My One Year Experience: Nari Jibon Project and Dr. Kathryn B. Ward

I have been working in Nari Jibon for one year. I had no idea about this institution just a year before. However, after joining here, now my expression is that in general IT education sector in a developing country like Bangladesh, the initiative of Nari Jibon of Dr. Kathryn B. Ward is really praiseworthy.

In other developing countries in the world, it is seen that women are neglected in various ways. If we look at Bangladesh, it becomes clear. The slogan of the Nari Jibon project is ‘Alternative Skills for Women’. Aiming at materializing its slogan and making women educated in alternative education, Nari Jibon has been trying its best from the very beginning of its foundation and it also got success. That is why; D. Ward founded this institution at Malibagh in the capital Dhaka.

Nari Jibon provides different training programs especially for lower class, lower-middle class and working class women. But the most important thing is General IT education. Three types of IT education are available here such as: Computer Basic and office program, Hardware and Troubleshooting and Graphics and web design. D. Kathryn B. Ward monitors the development of all of these three types of IT education herself.

D. Kathryn B. Ward also introduced a web-based ICT magazine besides the IT training program. Almost in all the countries of the world, the number of women journalist is very few. Especially in IT sector, the number is much less than that of any other field. Here the main objective is to give women the opportunity of practical application of their IT education besides their education. It is true that working in this magazine, they can not make any financial profit. However, self realization is their main achievement here and they can compare their own educational capability. I think, they can transform their institutional education into pragmatic education. Besides, photography training is also available here.

D. Kathryn B. Ward arranged the internet access facility to develop the skill of women’s institutional education and the skill of each of the employees of this institution. It best-proves that she thinks about long-term planning. She knows that internet is a big store of knowledge at the present world. If women cannot get into this vast knowledge then the aim on which D. Kathryn B. Ward founded this institution will go in vein. Here, in this institution, women from all walks of life can browse internet for a minimal cost. She also spends all the income of this source for the development of the Nari Jibon project. She always inspires the trainees to use internet besides their training. Teachers of the IT education help students toe learn internet. Teachers of all departments are teaching in a special way in order to materialize the plan and instructions given by D. Kathryn B. Ward.

Now, I want to mention another important thing regarding this institution and that is Nari Jibon also helps its trainees in getting job. For this purpose, Nari Jobin has a special field visit committee. All the employees of that office help this committee. Especially the teachers of each department are working in order to create better employment for their students. The members of this committee are demonstrating the importance of IT education going to different educational institutions.

D. Ward not only just thinks about the students of this institution, rather she also thinks about the development of the employees of this institutions and that is why, she organizes staff development class in order to increase the skill of all of the employees of this institutions. In this class, staffs are getting education in some important subjects including printing, picture editing and networking. The reason lies behind this class is to get each of the employees introduced with almost all of the works of the office so that an employee can carry on the task of other employee is case of his/her absence. For example, if any of the computers gives any problem then the operator of that compute can solve it as everyone got training on networking. This project has been the next example of the slogan of the Nari Jibon.

D. Kathryn B.Ward always gives necessary instructions for operating this institution in spite of being busy in her everyday life. From my own experience, I can say that I become astonished seeing her observation to all the matters staying in America.

From the beginning of Nari Jibon, she has been funding all of the expenses of this project which she earned teaching at Southern Illinois University in America. She has made a great example of kindness spending all of her money for the well being of unknown people of a different country which is rare in this selfish world.

Animesh Chandra Bain

animesh

Nari Jibon Project
404/B (1st, 2nd & 3rd  floor) Malibag Chowdhurypara, Dhaka-1219.
Office Tel: 825-3637, Mob: 0189414949