The second day of BRAC Hope Festival passed in a festive mood on Friday, a public holiday, with the theme 'Power of People', centering around showcasing the potential of people to transform their lives, says a press release.
Participatory workshops on children’s Play Lab, urban gardening, robotics, rickshaw painting, and other subjects were full of participants from all age groups, including children and youths, who pre-registered to take part in these events.
Audience participated in different events organised by different programmes and projects of the BRAC ecosystem. There were various games, including 'Build it from zero' by the Ultra-Poor Graduation (UPG) programme, and 'Build with my own hand' by the Microfinance programme. BRAC Seed organised storytelling performances on its tilapia fish, corn, and apiculture. BRAC Institute of Educational Development (BIED) organised 'A world of play' for children. BRAC’s Social Empowerment and Legal Programme’s Popular Theatre is being staged all three days of the festival.
Participants are also getting 20% discount on Aarong products by participating in the 'Pin and Win' game at Aarong stall, displaying different phases of its production of silk and other kinds of textiles, which have also attracted a massive audience.
Tamara Hasan Abed, Managing Director, BRAC Enterprises, addressed the audience on this day. She said, "BRAC Enterprises provides assistance to people’s entrepreneurial initiatives with the aim to realise their potential. We have taken initiative wherever we found opportunities to create employment and other opportunities for the poor and underprivileged. Our social enterprises and investments created employment and helped rural entrepreneurs increase their earnings and create market linkage. BRAC Health Enterprise, an initiative of BRAC Enterprises, is going to be launched on March 1, bringing cost-effective and quality healthcare to lower-middle and middle-income families in the urban areas."
The audience had the opportunity to learn about the life and philosophy of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC, through a uniquely immersive experience. Titled 'Abed bhai: Philosophy of life and triumph of hope', it takes the audience through a 360-degree tour, informing them of BRAC’s 50 years of journey from Bangladesh to the world.
The second day featured workshops, exhibitions, seminars, cultural shows, and concerts. One of the major attractions on this day was performances by BRAC Enterprises, celebrating the success stories of its entrepreneurs.
The success stories of BRAC Microfinance clients were also highlighted on this occasion.
There was a sign language performance by students of the Government School for Deaf and Hearing Impaired, PHT Centre.
Nobonita Chowdhury, Director of Preventing Violence Against Women Initiative, and Gender Justice & Diversity, BRAC, gave an eloquent speech titled 'Shomotontro', calling on all to stand for equality for all.
Jatrik group presented a musical performance based on stories from 'Always a way: 50 stories of courage and hope', narrating real stories of individuals who fought against all odds and reached their goals.
The audience was enthralled with the performances by Renaissance, Feedback, Emon Chowdhury and team, Miftah Zaman, and Girl Power Band.
A beautiful fashion show by Aarong paying tribute to the culture and tradition of Bangladesh concluded the second day of the festival.
Hope Festival is a celebration of BRAC’s 50 years of journey to ignite hope across the world, and a celebration of the tenacity and courage of the people of Bangladesh. The centre of this festival is our people. BRAC hopes the stories from millions of people triumphing over adversity will inspire all to realise their potential in overcoming all difficulties
Bkash, BRAC Bank, IPDC Finance, and BRAC University are the proud partners of the festival.
