Do you choose collective well-being or individual? Doesn’t the former benefit the latter as well? So why is our education system focused on independent growth and competition only? How can we educate the current and younger generation in a way that will inspire them to work towards achieving the global goals together?

In November this year, I will be trekking to Everest Base Camp (EBC) as part of a mentoring program with Ösel Foundation (a sister concern of RESET) in support of alternative education for women and girls around the globe - something I’m hugely passionate about. Ösel is an alternate educational hub that aspires to serve females through challenging learning expeditions - inspiring self-discovery and environmental awareness. I will be participating in the EBC program as the first ever mentee, training and trekking directly under the supervision of Wasfia Nazreen, the founder of the organization.

Who am I and why this initiative?

Today, women and girls in many societies around the globe are still socially underprivileged. The commonly agreed reasoning behind this kind of behavior is a lack of education and knowledge of the world to liberate themselves of such attitudes within the societies they live in. The struggle I speak of is very close to my heart as I myself have experienced it first hand. I hope my story will inspire others like me and strengthen their willpower to break free of such social barriers.

My name is Zerin, and I'm of South Asian descent. I was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh to a middle class family with moderate Muslim beliefs in the early nineties. The Bangladesh I grew up in had always been culturally diverse and tolerant of all religions and practices. However, the country in general is a patriarchal society. Little things you might take for granted such as riding a bicycle on the road, or playing basketball with the neighborhood boys were heavily looked down upon if you were a girl. Later in my life, decisions around choosing an alternative career in Technology or living away from home, unguarded by a father or a husband, has never failed to bring derogatory remarks to myself and my relatives within our social communities both back home and abroad.

The purpose of my campaign is to address such social hardships at large with the help of this collaboration with RESET-Ösel. RESET believes that a connection to self, humanity and the planet is essential to guide a more resilient future for our planet. Ösel believes in experiential learning, thus their curriculum, set to launch in 2018, includes customized courses in the sciences of the human mind. The aim is to coach the participants in mindful living, leadership, social activism, among several other skills - all with an environmental focus. At a time, when our biggest challenge is environmental conservation and sustainability, a larger part of the female population is being denied the basic human right to learn about the planet first hand and experience its truth in order to instinctively also feel responsible to protect it. My intention is to challenge communities that limit themselves to mainstream education and share the value of alternative education in empowering a population to reach greater heights as a whole.

Why Crowdfunding?

RESET is doing its part by providing me a generous scholarship to give me a chance at their EBC learning program. However, remaining cost of the program to fund basic logistics is still over the odds and I am therefore here to seek your support. I have often been told that girls are not smart enough to be in technology, not strong enough to lead or not brave enough for the mountains. Throughout my life, I have been proving such remarks wrong winning one battle at a time, redefining my rights and potential to contribute, but there is still a lot more to do. The trek to the Everest base camp at 17,600 ft is an extension of such endeavors, both for myself and others who are deprived of such empowering educational experiences. I believe innovative educators and educational systems are the biggest tools we can use to overcome the wider social challenges we face today but I need you to stand by my side to make this happen. Any proceeds beyond the funds required for my participation will go to aid future initiatives by Ösel.

Thank you for all your support in advance.

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