It is an incredibly odd decision to uproot a settled fourteen year old boy from a comfortable and settled environment in the picturesque town of Bath in the south west of England to the chaos and irregularity of Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

I’m sure you can understand the culture shock involved.  Not withstanding differences in weather, language, and food which are to be expected I found a few things a little odd.  Whilst in England to drive a car you must master steering, the use of gears, and control of speed; in Bangladesh these are all optional so long as you can work the horn.  In England I would have to switch my lights or TV off myself; in Bangladesh the government kindly intervenes by cutting the power off at regular intervals. In England I’d tip a waiter and maybe the pizza delivery boy; in Bangladesh you must, err, ‘tip’ policemen, repairmen, officials, and pretty much anyone with something you need.

Aside from all of these peculiarities I did take away some more serious insights.  There is an inescapable destitution and hardship endured by the masses in Bangladesh; witnessing severe poverty first hand did leave a deep impression on me.  I stayed in a flat in the affluent area of Bharidhara with open stone floors and a solid roof whilst two roads away a boy my age would live in a small space over dried mud and under tarpaulin sheets.

So that’s where things started for me.  I’ve always believed that to truly tackle poverty it is essential that there is in place robust economic management and stringent governance.  This led me toward studying Economics before embarking upon a Masters in International Development back in my native Bath.

At this point with a determination to make a difference and a free summer to fill, I by chance stumbled on some MADE in Europe paraphernalia to undergo training to deal with disaster management.  The criterion was simply that I was a young British Muslim with time available to commit over the summer.

Of course disaster management is a challenging and expansive area.  The MADE in Europe training specialised in water purification and the building of temporary healthcare facilities.  I can’t understate the importance of clean, safe drinking water in disaster situations.  We all know that whilst we can survive without food for a month upward, it can be a matter of days without water in hot climates.  It is amazing to think that we can all now install, maintain, and train locals on water purification systems that could save sixty thousand lives each day. How many people have the ability to do that?

In addition we had the chance to learn from several individuals who have dedicated their lives to relief and development.  This, supplemented with several spiritual talks that put our ambitions in context with our faith, has left even the most cynical amongst us moved and motivated.

I should at this stage inform you that there is a further stipulation which wasn’t made clear in any of the literature.  Though it is not overtly stated, breaking your leg in three places playing football does hinder your ability to do aid work and so I would relay the wise words given by my parents and advise you to refrain from “intentionally breaking your leg”, “carelessly breaking a leg”, or -my favourite- to “break your leg because you didn’t listen to your mother”.

Although the doctor melodramatically described the injury as a “severe trauma” I was fully aware that I would get good treatment (and very good painkillers) and that Inshallah things would mend and the pain would subside. If I had done this in rural Bangladesh I’m not sure I’d ever walk again.  Not if I was poor. It is a miserable truth.

Anyway, you may now appreciate why I am stranded (for six to eight weeks) whilst everyone else is preparing for fundraising and ultimately field work.  I am gutted that my plans have been put on hold.  The MADE in Europe project has given us training and confidence that can’t be bought cheaply.  I’ve met people that share my passions and visions for development and are as eager as me to get going. 

And this isn’t just any charity project.  It isn’t a Muslim project with good intention and poor execution. It isn’t a project that is content with some progress and some community involvement.  It is a project that will save lives and build lives. It is a project determined to do things in the most efficient and effective way. A project that encourages new ideas and new energy. A project for us the young Muslims.

So let’s get things done. 

Faheem Choudhury