car window, or that homeless old man lying on the street. In a city of deadlines and appointments, it’s easy to lose that humane consciousness. That’s where H.O.P.E comes in.

Objectives:

* To ensure that the efforts of IUB students already involved in community service are reognised, encouraged and promoted by authorities and students of IUB.
* To create opportunities for students to volunteer at various community service based organisations, especially those established by IUB students
* To create awareness about community service amongst university students
* To organize charity events to raise funds for important causes
* To create social awareness and focus on social issues through writings and presentations

Meet the team

The HOPE movement currently consists of faculty members, students and alumni of the Independent University Bangladesh (IUB). Some of the members are already actively involved in community service programs; others are professional media practitioners, working for newspapers, television news channels, and ad agencies, as well as teaching communication at IUB. Ours is a mixed group bound together by a vision to make a difference amongst those who really need our help.

Activities

The HOPE movement is closely affiliated with IUB’s Media Forum, an extra-curricular activities organization under the Department of Media & Communication at IUB, which, in the past, has organized a round-table conference on gender issues, as well as raised funds for charity through a bake sale. Starting with a fresh zeal through the HOPE movement, the members plan on organizing fund-raising events such as cultural programs, photo exhibitions, food sales, etc, to raise charity for community service organizations with which the IUB alumni are affiliated. In the near future, members of HOPE will also be actively volunteering for these organizations.