From Documentary to Disha Foundation

Neealana Naushin

While filming my first documentary, ‘Street based sex workers of Dhaka City’, I got the inspiration to establish the Disha Foundation. Previously, I worked with children with autism and held workshops in a few orphanages when I was in Dhaka. But it was a voluntary activity held thrice or four times each month. Due to studies and other ECAs, I was not a regular. However, while filming the documentary for Girls Impact The World Film Festival 2017, I became so involved and I was moved by the despair and sorrows of the sex workers. After that, I promised myself that I will do something that will assist them to live a better life. For me to assist them in a large scale is not yet possible, so I started small. The only way I can help them now is by providing them with necessities that they lack. So after my first visit to the brothel, I returned home and packed all my extra clothes, sandals, and old bed sheets and sent them over to them. Then I realized that even my friends can donate, so I asked around and almost everyone seemed interested and helped me out. I also learnt that these females lack in knowledge about basic and menstrual hygiene. So, I started having group discussions on this topic. The main focus was to explain and highlight the importance of cleanliness and hygiene to them. Later I also elaborated these workshop topics on safe sex practice and AIDS.

I have prevented nine rape victims from joining sex trade (aged below 17) and sent them to a shelter home where they are studying now.  I have admitted 47 students from low-income families into government schools (all aged below 16 years). In 2018, I was awarded by PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival, a joint initiative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), for my second documentary movie. Among 100 youths from 60 countries, I was chosen to attend the 8^th Global Forum in United Nations Headquarters for the contribution I had made for the vulnerable community.

In the long run, my aim with Disha Foundation is to assist the females living in vulnerability by providing them with education facilities, job opportunities, access to training and skill building centers. For now I am focusing on graduating AUW and then taking a gap year to work on my organization and conduct other projects. Then next year, I am planning to apply to graduate school for a Masters Degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.