DOT Desk: Social Purpose Organization Friendship started a special initiative in 2021 among the students in remote areas to face climate hazards and disasters in the riverine islets (chars) of the Brahmaputra river basin, which are separated from the mainland. The aim of this project is to make students skilled in climate change and disaster management in marginal areas in Bangladesh, reports Dhaka Tribune .
As per the program, students of Friendship’s own schools participated in online sessions with students abroad, sharing experiences and knowledge and fostering camaraderie, companionship and mutual understanding.
This year the program is being expanded to 5 countries, with an inauguration event heldyesterday.
Students of 15 Friendship Schools will continue to exchange climate and disaster coping capacity knowledge with 18 schools from faraway France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Cambodia under this project. Organized as an online event, Runa Khan, founder of Friendship, delivered the welcome speech at the “Inter-School Connectivity” project inauguration event. She said: “Students from the chars survive facing natural disasters like floods, river erosion, cold wave, drought and cyclones every year. Improving and spreading survival strategies will contribute to climate change and sustainable development.”