22 selected for Acumen Fellowship Program- Bringing positive social changes

22 emerging leaders from diverse social groups have been selected for the third Acumen Fellowship in Bangladesh for the year 2022. The third group of Acumen fellows are social entrepreneurs from non-profit, for-profit and local institutions and activists and storytellers from leading social movements. The cohort for the year 2022:

HO CHI MINH, Goodwill ambassador for transgender rights at No Passport Voice, who has been serving as a frontline health worker during the pandemic and also works to empower unheard marginalised communities to demand their rights. Her work is focused on Dhaka, Tangail, Faridpur, Mymensingh, Bogura, Kurigram.

MONG MARMA is engaging youth in Rangamati and Cox’s Bazar to examine gender equality to reduce gender based violence, and build systems of accountability as Founder, Project Affasa.

A B M MAHMODUL HASAN, Founder President of Students Community against Rape and Sexual Violence (SCaRSV) who is working to eradicating gender based discrimination and violence by engaging school students in different parts of Bangladesh.

MOSHFEC ARA, Executive Director, Space-A foundation for Peace & Care has been working on gender inclusion and equality for many years and is currently creating safe spaces and providing gender education for adolescents and professionals.

SADIKUL ISLAM, Founder and President, BRIHONNOLA has been working to eradicate systematic inequality, social stigma and discrimination faced by transgender people in Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Faridpur, Khulna, Satkhira, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Sunamganj, Sylhet.

ZYMA ISLAM, specialises in rights-based investigation as a Staff Reporter at The Daily Star.

RAZIN MUSTAFIZ, Founder and CEO, Worklife, has built a technology platform enabling workers everywhere to gain the valuable skills they need to succeed in an increasingly digital economy.

TRISHILA CHAKMA, is connecting indigenous entrepreneurs from Khagrachhari, Rangamati, Bandarban, Dhaka, Sherpur with resources and networks as Founder, SABANGEE.

DIPTHA SAHA, is Providing market access solutions to rural dairy farmers in Chattogram, Dhaka, Narayanganj, Netrokona as Business Lead, Khamar-e Limited.

KASHFIA MAHMUD, has beenBuilding tech solutions to ensure financial inclusion as CEO, Shadhin Fintech Solutions Ltd.

TORI CHAKMA, has been building a strong marketing network to promote Indigenous traditional attire in both National and International levels through Mizel Hozal.

EHSAN KABIR, creates compelling campaigns and communication materials to raise awareness and amplify unheard voices as CEO of Green Ink and Country Representative of Initiative für Neue Bildung e.V. (Initiative for New Education)/ Green Ink.

SADIA JAFRIN, Founder & CEO, Grow your Reader is ensuring quality education among children through innovative learning techniques and teacher training facilities with projects focused in Bandarban, Chittagong, Dhaka, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur, Rajbari, Jessore, Khulna, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Moulvibazar, Sylhet.

SHAMS JABER is Gamifying the education system and providing tech solutions to address social problems in Chattogram and Dhaka  as CEO, The Tech Academy.

FAWAZ ROB, Founder and CEO, Bangla Bari Ltd. focuses on sustainable rural architecture and has been working to improve sanitation in rural areas around Comilla, Dhaka and Dinajpur.

ARMAN HASAN, Director, Ark Sea Foods Limited, is focusing on the economic empowerment of shrimp farmers across Bhola, Chandpur, Noakhali, Rangamati, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Bagerhat, Khulna and Satkhira through employing improved methods of aquaculture producing exponentially higher yields.

FATIHA POLIN, CEO, Menstrual Hygiene Management for Marginalized Communities is ensuring safe menstrual hygiene management in marginalized communities of Barishal, Khagrachhari, Bandarban, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Khulna, Satkhira, Mymensingh, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Sylhet.

GOPAL KUMAR DEY advocates for pro-poor policies through research, analysis and lobbying as Additional Director, Institute of Informatics and Development.

MD NAZMUL HAQUE NEHAL, focuses on financial inclusion of people with disabilities Bandarban, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Dinajpur through advocacy and strategic interventions as Director Program, Social Assistance and Rehabilitation for the Physically Vulnerable (SARPV).

SWARNA MOYE SARKER, Co-founder, BRIDGE Foundation is supporting deaf and mute communities in Dhaka.

MILON PATWARY, works to ensure economic empowerment and food security of disadvantaged and destitute communities as Director of Bangladesh Nazarene Mission, which has projects in Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Bagerhat, Jessore, Khulna, Satkhira, Naogaon, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Moulvibazar.

IMRAN AHMED CHOWDHURY is Programme Coordinator, COVID-19 Response projects at BRAC and has been harnessing the power of health education to curb the community transmission of COVID-19.

Acumen Academy works to enhance the quality of leadership of social innovators and builders who are working to solve society’s problems and by providing practical tools, practices and resources needed to create new solutions for an interdependent world. The Acumen Fellowship builds the skills, attributes, and values of moral leadership through a mix of in-person and online seminars. Since 2019, 41 Bangladeshis have completed the Fellowship. The Fellowship is also offered in India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Spain, United Kingdom, Colombia and East and West Africa. Upon completion, the Bangladeshi fellows will join Acumen’s global community of more than 1000 Fellows.

Source: The Daily Star