We are thankful to Lee Goldman & AISD

By Sujon

Nari Jibon Development Foundation depends on private donation as it is providing skill trainings (Computer, English, Tailoring and Non formal Adult Education) to the underprivileged women & girls from the March 2005. Students pay very nominal fee for these courses. Due to world economic crisis and health problem of main donor (Dr. Kathryn B Ward, Professor, Department of Sociology, SIU at Carbondale) and some other reasons Nari Jibon is facing serious financial crisis. While it was near to close the volunteer English Teacher of Nari Jibon Lee Goldman and some of her colleagues/students donated to continue Nari Jibon activities as they think that the skill training programs of Nari Jibon are more effective to the Bangladeshi women.
On March 27 the American International School of Dhaka (AISD) hosted a running event called the Step-Up Relays in which teams of four people ran a series of laps around Baridhara. Teams consisted of students, parents, school staff, and other community members. Each team paid a registration fee, and all proceeds from the event were donated to Nari Jibon.

Lee Goldman & some AISD students with Nari Jibon staff

At an earlier event on Dec.13, 2008, AISD held another athletic event called the Splash-n-Dash, a duathalon in which participants swam 400m and ran 4km. In some cases a swimmer and runner joined together to form a team to complete the duathalon. Again, the participants paid a registration fee and all proceeds went to Nari Jibon.

Lee Goldman and some AISD students teach English Spoken to Nari Jibon students in every Friday.

On the 1st Falgun

By Mohtarimun Nahar [Bipa]

On the first Falgun, 1415 [Bengali month, year] Bengali people celebrate this day with a great joy. Many cultural programs are arranged on this day. Bengali girls & women wear Saree. People prefer yellow color based dresses on this day. From 1^st Falgun the Winter season gets to end and the king of the seasons Spring starts. The nature starts changing in new beauty. In the winter season the nature becomes rough & lifeless. After the winter the nature decorates her with new leaves & many colorful flowers. That’s why Bengali people cheer on this day and pass the day with festive & gay mood.

I also celebrate this day with my friends & family. On this 1^st Falgun I celebrate with my newly married brother & sister-in-law. We had a trip to Munshigonj by ship. We started our journey from Buriganga River and end our journey at Shitalaksha River. We went to my brother’s friend’s home. It was like a picnic. My brother’s friend arranged everything. The journey was for two hours. When we reached at Munshigonj we found many types of hand made cakes, paste of different fruits & drinks were arranged for us. At noon we had Kacchi Biriany as lunch. In the afternoon curd & tea were arranged. We passed some times at the side of Shitalaksha River. In the evening we started our journey for Dhaka. We had a great fun there. We are really grateful to my brother’s friend Mr. Jubaidur Rahman Khan for giving us a wonderful trip on 1^st Falgun.

At the Riverbank

Jubaidur Vaia with his Daughter & My Borther Bipul

I am with my sister-in-law Tithi

With my Brother

Pictures from Harti Culture Center

Gulshan Lake Park
Mohtarimun Nahar Bipa

Flower Garden

Dalia Flower

Salvia Flower

Calandula Flower

Flox Flower

Nastashiam Flower

The Lake

The Sun Set

Reflection of the Sun Set in the Lake

Trees at Gulshan Lake Park

A Small Bridge

Kanta & Bipa

Kanta & Bipa

Bipa

On the last Eid-Ul-Fitre

By Mohtarimun Nahar [Bipa]

On the last vacation of Eid-Ul-Fitre I went to visit my brother’s home with my friend Kanta at Rayer Bazaar in Dhaka. There we found a beautiful place. I never knew that in Dhaka we have place like this. We felt that we are in the village. That place is so peaceful. We spent the afternoon there and took some pictures. I wanna share these pictures with the bloggers.

Catkin [White flower of the tall species of grass]

Catkin & Green Paddy Land

A Scaffold or Trellis made of bamboo & twigs along which a bottle-gourd plants creeps up

Edible herbs of Bottle-gourd

A Scaffold on a Green Paddy land

The Evening Twilight

The Sun Set


The Sun Set in The City

Pictures after Rain

By Mohtarimun Nahar [Bipa]
Pictures taken by Tanbirujjaman Tanbir

My friend Tanbirujjaman Tanbir is very fond of natural beauties. Whenever he gets time he takes pictures of nature from his mobile camera. Recently he celebrated his Eid-Ul-Fitre at his village in Rangpur. He took some excellent pictures after rain from there. Now I will share those pictures with all the bloggers.

The English Sections of Nari Jibon Project

Mohtarimun Nahar [Bipa]
[The Supervisor of English Section & Editing]

Nari Jibon Project provides alternative skills for girls & women. Actually it is a training program. The Executive Director of this Project is Kathryn B Ward. She is a Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies of Illinois University, Carbondale. She started this project in March 2005 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Funding comes from her and her mother Pat Ward and nominally from the students’ admission fees and other donations.

Here different aged of girls and women can take courses on English, Bengali, Tailoring, Computer Office Program, Graphics and Photography etc. Most of the students are of school, college and university levels. Also sex workers can get admitted in English, computers or any other sections in Nari Jibon.

Here we have Nari [Women] Cyber Café only for girls and women. Students are to submit their assignments to the related teachers and practice on English and Computer in this cyber café.

We have also a Blog Project in English [titled “Bangladesh from Our View” [http://narijibon.blogspot.com] and Bengali [“Amader Galpa (Our Stories)” [http://banglablog-narijibon.blogspot.com ] to enhance students’ & staffs’ creativity on different areas.

To know more about Nari Jibon Project you can visit-- www.narijiobon.com.

In Nari Jibon Project we have two English sections: English-1 [Basic Grammar, Reading, Writing and Speaking] and English-2 [Advanced Speaking, Reading & Writing]. Beside those two Practice Classes[Special English Spoken Practice Class] are held on Friday and Saturday morning.

I am the teacher of these sections. Some times many visiting teachers come to take English classes to encourage the students. The students are to attend in the English Sections before taking the computer course. Before admitting here students are to attend an admission test and their sections are decided on their results.

After every three/four month’s guardian meetings and prize giving ceremony are arranged. We also arrange blog workshop by experienced people. Now I will give some descriptions about Nari Jibon English classes.

English-1 [Basic Grammar, Reading, Writing and Speaking]:
Teacher: Mohtarimun Nahar (Bipa)

Course objectives:

• Students will learn Basic English vocabulary.
• Students will learn Basic English grammar rules.
• Materials mostly given in English (immersion).
• Practice on speaking, writing, reading, and understanding will be assigned in each class.
• Students will be able to: read, write and speak.
• Remove students’ hesitation on speaking.
• Students will contribute to the English blog.
• At the end of the course, students will be prepared to move to English 2.

Course requirements:

• Students must know the English alphabet before attending this class.
• Students will do their homework as requested.
• Students will develop their portfolio and plan.

Students will diligently attend classes, and provide adequate reasons for absence. They will be required to make up missed work.

English-2 [Advanced Speaking, Reading & Writing]:
Teacher: Mohtarimun Nahar (Bipa)

English 2 is the final course in English at Nari Jibon. Students who have completed English 1 and have passed a competency exam (oral and written) are eligible to join this class. English 2 is taught completely in English, and each class includes elements of speaking, reading, writing and comprehension. Students are expected to submit homework assignments as required by their teacher, to attend class regularly, and to sit for exams as scheduled.

Course objectives:

• Students will improve their English vocabulary.
• Students will improve their English grammar rules.
• Students will be able to: read, write and speak.
• Students will increase their confidence when conversing in English.
• Students will contribute to the English blog.
• Students will develop their portfolios.
• Students will complete internships.
• At the end of the course, students will be able to hold a conversation with a native English speaker, read and understand English writing, and write grammatically correct memos, essays and prose.

Rules of English- 1 & 2:

• The course will be finished within two months [English-1 within 24 classes and English- 2 within 16 classes].
• Students are required to purchase a cyber café pass card and complete their homework in the cyber café, at least one hour per week.
• Class Days & Time:

English-2: Wednesday & Friday [03.00 am – 05:00 pm].
Special English Spoken Practice Class: Saturday [11:00 am – 01:00 pm].

English-1: Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday [03.00am – 05:00pm].
Special English Spoken Practice Class: Friday [11:00 am – 01:00 pm].

• Keep the mobile on vibrate in the class.
• Students will submit their assignments by sheet or through email.
• In every class, speaking will be practiced on different topics.
• After graduation, students will have to finish the internship program [for two weeks].
• If students miss more than one week of English class, they will be dropped from the class.
• If students refuse to turn in homework for more than two weeks, they will be dropped from the class.

The practices are done by:

Speaking	To be able to speak in different places on different topics and practice from diagram.
Writing	To be able to write paragraph, applications, cover letters, bio-data etc. and make portfolio.
Reading	To be able to read any passes or paragraphs fluently and the pronunciation will be corrected
Listening	To be able to understand English by listening and answer from given questions on that.
Question Answering	To be able to make questions and answer to those. Students will practice by answering some questions to one another and ask about class room objects.
Submitting assignments	Students submit their assignments on class related topics and BLOG. They will type in cybercafé and submit those through email to: mn.bipa@gmail.com ; bipa19@yahoo.com
Browsing internet	Students will browse some website and blogspot site and submit assignments as required by the teacher.

Some Pictures of English Class & Students of Nari Jibon:

I am [yellow dress] with the English students in Blog Workshop

Lee Goldman is in the English Class

A student is taking her prize from Mr. Rafiqul Islam [Project Director of Nari Jibon]

Sufia [NJ student] with the visiting Teachers [Aruna, Muniyat, Stella and Lee]

Lee with the English Class Students

Stella is in the English Class

Lee Goldman, Stella and Aruna are in the English Class

Stella, Muniyat and Aruna are in the English Class

The Visiting Teachers of Nari Jibon Project

By Mohtarimun Nahar [Bipa]
Supervisor of English Section & Editing
Nari Jibon Project

Nari Jibon project is a training program. In Nari Jibon Project we have two English sections: English-1 [Basic Grammar, Reading, Writing and Speaking] and English-2 [Advanced Speaking, Reading & Writing]. Beside these classes two Practice Classes [Special English Spoken Practice Class] are held on Friday and Saturday morning. I am the teacher of these sections. Some times many visiting teachers come to take English classes to encourage the students.They do a great job. Students enjoy a lot to attend the class with them. That’s why I would like to introduce our visiting teachers with all the bloggers.

Shaina Hyder

She is Sociology major at Florida State University. She is most interested in gender and work.

Stella

She is from Canada. She is BA in Asian Studies, Masters in Education and PHD in Multicultural Studies [Specialization in Theatre]. She worked as a University Professor at Lesley University in Boston, University of Phoenix and Skogit Ualley College. She taught Philosophy, Theatre, Education, Ethics and Communication etc.

Aruna Dahal

She is the students of the American International School at Dhaka. She has a sister and a brother. She is sixteen years old. She decided to come to help out the women centre as part of her service hours. She has lived in many countries, such as- Nepal, Cambodia and Laos etc. She thinks Dhaka has been an amazing experience for her especially when she gets to come to help such wonderful women.

Muniyat Haque

She has lived in Canada. She studies in AIS/D. She wants to study in Economics and be an Economist.

Lee Goldman

She teaches math at the American International School at Dhaka. She has a husband and two children. She came from the United States in Virginia. She came to know about Nari Jibon from her friend Rick Davis. In the States she was a teacher in a girls school