“My family was about to marry me off when I was not even done with my secondary school. My mother, however, was against that decision. She saved me from that catastrophe,” said Heera Parvin, a woman hailing from a village in the southwestern district of Satkhira. It is perceivable that the lives of the locals are influenced by superstitions and prejudices. As a result, child marriage and violence against women are almost taken for granted. In 2012 along with some local youths, Parvin founded “Jagaran Club”, a youth-led social organization, with a primary objective of spreading awareness against child marriage and violence against women. The primary activities of Jagaran Club are door-to-door campaign and yard meeting to raise awareness at the family level against the ill consequences of early marriage. They also work to sensitize people to prevent violence against women. In 2017, this organization received the Joy Bangla Youth Award for its contribution in preventing child marriage and violence against women. In five years, Jagaran Club, which runs primarily on the subscription of its members, has spread its activities to a number of other upazilas in Satkhira district. The members now also work to encourage guardians to send their dropout children, especially girls, back to school. They have recently added health awareness programs in their roster as well. The organization is expanding its footprint to every upazila in Satkhira district. In the long run, Jagaran Club wants to build a strong network with other similar organizations through Young Bangla platform to work and contribute nationally.
