There is an interesting story behind the startup of Leaping Boundaries. It all started when the founder of Leaping Boundaries, Shagufe Hossain came across a cover story of Star campus featuring Alia Madrasahs. ‘’It was the only positive take on Madrasahs I have ever read,’’ said Shagufe. She felt a drive igniting inside of her to do something for the madrasah students. And that was the moment Leaping Boundaries was born. She wrote to the writer on an impulse and he wrote back, and from there on she never looked back.
Just like the rest of us, she also had never paid much attention to the madrasah students. That feeling of guilt inspired her to help the madrasah students find their identity and make a mark in the society.
There are however, many queries regarding the potential and eagerness of the madrasah students, to which she explained, “In most madrasahs, I find that there is an environment that restricts self-expression and creativity. But in my brief experience of working with them, the students have surprised me multiple times.’’ She believes, along with technological education, the madrasah students should also build their emotional intelligence and communication skills. That is why the soft skill component is one of their prime focused components.
“People don’t generally trust outsiders. Madrasahs are traditionally male dominated spaces so it’s a challenge for me to speak to the authorities as a woman. It’s also difficult to help them see the value addition we are making in the children’s lives”
The backbones of leaping boundaries are their volunteers. They are the ones who direct the 300 madrasah students to a better future. So Shagufe ensures the best possible guidance for the volunteers. “They have received training from the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology (DECP) at Dhaka University, THRIVE, the Tech Academy and Teach for Bangladesh alumni,” she reveals.
But with every new mission, comes a set of challenges. ‘’People don’t generally trust outsiders. Madrasahs are traditionally male dominated spaces so it’s a challenge for me to speak to the authorities as a woman. It’s also difficult to help them see the value addition we are making in the children’s lives,’’ she explains.
As the famous author, Catherine Pulsifer once said, “We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity, life would be very boring.” Considering that in mind, leaping boundaries conducts four components that are very different form one another. They believe, being different will make a difference. English language, soft skills, technology and psychosocial components, all the components serve a different purpose to the students.
Moreover, they believe that action speaks louder than words. To use theory into practice, they create exciting platforms for the madrasah students to explore their possibilities. ‘’This year we organised Toppled, a unique tech exhibition which enabled madrasah girls to participate in mainstream platforms by showcasing their skills in technological education or computer programming. 90 girls from 3 different madrasahs were selected to demonstrate games that they have developed using their knowledge of coding. 30 of them were present at the event.’’ Shagufe proudly answered.
By collaborating with other humanitarian platforms like Tech Academy, THRIVE and the DECP, they ensure the best quality opportunity for the students. They regularly work with the Bangladesh Youth Leadership Centre (BYLC) and collaborate with whoever presents favourable opportunity. Needless to say that with, Leaping Boundaries up and running, the possibilities are now endless for Madrasah students.
Photographs from Leaping Boundaries