What is JAAGO Foundation?

JAAGO Foundation is a movement initiated by the youth of Bangladesh dedicated towards helping the impoverished people of Bangladesh. We hope to break the cycle of poverty through the education.

Are you registered officially?

Yes, the JAAGO Foundation is a registered non-profit organization at the 'Office of Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms' under the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The registration number S – 8027(48)/08.

Do you have any contact with the Bangladesh government and do they know you?

Yes, we are registered under the Government of Bangladesh. We have worked with the government in various campaigns and they have always supported our cause.

When did you start?

We started on 14^th April 2007.

Who is the Founder?

The Founder of JAAGO Foundation is a Bangladesh national by the name of Korvi Rakshand.

How did JAAGO Start?

In 2007, Korvi Rakshand and his friends rented a single room in the Rayer Bazaar slum area. With a single dream of changing the lives of the children of that area, Korvi and his friends began teaching the 17 children who showed up.

What is the main objective of JAAGO?

JAAGO Foundation aims to break the cycle of poverty among the impoverished class by establishing education among them, and as a result providing them with the means to bring them out from below the poverty line.

What is the process by which JAAGO intends to achieve its long-term goal?

While the main project of the JAAGO Foundation is its school, it also works on various other projects that aim to empower women and increase employment opportunities for these people as much as possible. By maintaining this balance of skill enhancement of the children along with providing income means for the family, JAAGO can ensure that the children are able to become fully educated.

This balance will ultimately allow for the accomplishment of the JAAGO goal.

What curriculum is followed for the students?

The JAAGO Foundation School follows a unique curriculum that is of International Standard, and has been developed by combining the International Baccalaureate and the Edexcel program. However, various techniques and teaching methods are used that are adapted to suit the requirements of the students of the school.

Is this a missionary school?

No, JAAGO Foundation is not a missionary school. It is simply a non-profit organization that provides education to those people who cannot afford one.

Who supports JAAGO?

JAAGO Foundation is lucky enough to have achieved widespread appreciation in Bangladesh and abroad. As a result we receive support from both national and international organizations.

Does JAAGO Foundation generate any income?

At the moment, JAAGO Foundation generates minimal income from the Women’s Empowerment Program, which has been dubbed 'Ghuri'. 'Ghuri' is a sewing center, which provides the women of Dhaka with employment.

How do you manage accounts?

Our accounts are maintained by professional accountants and are audited periodically. These audit reports will soon be made publically available on the JAAGO website.

How can one make a donation?

Anyone can make a financial donation by simply by communicating their interest to JAAGO through info@jaago.com.bd. An officer will communicate with them about their donation with 48 hours. Click here for the bank details

What are the expansion plans for JAAGO Foundation?

JAAGO Foundation plans to open a branch in every district. In this way, we hope to alleviate the literacy rate of Bangladesh.

What are the major challenges the JAAGO faces?

JAAGO welcomes many types of contributions from both public and private enterprises. Companies may choose to support JAAGO as a whole in monetary terms or in other ways according to their own convenience. JAAGO also accepts sponsors for special events such as Universal Children’s Day and the annual Iftar party. We discourage companies from sponsoring individual students of the JAAGO Foundation School.

The main problems that we face in achieving our goals are the condition of the poor community. This stems from the following problems -

• More than often young children are seen as earners for the family. As a result these children are sent to work, causing them to relinquish their education.


• Most of the children suffer from malnutrition and improper diets. As a result, their health and physical condition cause them to miss school, and at times drop out completely. We try to alleviate this problem by providing them with proper diets and health checkups.


• Another problem we face is early marriage. Despite repeated attempts by the government and various NGO’s, the poorer community of Bangladesh is still prone to the habit of early marriages. As a result many young girls are forced to give up their education, and are compelled to get married. These girls later give birth to young children who cannot appreciate the importance of education, and thus fall into the cycle of poverty and illiteracy.

Though these problems are decreasing day by day, we still face people who cannot appreciate our cause and often act as obstacles in our path.

What is JAAGO's plan for the adult community?

JAAGO Foundation understands that in order to improve the community we must also help the adults. As a result we have already established the sewing center, which currently exports high-end, designer boutique to Australia. We also plan to start more projects to help the adults of this community.

Some quick facts about the Founder.

Name: Korvi Rakshand

D.O.B.: August 19, 1985

Born: Dhaka, Bangladesh

Current Residence: Dhaka, Bangladesh

What was JAAGO’s first project?

The first project that JAAGO initiated was the distribution of relief supplies after a flood in 2007.

What is your ultimate goal in life?

To see that every child receives a standard education.

What drives you to do what you do?

The smiles of my students and the unconditional love that I get from them are what get me through every day.

What about your work is most important to you?

To me the most important part of JAAGO Foundation is my children.

How does your family react to your work?

Initially, my family thought that JAAGO was simply a whim and at times a phase of rebellion. However, as time went by, and JAAGO grew, they came to understand my seriousness and the importance of JAAGO in my life. Now they appreciate and support me and my dreams for JAAGO.

How do you define poverty?

In Bangladesh, poverty is not limited to financial borders. People do not die from lack of money or lack of food. What kills the people and cripples our nation is the poverty of people regarding their thoughts and the limit that it places on their minds.

In Bangladesh, people suffer simply because they cannot open their minds to new ideas and thoughts, because they have never known a different way of life. At JAAGO Foundation, we work to help these people understand the changing world and come out of their backwardness by educating their children.

You have no business experience, so how are you running a growing organization like JAAGO Foundation?

Most of the organizations in Bangladesh have fixed projects and finite goals. They know what they want and how they are going to get it. They work with experts from different fields and harness all of the resources that they can get their hands on.

When you are dealing with human lives and real families, the problems and obstacles that come up are never predictable or uniform. Every case is different, and every child unique.

At JAAGO Foundation, we have a long-term goal of alleviating poverty in Bangladesh. We are a group of young people with no experience. But we have courage, hope and determination. We take every problem we face and try to solve it. We are learning as we grow, and we hope that each of our struggles brings us closer to our goal.

Have you faced any big obstacles in the past four years?

We have faced many threats to the existence of JAAGO since the establishment in 2007. The community was the biggest obstacle. Trying to make 1,00,000 people understand that we were here to help them, and make their lives better, was a huge task in a world where people can comprehend no further than their own personal gain, and who are forced to act out of the instinct to survive. At first, they thought that we were a Christian missionary, bent on converting them. Later they doubted our seriousness in our mission, as because this was a youth run establishment. Since then, we have faced more problems within this community, such as child marriage, lack of funds, etc. To our credit, despite everything we’ve forged ahead.

Where can I get the details that I need to know before volunteering?

Details are available on the JAAGO Foundation website, www.jaago.com.bd.
If you have any further queries, simply mail us at info@jaago.com.bd

Who pays for the volunteer's expenses?

All volunteers are expected to pay for their own expenses.

What type of work is required of the volunteer?

JAAGO Foundation works in a number of fields and various events. As a result the nature of work varies with the event or area. As a volunteer, you may inquire to the specific nature of the work with the events manager or the team leader. Generally, the volunteers of the education department are assigned as TA’s to the teachers. Other volunteers are recruited to help out during events and fieldtrips etc.

Is there a checklist that can help me when I decide to go to Dhaka?

is advised that you check the following before you make a trip to Bangladesh:

a.   Flights

The Arrival Airport is DHAKA. Different companies do the rotations. Please check on the internet.

b.   Travel Insurance

Check with your insurance or Credit Card Company if you have one that you are covered in case of accident.

c.   Passports

Make sure your passport is valid at least 6 months after to return home after your volunteering.

d.   Visas