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Rubina's Story
My name is Rubina and I want to share how my life was changed by Save the Children’s programs – both as a sponsored child and as an adult.
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I was a sponsored child in Save the Children’s sponsorship program beginning in 1981 in the Gokarna Community of Nasirnagar Upazila, Brahmanbaria in Bangladesh. At seven years old, and I remember the first letter from my sponsor who was waiting anxiously to hear back from me. It was so exciting to learn that I had a foreign friend interested in me and my future.
As a first grader when I entered the program, I was able to benefit from Save the Children’s Primary Education programs which focused on providing training for teachers, learning materials for students and helping to raise the awareness of the importance of education – especially for girls – among community leaders and parents.
In my country, girls typically have less access to education and as a result, fewer life choices. Save the Children’s programs provide girls and young women access to education programs – and through sponsorship, I was able to participate in academic, cultural and physical fitness activities. Over the years, I won many awards for my efforts, which helped raise my self-esteem.
The story of my life, however, does not end here. With the encouragement and support I received through Save the Children’s sponsorship program, as well as from my family and through my own efforts, I graduated from high school, and was admitted to college, which were very significant achievements in my life.
After college, I chose to become a teacher, working for one of Save the Children’s partners. I experienced the benefits of Save the Children’s programs from another perspective at this point, through the eyes of a teacher with very limited resources. I will never forget the contribution of Save the Children, to my students and to me as an educator.
After three years as a teacher, and having successfully completed further education I was very proud of what I had accomplished in my life. It was then that I decided I wanted to work for Save the Children, and have been here, as a Sponsorship Assistant, ever since. Through my work, I am living out my personal mission to help children build their futures and careers the way I have done my own.
