Even though the Mount Everest is conquered by female mountaineers of Bangladesh, there is no significant change in general perception of the society about women. Still some people live with the negative stereotypes about woman need to be broken.
There are people who need to reprogram their brain to perceive that women can travel around the world and that they can defy the limit the society wants them to live with.
To unveil a horizon for women, Travelettes of Bangladesh came forward to encouraging women of Bangladesh to travel. It was established on 27th November 2016 by Doctor Sakia Haque and Doctor Manoshi Saha in order to assemble other fellow travelers and create a platform, which promotes safety and the welfare of female travelers. Since then, almost 1700 women have traveled worldwide through their 42 successful events.
With the motto of “empowering women through traveling”, the Travelettes of Bangladesh has attracted more than 25000 members. However, the organization does not limit itself to empowering women. The team of Travelettes is also working to have a positive impact on the country and its people. Take the case of their Kornofuli project consisting of the women who not only traveled 64 districts around the country in two scooters but also educated the natives on health, education, nutrition, child marriage, self-defense, street safety, national tourism, and Bangladesh’s history. They are also working to eradicate the “taboo” that surrounds menstruation and periods, by openly discussing and answering any queries in schools and colleges.
Travelettes of Bangladesh hosts workshops on self-defense, where one can receive training on how to resist a physical assault. They also arrange workshops on food and nutrition, which educate people on how to eat a healthy diet. The children also receive lessons on the history of Bangladesh and take part in quiz rounds on the topics of Bangabandhu’s declaration of independence, the Independence Day, and martyred intellectuals’ day, etc.
In addition, the Kornofuli project, they have hosted a national photography exhibition to create a platform for amateur photographers in collaboration with the tourism board. They are also working to publish an annual travel magazine called Bhromon Konnya (Travel Girl), where female writers and travelers can share their experiences. They are also encouraging international tourists to visit beautiful Bangladesh. As a part of this initiative, Corina Tomasschett from Switzerland and Aliyah Yousuf from the United Kingdom have visited Bangladesh with the assistance of the Travelettes.
“We want women to step out of their comfort zones and fulfill their dreams,” said Sakia.
The purpose of Travelettes of Bangladesh for taking part in the joy Bangla Youth Award program in 2018 is to let everyone know about their work and purpose of empowering women through travelling to prove that women are independent, powerful and capable to accomplish anything.
Through the Joy Bangla Youth Award, Travelettes of Bangladesh hopes that the entire country will get to know the progress that women are making in Bangladesh.
