A few days ago, in a cold shivering morning, I was waiting at the airport when I saw a girl walking fast towards me. I know her, a colleague from one of my past organisations. “I need your suggestion regarding my career and higher studies. I believe you’re the best person to talk to!” she said. We spent the next 30 minutes talking about her potential plans until it was time for my flight. I am often nervous while speaking about myself. So far, one of my greatest achievements has been the capability of talking to many colleagues and friends about their future potentials and leadership skills.
Today, when I'm reliving my story to emphasize on how UK education and experience contributed in who I am today, I would like to share a few lines from my past before getting into the bright side of the story. Being forcefully married at the age of 19 and living in an extremely violent marital relationship, I had lost all hope in life. There were days when I would wake up in the morning with no intention for a living, for people, or for anything that might keep me going. Just like any other woman in a patriarchal culture, I thought becoming a parent would end my sufferings. However, it was barely the reality.
Five years later, I came out of that terrible relationship and became a single parent. I had to start working immediately so that I can bear the expenses of my child. Working with one of the largest NGO in the world was probably the beginning of my new life journey. Four years down the line, I started to feel the need for a healthy boost in my career. I looked for opportunities and applied for the Chevening Scholarship provided by the UK government. I got admitted to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). I promised myself that I would invest that one year for my self-growth.
Being in the UK gave me not only an international exposure but also the precious opportunity to a journey of extensive self-development. I was enlightened by the glorious history and the presence of diverse culture during my stay in the UK. The opportunity to learn from some of the most world-known faculties helped me think critically and analytically. Today, as I work with the poor and the impoverished people living in some of the most remote corners of Bangladesh, I can continuously apply my learning and critical thinking skills that I’ve gathered from my UK education. Being a survivor to this date, I find myself being capable of juxtaposing development practice with development theories, test innovative and cutting-edge development solutions and doing development differently.