Tariqul Islam
I am Tariq, a citizen of Bangladesh, currently working with ActionAid International China in Beijing.
I have been working for non government organisations (NGOs) for the last 12 years in many Asian countries. By working with an NGO I meet many poor people and children in different countries.
My role is to see how our works benefit the poor people and poor children especially in the rural areas. Another role is to communicate with the European sponsors about the life of the children, their education system, and their culture from the countries ActionAid works. During my works with the poor people I have learned many interesting stories about their happiness, sorrows and aspirations. I love to share those with the interested people.
I love to travel in the rural areas in the different countries, read books on different cultures and societies and listen to classical and folk music.
Questions and Answers (July 2, 2007)
Q: [from John Smith] Tariq, thanks for posting your details. Why did you decide to go and work in China though when Bangladesh probably needs all the help it can get? Of course you will have an interesting time but is there more to it than that? Will you learn more and be able to bring back ideas and knowledge to help in your own country? Well, whatever your motives, good luck to you wherever you go to work. Best wishes, Smithy
A: Where ever you go the poor people are the same on this earth, no matter whether it's Bangladesh or China.
I agree with you that the people of Bangladesh need more help. The kind of expertise I have and the kind of feeling I have, I think there are more experts or maybe more people in Bangladesh like me, who will continue their support to those poor people. But in China there are not as many experts to provide support for poor people. Help is limited there.
On the other hand, in Bangladesh we also need more experience and to learn more from other countries for effective development. To me poverty is a global issue, not just an issue for one country. For example, your question to me also shows the feeling of yours for the poor people of Bangladesh, even if you are not there. So no matter where you are, you can help people whom you want to help. I hope that my work will help the people outside of my country and that I will be able to bring back ideas for the people in my country, Bangladesh.
Q: [from margotproctor] Uur school sponsors a child in Tanzania, but we have no hot seat person there. Could I ask you, how and why did you become involved in the work that you do?
A: Perhaps nobody knows how and when they will become a friend of the helpless people, who want to change their life. I was born and brought up in a village. I saw the poor people and their sufferings from my childhood and perhaps gradually this shaped my mind to working in the area of social welfare.
I started this type of work whilst I was at school and carried on when I was a student.
Q: [from Eddie] do you like working with children?
A: Yes, of course, I like to work with children. I have a 7 year old child through whom I see the dreams and feelings of the children in this world.
My work is close to the children, I spend a lot of my time collecting drawings and messages from the children.
Q: [from Jasmine] ru worried about the floods and mud slides in Bangladesh at the moment?
A: Not really, I know the people of my country and floods and natural disasters are part of their life. So they know how to rebuild the things they lost. But of course it caused a lot of damage. It slows down their life.
Q: [from amy] where have u been travelling?
A: I do not travel that much. But I have travelled to Africa, Europe and many Asian countries. The most exciting travel time is in China. It's so large and such a varied country. Every moment I learn from the life of different people and mostly from poor people.
Q: [from Jessie] What';s one of your interesting stories from your work?
A: I have many but I can tell you a recent one.
I was visiting a very remote village in China. There I met an old lady (80), who was staying with her 7 year old grandson. She is the poorest women in that village. Even though she had a very small amount of land, she couldn’t use it due to her age. She was living in a very old hut. She couldn’t afford to have three meals everyday. But she wants her grandson to continue studying at the primary school.
She was sharing her hardship and dream for her grandson whose parents had moved away from the village. She was crying while she shared her story to me.
Before I left the place I gave her some money (100 Yuan which is just over £6) for her grandson. She just looked at me for several minutes and couldn't say anything. After some time she asked other people, "From where did this comrade come from?" Still in my heart I hear those words. (P.S. In China "comrade" means a friend like an angel).
