"In this way students can develop their English skills too"

Kazi Rafiqul Islam,
Director,Nari Jibon Project

Every activities of Nari Jibon Project are very important and effective for the students. Among other activities ICT can be mentioned as one of the most important activities. To know about ICT our correspondent talked with Kazi Rafiqul Islam, the Director of Nari Jibon Project.

Q: Tell something about you.

Kazi Rafiqul Islam: I am Kazi Rafiqul Islam. I completed my Honors and Masters in Political Science from Dhaka University. After completion of my study I started to work in a consulting farm where I worked for five years. In that consulting farm I was assigned to conduct/implement different types of research works in different area of the country. Later I joined ICDDR, B where I was also engaged in different types of research activities. I worked in ICDDR, B for about six years. In the year 2003 I joined in a two year longitudinal project (2003-2005) between SIU-IUB (Southern Illinois University, USA and Independent University of Bangladesh). This project was collaborated Research on “Economic Restructuring, women work, and empowerment in Bangladesh.” Executive director of NJ Prof. Kathryn B.Ward was the principal investigator of that project. Since January 2006 I had been working as research a Director of Nari Jibon research cell. Recently I was appointed as a Director of Nari Jibon Project.

Q: Tell something about the training of Nari Jibon Project.

Kazi Rafiqul Islam: To give alternative skills to the women is our motto. Different kinds of women can get training for developing their skills from here. Women can get them admitted here by giving nominal fee. The courses of Nari Jibon Project are:

• Bengali Course: For illiterate and low educated women.

• Tailoring Course: Both low educated and educated women can do this course.

• Computer Course: Educated women can do this course They can learn Computer Basic and Office Program, Computer Hardware & Trouble shooting, Graphics and Web Designing and photography.

Beside these, to increase their skill they have the opportunity to learn English, Photography and know about ICT Magazine from Nari Jibon. Without these, we have Research Section where we have skilled manpower and equipments to conduct research on different issues.

Q: What is the relation between ICT Magazine & other training?

Kazi Rafiqul Islam: ICT and other courses, especially English and computer courses are closely related. ICT magazine section is established in order to improve the skills of the students. Before getting admitted in this section students have to complete English and computer office courses so that in ICT section they can use their skills. They can learn many things about home and abroad, about IT sector through browsing. They get things for their writings in the magazine. They attend in different types of fair, Seminar-symposium; visit in different organizations, talk with the senior level management officials. During their visit/interview they use camera/video camera, recorder etc. In these ways they can broaden their confident level and also they become more skilled by writing on different topics.

Q: What do you think about your training centre that is different from other training centre?

Kazi Rafiqul Islam: I do think and believe that Nari Jibon training centre is different and better than any other training centre in the city. We take nominal registration fee from the students that are really less than the other training centre. I would like to mention some sides that have made this training centre different from other training centre:

• Our teachers teach the students friendly and in easy way.

• Students are getting safe and nice environment to learn about different subjects.

• Students are given assignment from the teachers.

• If any students fail to understand their lesson then teachers always try to solve their problems.

• After finishing Courses students have opportunity to do internship from Nari Jibon.

Beside these to increase students’ skills; they are sent to different fair, seminar based on ICT. After visiting those places they are given opportunity to write something for ICT magazine. In this way students can develop their English skills too.
Students are taught how to make resume/port folio,
How to face interview for job.
They also taught how to do business (making business plan, budget etc).
We also help the students to get work/job in different NGOs/offices/shops.

Q: What are the other opportunities to increase students’ skill?

Kazi Rafiqul Islam: Innovating things and ideas are adding in the era of rapidly going technological advancement. The students’ are informed about this information by using cyber cafe. We have a cyber café that is only for women. Students can browse here in a safe and nice environment and it is a part of their course. They can get much information from internet. And the teachers always help the students. Without these, if any students need to know anything after finishing their courses, teachers always help them.

Q: What is the future plan of your project?

Kazi Rafiqul Islam: Once again, the objective of Nari Jibon is to give alternative skills to its students which will continue. We would like to expand our activities and also to give more facilities in the near future to its students so that they can make them self-reliant after finishing the courses.