Into Positive

We are glad to announce the opening of Surging Hope: Stories of Climate Resilience' & inauguration of the photobook, hosted in Shala Neighborhood Art Space in Aloki.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Nayoka Martinez Bäckström, first secretary at the Embassy of Sweden, and Masud Jamil Khan, Honorary Consul of Ireland and Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, former foreign affairs Adviser of a Caretaker Government. Dignitaries from various embassies, donor agencies, INGOs, researchers, and academics attended the opening ceremony

Organized by Concern Worldwide , the exhibition, featuring the works of renowned photographer Saikat Mojumder , documents the lives of residents in Sundarganj, Gaibandha, and Hatibandha, Lalmonirhat where Concern Worldwide runs the Flood Resilience Programme with support from Z Zurich Foundation under Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance.

The exhibition is open to public till 09:00 PM, November 01, 2024.

Rikta Akhter (16) is deep in preparation for an upcoming test, her eyes set on the path to higher education. Unlike many of her friends and classmates, who have been forced to abandon their studies over the past few years, Rikta’s resolve remains unshaken. In this remote and unforgiving corner of the country, where the mighty river must be crossed by boat and the weather turns cruel without warning, the struggle for a better education in schools in the mainland is a battle fought daily. Each crossing of the river costs 40 taka—a sum that weighs heavily on the families of this impoverished region. Here, in the isolated Kajiyar Char, most girls her age are already married, their lives consumed by the demands of family and the harsh realities of life in the river basin. Yet, Rikta stands apart, her spirit unyielding in the face of challenges that would crush others.

With support from Z Zurich Foundation, Concern Worldwide has been implementing the Flood Resilience Programme in this flood prone area as part of the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance, focusing on strengthening the capacity of communities to anticipate, prepare for mitigating loss and damage and recover from floods.

The photo was captured by Saikat Mojumder as part of documenting the Programme.