Undergraduate / A problem you solved or a problem you would like to solve [3]

Can you imagine a world where education, health care and a healthy meal every day is a privilege rather than a right? In the world I come from these basic necessities are considered a privilege. Growing up in Bangladesh, I realized that life can be very cruel for some. Observing my surroundings, the people and the adversities that they faced, I was touched by the daily miseries that the poverty stricken people go through. I sat across, on the other side of the table thinking how my luxurious life heavily contrasted theirs.

I encountered children in ragged and wrinkled clothes incessantly. Their very essence reflected numerous sorrowful stories. I would sit down with them and hear their agonizing stories. Just imagine spending months without a proper meal, without a proper shower or even without a proper place to sleep. These little children had no permanent place to live nor did they have a proper shelter. The hard, stony sidewalk is their home. Conversations with them often involved questions such as "Aren't we humans too? Doesn't everyone deserve a good chance in life?" These questions left me deep in remorse. I had a desire to change the way they felt about themselves and about society

As a freshman in Bangladesh, I began brainstorming about the prospects of starting an online business. I wanted to merge my passion for soccer and my dedication to helping society by selling soccer equipment and raising money for the necessities of the poor. I knew running an online business and keeping my grades high at school could be strenuous but that didn't deter my goal. I felt and knew that I had an important part to play in bringing joy into the lives of these children who are being denied of their rights to getting an education at school instead of begging for money instead of getting an education at school.

Gathering my savings and using the ideas of 'Social Business' by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, I opened up a business page, Sports Attire, on Facebook. This would be cost-effective as there is no tax bill or extra charges on these pages. I started by setting up deals with the importers to buy soccer equipment at a cheaper price, then I began advertising among my friends and family. By handing out flyers on the streets, and making classroom announcements about the project that I had started, I publicized my business and urged more to join the cause and assist me in lending a hand to those that needed it the most; the underprivileged in our area.

I can recall the first time when I went to the slums to distribute all I had collected for the children. A young girl of about six looked at me astonished; her eyes glistened in tears as she hesitated to reach forward to grab the dress I held out to her. And when she finally did gather enough courage, her face lit up in a wide smile. A sense of accomplishment washed over me as I realized it only takes one to make a difference.

I believe the daily problems can be solved if a person has the desire to formulate a change. Even though I had to step down as I left Bangladesh, I know Sports Attire, my Facebook business page, will always be a part of me. It shaped me up, gave me a vision and a platform to carry out what I have started. Poverty is a global issue; it stalls the human race from reaching greatness. Poverty cannot be eradicated but it can certainly be reduced to minimal level certainly in the developing countries. I dream that my life's work can stimulate a world where everyone gets a fair chance.