A three storied building is quietly nestled on a hill top, surrounded byGreenery and a pond in the middle of Chattogram city. This quaint building is a Orphanage. The sound of laughter of young girls fill the air with a sense ofInnocence and happiness. In the year 1984, this building was built with an intention of housing orphan children. It was then and still run by the A.K. Khan Foundation. It is girl’s orphanage. Girls from the ages of 5 to 19 years of age live here. This is a building for a total of 200 girls, who have come from poverty stricken families. Girls are provided with all housing facilities, food, education, and medical attention. With 40 teachers, 9 in-house teachers, office staff and support staff, approximately 240 people are part of this orphanage.
A school is also adjacent to the main building. For the last 36 years, this school has been running from KG to class 10. On 29 th December, 2017, this orphanage was named to Chattogram Balika Shadan.Cleanliness and hygiene plays a major role in CBS. Going through a pandemic was a totally new experience for the orphanage. Specific preventive measures were taken to keep the girls and this institutions habitant’s safe from this disease. Last year, when the pandemic was announced in the country, all individuals living in the orphanage, the girls, office staff, support staff, and teachers, had regular body temperatures taken by the infrared thermometer as well as Oxygen saturation was also measured regularly by the Oximeter.
During the devastating pandemic, the ECM took decision on 21st March 2020, that girls of KG class, classes 1, 2, 3,4,6, 7 and 9 should be sent home. Girls of classes 5,8, and 10 will remain in the orphanage. Some 5 girls and a total of 52 girls continued living in the orphanage.
From June 21st , Online classes started for the very first time in the orphanage. Provision for students of PSC, JSC, and SSC were implemented. Mrs. Farhat Khan is Very kindly and donated 3 laptop’s, a projector and various other equipment’s to Make this transition from physical school to online school as comfortable as Possible.
During the end of 2020, after the government’s decision, exams for girls of classes 6 to 9 were taken. Of all the girls who were sent home, the orphanage was able to take their exams as well.
16th December, Victory Day of Bangladesh was celebrated by the remaining girls in the orphanage.
On 17th March, a celebration of Father of The Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s 100th b’day was held. Children’s Day was also celebrated on the same day. The girls of the orphanage held a short rally and a discussion group.
Various workshops were held throughout 2020. A workshop was held on 7th March 2020, with guest speaker Dr. Nasreen Chowdhury (Ex head of Sena Medical College) and Dr. Tapon Kumar (City Corporation). Covid 19 was the topic of the workshop. A much needed and talked topic during that time.
In 2020, Eid was celebrated as it is celebrated every year without fail. Mrs. Farhat Khan provided the children with school uniform and 2 sets of Eid dresses for the remaining the girls in CBS. Not only that, specially cooked food was arranged for the children’s consumption too.
These girls are often requested by donors, CBS members or friends of CBS to pray or have Doa Mahfil’s for the sick or needy people. A special Doa mahfil was held in 2020 for protection from Covid 19.
Due to Covid 19, meetings, such as ECM, AGM and teacher’s meetings were all held Online.
A donation was given by Exim Bank to CBS. 100 blankets were distributed to the girls in 2020. Almighty Allah has been very kind and through his blessings, during this pandemic, the girls of Chattogram Balika Shadan have remained safe, happy and healthy. In 2021, on 20 th February, a sports prize distribution and a farewell to SSC candidates were held. A short cultural program was also conducted, where all the children of the orphanage participated. The children enjoyed themselves tremendously. Covid 19 had restricted their lives, this program gave them a Chance to be carefree for a short time till they go back to ’Covid Life’ all over again.