Small Ideas, Big Impact

A Story of Shirina and her Youth Group against Covid-19 in Bangladesh
17 February 2022

Shirina, 18 years old, is the Vice-President of a Youth Group and a Grade 12 student. She lives in a remote Char area of Nageshwari Sub-district of Kurigram District, Bangladesh. During the spike of COVID-19, the lack of awareness among the community on how to prevent and respond to the deadly virus made Shirina worried. Shirina had sewing skills and she had her own sewing machine at home. So, she decided to make face masks and distributed them to her neighborhood.

Shirina, 18, sews face masks at home
Shirina, 18, sews face masks at home

Shirina is an active member of a youth group who are involved in the implementation of Strengthening Community Resilience through School Safety Initiative, a project by Plan International and its partner ESDO Bangladesh.[1]

In one of the project meetings, she expressed her thoughts about supporting her own community by providing handmade facemasks using her own sewing skills and unused cloths. Hearing about her plan, several her Youth Group members expressed their willingness to join her effort. Finally, more adolescent girls from the Youth Group volunteered to make more face masks, and adolescent boys from the Youth Group volunteered to support the distribution of the masks.

Realizing the initiative and enthusiasm from this Youth Group, Plan International and its partner ESDO facilitated training on how to make three-layer masks following the guidelines of the WHO to the youth group (particularly targeting girls). At first, Shirina made a few masks and distributed them among her family, friends and neighbors. Gradually, the demand for masks continued to increase along with the waves of COVID-19. Encouraged by the people of her community, Shirina started producing masks at a larger scale with other Youth Group members. (She made 3150 masks by herself).

I came to know about the COVID-19 pandemic and its prevention knowledge from the quarterly meeting of the Youth Group[2]. I learnt that wearing a face mask can protect us and others, save lives and to suppress the transmission of the virus.” – Shirina.

By May 2021, Shirina and her 13 female Youth Group members has produced 5,831 pieces of masks. (She made 3150 masks by herself). They distributed these masks to 2,669 of the most vulnerable people for free. They also sold 3,162 masks to replenish the materials to make new face masks. Their continuing their effort in making and distributing face masks, they are also teaching people the right way to use the masks and spreading information about COVID-19 health protocol measures that includes washing hands often and keeping physical distancing and avoiding crowded places that will contribute to protecting their community from the infection of COVID-19. Their effort greatly appreciated by the communities.

Shirina and the masks she made at home with her sewing machine
Shirina and the masks she made at home with her sewing machine

“The quality of Shirina’s masks is good and it’s three-layer face mask. It’s cheap and people can afford to buy. Many of us in our community wear Shirina’s mask.” said Saidul, a neighbor of Shirina. Shirina told her community members to wear a mask while doing activities outside their house. She reminded people to wash hands frequently with soap for 20 seconds and maintain 2 meters of physical distancing. At present, her community is free from the infection of the Coronavirus.

In conclusion, young people can come up with small ideas that led to a big impact in their community. The Youth Groups in Nageshwari Sub-district of Kurigram District have proved it.  Through the implementation of the SCRSSI project, they played an important role for COVID-19 prevention in the communities. 

In addition, they spoke up in the community meetings, expressed their intention to identify the most affected groups, design campaigns and mobilize funds.  They worked with teachers to disseminate COVID-19 prevention messages via the phone to over 3000 students, they distributed homemade masks and soaps in the community; they worked with School Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) and Ward Disaster Management Committee (WDMC) to disseminate key message of home learning and education on personal hygiene management for adolescent girls.

They supported around 1,500 families in 12 school catchment areas. They extended their key message delivery to 13 local markets and 30 mosques around the project area, they also placed the hotline numbers of the Epidemiology Diseases Control and Research (IEDCR) and contacts of the ward health workers in the community in case of emergency; they maintained close contact with the Union Parishad Committee to trace migrating people for a quarantine procedures.  When young people get the access and are facilitated to express their ideas and act upon it, they can make a difference.

Shirina is an example of youth-led initiatives that can lead to a big change in her community
Shirina is an example of youth-led initiatives that can lead to a big change in her community

  1. SCRSSI Project: Strengthening Community Resilience through School Safety Initiative project is a multiple country project operates in both Bangladesh and Nepal for three years (July 2018-June 2021), funded by Plan International Japan National Office.  This project goal is: Girls and boys in the most at risk communities in Bangladesh and Nepal have equal access to safer education and learning environment that minimizes the impact of disaster and promotes gender equality.
  2. SCRSSI Project formed 12 Youth Groups in project targeted communities, they were trained and supported to take initiates in their own communities for community disaster preparedness.

Emergencies, Girls Get Equal, Youth empowerment, Activism, COVID-19, Disaster relief

Share