Md. Shawkat Alam Faisal: ‘Balcony’ is an initiative initiated by a vibrant group of individuals from Rajshahi who care both about women and girls as well as the environment! Inspired by their Social Action Project as part of British Council’s Active Citizens programme, this group of youth were moved by the plight of a large portion of the female adolescent population of Rajshahi city who had lost access to basic health and hygiene rights because they were so economically affected by the pandemic. The young people started to donate sanitary napkins to these adolescent girls.
They gave out the napkins for free during the first three months from the donation by its members. But their efforts fell short of the need and they also ran out of funds. To keep up with the spirit of giving they started a social enterprise called ‘Balcony’ to sell fruit trees and flowering plants online and used the profits to keep buying and donating sanitary napkins for these adolescent girls.
Until now Balcony distributed sanitary napkins and other necessary things among 200 adolescent girls in six different communities of Rajshahi including minority and ethnic groups. Balcony has great ambitions to continue and expand its support.
This is the story of their beautiful journey that speaks of empathy for the more vulnerable section of the society as well as their love for mother nature.
