>International Inspiration: Bangladesh - UK

International Inspiration: Bangladesh - UK

Summary

A project space to support the UK-Bangladesh school partnerships that are being developed through. 'International Inspirations'.

Age range: 14 - 19
Language: English
Owner: John Humfress

Project stage: In progress
Last update: 13 years ago

International Inspiration

International Inspiration aims to transform the lives of 12 million children and young people of all abilities, in schools and communities across 20 developing countries worldwide, through the power of high quality and inclusive physical education, sport and play. The UK-Bangladesh school partnerships that have developed through International Inspiration can use their eLanguages project spaces to communicate with each other and share their project activity.

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News Stories

stories: 18

What has been happening with the projects...

International Inspiration has saved lives in Bangladesh: Click here to read more: http://www.london2012.com/blog/2011/07/international-inspiration-has-saved-lives-in-bangladesh.php
12th March - Using multimedia to connect: Swanwick School share photos, podcast, and video with their partners. Take a look here>>
16th February - Workshops in March: Workshops are being run in Birmingham in March. See the section beneath this news folder for details
Girls call the shots at cricket jamboree Part 1: The sight was an unusual one – a young girl taking the cricket bat and tapping the field to get a feel of the pitch. The pitch was nothing special, just a thick mat over a field, but the makeshift nature of it did not deter the teenager from emulating the acts of her cricket stars. ‘Cricket is as much a sport for girls as it is for boys,’ remarks Iti, a student from Dhanmondi Girls High School. And as she strikes a pose with the bat, the bowler from the opposite side, a boy, prepares to make his delivery. If there is anyone out there who still clings on to the idea that cricket or, sport in general, is mainly ruled by men, then it is time for them to wake up from a slumber of ignorance. This sense of inclusion in sports was remarkably illustrated on October 24 at the field of the Dhanmondi Qamrunnessa Government Girls High School. The visiting England U-19 cricket team came to the school and experienced a cricket carnival going on involving students of six schools: Dhanmondi Qamrunnessa Government Girls High School, Motijheel Government Girls and Boys School, IET Government High School, Dhaka Alia Madrasa, Banglabazar Govt. Girls High School and Dhanmondi Govt Girls and Boys. But the involvement of the students and the visit of the England team went far deeper than just playing a little pre-winter afternoon cricket. The students from the six schools are part of the UK government’s International Inspiration programme that looks ahead to the 2012 London Olympics. The main objectives of the programme are to harness the power of sports to unite social groups, nurture leadership qualities among the young, instil a sense of confidence and inspire the young to transform their lives in 20 developing countries. Since its launch in January 2008, the programme was at first successfully piloted in five countries: Azerbaijan, Brazil, India, Palau and Zambia. Bangladesh, along with Ghana, Jordan, Mozambique and Trinidad and Tobago, are in the second stage of the programme. The new funding is from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) with an additional £5.4 million and this backs up the £9 million already invested by DFID, the British Council, UNICEF, DCMS and the Premier League. In India, the programme has provided an impetus for a national drive for physical fitness in the run up to the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
Girls call the shots at cricket jamboree Part 2: As the young professional English cricket players divided into small groups got involved in training sessions with the school level players, the message of inclusion of International Inspiration, delivered by the British Council, stood out prominently. ‘We are learning how to field and bat better,’ says a thrilled Shariful Islam, a student of class nine from Dhanmondi Boys. He hits the ball with his bat, runs to the end of a long queue to wait for another chance to catch a ball hit high by an England player. Though smiling and well integrated within the training session, the English players do not take their task flippantly. When someone misses, s/he has to do two sit-ups as punishment. But what happens when the coaching English player misses a catch? Well, just like the others, he goes down and gives 10 push-ups on the ground. The school children stand by him and count all the 10 presses. ‘That is what I call camaraderie,’ comments Shariful. Apart from getting crucial tips, what else is Sharif learning? The sweaty young teenager pauses, thinks for a second, and says: ‘encouragement and teamwork’ – two fundamental traits of the International Inspiration programme. Watching the whole spectacle was Monjurul Huq, founder of the Shoronika High School in Netrokona. His view is that if children get such opportunities to mingle with established sports people, then it would be easier for them to pick up the positive and constructive aspects of sports. ‘But to make International Inspiration a total success, such initiatives should also be taken to the zilas, district towns and thanas,’ he added. Ina, a student of class ten and an avid cricket follower, loves cricket but says that as part of the International Inspiration programme, she will put her love into action on the field rather than expressing it in front of the television. ‘This programme and especially this interaction with young England players has whipped up my desire to play,’ she says, and also adds that to fulfil the leadership building goal, interactions with people from different nationalities is essential. Talking about the whole event, John Abrahams, manager of the England u-19 said, ‘we loved being here as this gave us a chance to interact with young people who, in the future, may play for Bangladesh.’ Terming the session ‘thoroughly enjoyable,’ he also said that it was particularly important as it involved students, teachers, trainers, players and also managers. In the carnival of bon-homie many possibly did not notice that the policemen provided by the Bangladesh government for the security of the cricket players were also enjoying the cricket extravaganza with claps and expressions of approval. Salman, a cricket-lover but not a player, noticed this and made the ultimate comment: ‘if someone looks for an all-inclusive inspiration then this has to be it. In all that frenzy of fun, frolic and friendship, no one seemed to dither.’ *This article appeared in New Age, a leading English language daily in Bangladesh
Cricket at Kamrunnessa School: 30th October – A lovely new image has been uploaded by Rebeka Sultana of a visit by the England cricket team to Kamrunnessa School. Find out more>>.
Visit to South Yorkshire: Photos from the Bangladeshi visit to Holgate School, Barnsley have been added. Take a look>>
Visit to Halifax: 17 October 2009 - Gabrielle McCallion from St Catherines Catholic High School has added an image gallery of the teachers from Bangladesh visiting Halifax. Take a look>>
New images from Upper Wharfdale and Banglabazaar: 24 Sep 2009 – Great new images have been added to the Upper Wharfdale School and Banglabazaar Govt Girls High School partnership page. Find out more>>
Annual Report: 21 Sep 2009 – Download the International Inspirations Annual Report from our resources section. Resources>>
Hipperholme & Lightcliffe add new images: 04 Sep 2009 – Great new images have been added to the Hipperholme & Lightcliffe High School and Bogra Govt Girls' High School page. Find out more>>
Read about the history of Motijheel Govt High School: 31 July 2009 - Syed Hafizul Islam from Motijheel Govt High School has added some great images and an introduction to the school. Find out more>>
Read bout the Foundation Stone of Bogra Govt. Girls' High School: 24 July 2009 - Ms Tandra Sarker from Bogra Govt Girls' High School a wonderful introduction to the school and a great image gallery. Find out more>>
Message to Parkwood High School: 9 July 2009 - Ali Amjad Govt Girls High School says Hello to Parkwood High School. Reply here>>
Team meetings in Bangladesh: 8 July 2009 - Hello from Sylhet Govt. Pilot High School, Sylhet Govt. Aliya Madrassah and Ali Amjad Govt. Girls High. We are attending the 4th and last regional team meeting at Sylhet Pilot High School to discuss about October visit and e-lanuguage use. A.K. Mazumder, Head Teacher from Sylhet Govt Pilot School sends good wishes to his partner School teachers at Balby Carr Community Sports College.
Pictures from Upper Wharfdale - Banglabazaar group: 7 July 2009 - To view the pictures, click here>>
Regional Meeting at Jessore Girls High School: 7 July 2009 - We are meeeting with the Head Teachers of the regional schools to discuss about the school partnership plan, e-languages use and October visit to UK.
School visit of Derby Moor to Khulna Zilla: 2 July 2009 - Andy Powell from Derby Moor School has added great new images of their school visit to Bangladesh. Take a look>>

Photograph and stories of International Inspiration

objects: 6

Festival in different schools

	YSL news story.JPG 2.2 MB
	Festival in Khulna 1
	festival
	YSL training in Dhaka Kamrunnessa School.pdf 8.8 MB
	U19 Cricket
	News story.JPG 2.5 MB

SA Games Closing

Young Leaders took part in SA Games closing ceremony

Young Sports Leader Festival

Pictures taken at the Young Sports Leader festival in Dhaka, May 09

Resources

objects: 3

Presentations and documents for the UK-Bangladesh International Inspirations team. General resources and templates can be found on the International Inspiration home page.