Shomy Hasan Chowdhury, Co-Founder of Awareness 360, shares her incredible journey as a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) activist, the challenges and how Samsung’s Generation17 initiative sheds a much-needed spotlight on the Global Goals
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Could you share some details of the accolades you have been recognized with for your work as a youth activist?
I am a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Activist and the Co-Founder of Awareness 360. I am also, a Global Citizen Youth Advocate who is working as the Asia Representative of the Commonwealth Students’ Association. Subsequently, I serve the leadership and advisory roles for multiple international organisations, championing various causes, particularly public health, quality education, and gender equality. In 2018, I was invited by Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, to observe the Pakistan General Elections as the youngest International Election Observer as part of the Commonwealth Observer Group.
I am thankful to have been recognised for my humanitarian efforts through many accolades, notably the President’s Volunteer Service Award (Gold) by President Barack Obama. In 2019, I was the first Bangladeshi to be awarded the Princess Diana Legacy Award, one of 20 recipients from the world. Last year, I was Asia Pacific’s first young person and one of four globally, to be titled Samsung Global-UNDP’s Generation17 Young Leader. I have recently been named a Forbes 30 Under 30 and spotlighted as the Featured Honoree for Social Impact.
You have devoted your life’s work to help ensure everyone can access clean water and sanitation. What motivated you to become a (WASH) Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene activist? What are the biggest challenges that are impeding access to clean water and sanitation to vulnerable communities in Bangladesh?
My passion for WASH stemmed from the sudden death of my mother to diarrhoea seven years back. I want to ensure no one goes through the unbearable pain of losing their beloved ones due to preventable diseases, hence starting educating marginalised communities on the criticality of WASH. The biggest challenges can be broadly categorised into lack of investment in the WASH sector, lack of monitoring & evaluation, and lack of awareness at the grassroots level.
The work for vulnerable communities through Awareness 360 landed you on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2021. What is the goal of Awareness 360?
Awareness 360 was founded by co-founder Rijve Arefin and me to equip young people like us with the right skills and resources, enabling them to exercise their passion, advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We help raise awareness about clean water and sanitation, menstruation, sexual and reproductive health, mental health & well-being, neglected tropical diseases among vulnerable and marginalised communities.
BEING A RECIPIENT OF THE DIANA LEGACY AWARD, I HAVE BENEFITED FROM THIS LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE MYSELF. IT FEELS INCREDIBLY FULFILLING TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE THIS YEAR
The communities include sewerage workers, sex workers, under-resourced school children, slum dwellers, people with disabilities and refugees. We were fostering behavioural change by helping them realise its long term impact in reducing extreme poverty. Before Covid-19 hit, we empowered over 1500 youths across 23+ countries and directly benefited over 150,000 people worldwide.
Besides winning the award in 2019, you have also been selected as the first Bangladeshi judge for Diana Legacy Awards 2021. What will your role be on the other side of the table this time?
The 2021 Legacy Award will be given to the top 20 young people selected from the Diana Award Holders between 2020-2021. Last year, I served as a Judge for the 2020 Diana Award; it was an outstanding experience. However, this year as a Legacy Award Judge, selecting the 20 from so many deserving nominations was indeed a challenging task. Being a recipient of The Diana Legacy Award, I have benefited from this life-changing experience myself. It feels incredibly fulfilling to be on the other side of the table this year. It truly is an honour and privilege to share the panel with Lord Spencer and many other esteemed figures. I cannot wait to celebrate the Legacy Recipients in December.
Since we have less than a decade to reach global sustainable goals, it is crucial to accelerate progress. As one of the young leaders of Samsung’s Generation 17, how will the initiative inspire action to tackle the Global Goals within due time?
The Generation17 initiative sheds a much-needed spotlight on the Global Goals and the young people fighting to achieve them by 2030 through their exemplary work. It will motivate others to play their part via many options, such as educating themselves or donating for a cause through the Global Goals App available on Samsung mobiles. Technology can play a significant role in achieving the SDGs, and Samsung is setting an example in this regard. Technology is at the heart of Awareness 360, as this helped us scale up our movement to different parts of the world quickly. Through this initiative, we have received Samsung devices using which we can amplify our work. Through Samsung and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), we are given speaking opportunities in high-level forums to advocate for our cause to different stakeholders, adding more visibility and credibility to our existing initiatives. Our work has gotten further reach through the branding and marketing support provided by this initiative. Many young people are now inspired to join our movement.