An Obligation, Not an Option What I learned about giving back amidst the hardships of my native Bangladesh and why I returned to my homeland to serve others by Saraf Chowdhury
Growing up in a Bangladesh—the 13th-most densely made me cry and smile at the same time. I realized populated country in the world, to be exact—I realize I could make a positive difference in my community the importance of communities and how people through service. dwelling in them are dependent on each other for their Last summer, I returned to Bangladesh for three well-being. months and spent time with the children at BCCP Through community service, one can reach out to again. The school has grown from 12 to 30 students another in need. Since childhood, my family and friends now, and doctors and students from a new medical have always inspired me to come alongside people center nearby provide free dental and maternity care to experiencing hardships, and I have taken that as a area residents. It was an amazing learning experience purpose of life—to help others. to work there and meet many good people who filled In 1998, a devastating natural disaster hit Bangladesh my heart with warmth and showed incredible hospitality that left over 30 million people homeless. Fortunately, despite their daily struggles. my family and I were staying in a part of the capital that On my second week of working at the maternity clinic, was damaged by the historic flood to a lesser extent I met a middle-age woman named Salma. She comthan the surrounding areas. plained of severe stomach pains Even though I was only 6 years and traveled 70 miles (accom“Even though I was only 6 old, I could not take the misforpanied by her eldest daughter) to tunes of the people around us get there. She had learned about years old, I could not take lightly. My cousins and elders from the clinic from her neighbors who the misfortunes of the the family began fundraising, and I had previously received primary people around us lightly.” tagged along to help and to bring health care free of cost there. smiles to those affected. Salma was already a mother of During high school, I worked five children, and she delivered all with UNICEF and the Bangladesh Center for Commuof them at home with the help of her female neighbors nication Programs (BCCP) as a teacher. The smiles of because she could not afford professional medical care. my students helped me feel that I was doing something One month later, I assisted in delivering her sixth child good in life. at our clinic free of cost. I’m sharing Salma’s story not One boy whom I taught in Bangladesh named Shojol because it is unique but because it is common: Salma was born to a very poor family that left him near a represents hundreds of needy women who receive free garbage can when he was only 7 days old. A kind old medical attention through this clinic at present. man found him and gave him shelter until he was 5. During the trip, I also spent time working closely with When the man passed away, little Shojol spent his days a dentist and her team. Over a two-month span, our in the streets of Dhaka picking up trash to earn a living. team provided dental care to hundreds of patients who A team from BCCP picked him up and put him in school had never before received dental care or even had any where I met him. Before I left Bangladesh, Shojol told knowledge of dental hygiene. me that I was his inspiration and that he would continue I’m an MTSU and Honors graduate now. Looking back, his education until he becomes a doctor (because my three years at MTSU were challenging for me. But according to him, that’s what good boys do). His words spending time serving the community rejuvenated me.
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20 Honors Magazine mtsu.edu/honors