SUS firade 30 år
Stort firande när SUS fyllde 30 år
| Invigning av Dream Center, högtidliga tal, en manifestation genom Netrakona. Och mängder av underhållning från den tillfälliga scenen. Den 2 januari ägde SUS 30-årsfirande rum. |
Kategori: SUS 30 years
Dream center invigt
Avtäckt. Den svenska ambassadören fick äran att inviga Dream Center som en del av jubileumsdagen 2 januari.
Foto: Maj-Lis Koivisto
Dream center invigdes av svensk ambassadör
| In i det sista fortgick arbetet med att färdigställa Dream centers första två våningar. När de utländska gästerna anlände i slutet av december 2016 kunde de ta gästrummen i besittning. |
SUS in November 1990
Photo: Private
Visitor gets both impressed and shocked
| In November1990 Julie Lydall and Carleen Irish from England visited SUS and wrote a colorful report that was published in News from Sabalamby Unnayan Samity in January 1991. |
1990: SUS NGO status is ratified
Margit Palokangas, in the middle of the picture, beside Begum Rokeya with an umbrella, brought a donation to SUS that made it possible to buy some land. Photo: Manfred Stüber
From 1988 to 1990: Land purchased to build offices
| So many organizations, and donations from private persons helped lay the ground for SUS to buy land, build offices and gain NGO status with the right to receive foreign funding. |
SUS starts in the front room
1986. Photo: Private
15 women in our small front room
| In SUS’ early days all activities took place in the house of Rokeya’s mother where Rokeya lived together with her siblings and daughter. ”We crowded 15 women and sewing machines into our front room”, she writes in her book: |
In my youth Hindus and Muslims lived side by side
In SUS Hindus and Muslims work side by side. These women work with physiotherapy. Photo: Maj-Lis Koivisto
Growing up in a well-cultured environment
| The house where I lived was surrounded by many Hindu families. We co-existed peacefully, sharing festivals and the neighborhood. |
The 70s: organising women before SUS started
Victory Day, 16th of December 2012. Photo: Mats Möller
Difficult times after liberation war
| Really, it was an extraordinary time seeing the flag of independence flying in the wind. A feeling of warmth spread in my heart and mind. I can remember the moment when I took off my burka after a long time and I joined the joyful independence rally together with my colleague Razia Sultana. We sang loudly without fear: ”Amar sonar Bangla, Ami tomay bhalo bashi” (Oh my golden Bengal, I love you). |
Margit and Manne, long time supporters
Manfred Stüber and Margit Palokangas is a part of SUS’ Swedish network and have been engaged in SUS since the beginning. Photo: Private
Commited to SUS since 1986
| Manfred (Manne) Stüber and Margit Palokangas met Rokeya through SCI in 1986. They are still part of Rokeya’s Swedish network. Manfred tells the romantic story of how they met: |
Olof Meurling shared Rokeya’s dream
Olof Meurling shared Begum Rokeya’s dream of empowering the less fortunate and he became one of SUS earliest supporters. Photo: Maj-Lis Koivisto
Beginning of a success story
| Many of the early supporters of SUS were engaged in Service Civil International. Through that organization Olof Meurling met Begum Rokeya and that was the start of a lifelong support for SUS, and a success they never could have imagined in the mid 80s. |
SCI helped SUS get started
Photo: Maj-Lis Koivisto
Encouragement, knowledge and sewing machines
| Service Civil International (SCI) played an important role in the history of SUS. With help from the volunteers of SCI Begum Rokeya built a strong network that still exists and at that time gave her the push she needed to get started. |