Staff Correspondent

The voluntary organization "Speak Up Bangladesh" continues to play a commendable role in ensuring girls' education, rights, and self-reliance in Tala upazila, Satkhira. As part of this ongoing commitment, a monthly guardian meeting was organized under the Girls' Empowerment Program (GEP) of the organization at the Chhotokashipur Rishipara center in Sarulia union.

Held at 3:00 PM on Tuesday , the meeting was presided over by Sushuma Das, the guardian representative of the center, and conducted by Ritu Das, a 10th-grade student.

Organized with the support of the donor agency "Speak Up for the Poor," the event featured Deputy Director of the Department of Women Affairs Najmun Nahar as the chief guest, and National Human Rights Commission Satkhira District Committee Member Sakibur Rahman Babla as the special guest. Speeches were also delivered by "Speak Up Bangladesh" GEP Project Field Manager Francis Das and Area Coordinator Probhati Sheel.

Speakers at the meeting stated that ensuring a girl's education means enlightening an entire family and society. Therefore, people from all strata of society must work collectively to keep girls in school, build their confidence, develop their skills, protect their human rights, and prevent child marriage. They urged guardians to be more attentive to their children's education and to nurture them into capable citizens.

Under its GEP initiative, "Speak Up Bangladesh" provides underprivileged and meritorious girls with comprehensive educational support, including school uniforms, educational materials, study tables, bicycles, exam fees, and tuition fees. In addition, immediate legal assistance is provided to prevent any student from being forced into marriage before turning 18. Regular counseling and support are also extended for higher and vocational education after the higher secondary level, including nursing, degree programs, polytechnics, and honors courses.

The Chhotokashipur Rishipara GEP center has been operating regularly since 2013. Currently, 92 female students receive educational support and sponsorship facilities through this center. The initiative has earned widespread acclaim across the area for expanding education, preventing child marriage, and building a conscious society through women's empowerment.

Attended by nearly 100 guardians and 60 students, the meeting featured the distribution of supplementary books to 10 students of the 10th grade, tuition fee assistance to 35 students, mid-term examination fee support to 53 students, and two tree saplings each to 20 families to promote environmental conservation.