What better way to celebrate International Women's Month than to highlight a YES alumna creating change and empowering her community? Maryan Karmoker (YES 2012-2013, Bangladesh, hosted by AFS in Pinckney, MI) has been making a difference and changing the world for those around her since she joined the YES alumni community in 2013. During her YES exchange experience in the U.S., Maryan participated in Civic Education Week (CEW), Better Understanding for a Better World (BUBW), and other social good projects, all of which empowered her to become a changemaker, leader, and role model. For uplifting her community in various capacities, Maryan is our Alumni Spotlight of the Month! 

In May 2016, Maryan started a project called "Self-Defense 101", making her the first alumna to create a sustainable project reaching outside the borders of her community in Dhaka. Maryan launched "Self-Defense 101" in response to the common occurrence of sexual harassment against women and girls in Bangladesh. According to Maryan, "this issue is a fear that most girls live with and I wanted to do something that would give young girls a boost of confidence." This self-defense initiative offers women and girls 3-4 hour training sessions on basic self-defense techniques based on Judo Karate. These sessions are conducted by trainers from Nayana Chowdhury Sports Foundation and alumni from YES Alumni Bangladesh. "Self-Defense 101" has been held in ten educational institutions including the American Center in Dhaka. Five of these workshops were held outside of Dhaka in institutions located in Chittagong and Jessore. Maryan is currently working on expanding this project to rural areas in order to help women and girls in those communities feel safe and liberated.

After creating "Self-Defense 101", Maryan expanded her work to empower girls by becoming the co-coordinator of “3.5 Billion Reasons”, a project created to teach young girls about the value of higher education and community service while enhancing their leadership skills. The ultimate goal of this project was to inspire girls to organize and share enrichment projects of their with other young women, creating a female-empowerment ripple effect. 

Besides working to empower women and girls, Maryan has also strived for change in the environmental, medical, and educational sectors of society. In October 2013, she joined a group of YES alumni to spread awareness about the importance of proper handwashing to prevent diseases during "Global Handwashing Day". In April 2016, Maryan helped organize a GYSD workshop called "Youth Activism and Social Development (YASD), coordinated by Mobasshir Monim (YES ‘13), to highlight the important role youth can play in the development of their communities and the importance of taking initiative to influence change. Students from nine high schools in Dhaka participated in the workshop and afterwards, formed groups to organize various service projects in their communities.

Six months later, after a flood devastated the Kurigram district of Bangladesh in October 2016, Maryan, alongside nine other alumni, helped organize a medical camp in the Kurigram district. The alumni traveled to Kurigram with eleven doctors from the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA) to provide medical assistance to the residents affected by the flood.

Maryan is currently an advisor and mentor for Small Steps towards English, an on-going project started by Towhidul Aziz (YES '16) to teach English to underprivileged primary school children. She also volunteers for Workshop of English Teachers for Excellence (WETE) which was organized to strengthen the skills of teachers in rural areas in their capacity to teach English in a more interactive and effective manner. Additionally, Maryan has been involved with promoting the YES program and organizing the Pre-Departure Orientations. In July 2016, she was elected as an Executive Committee member for YES Alumni Bangladesh and is currently fulfilling the role of External Affairs Officer.

Today, Maryan is in the development stages of her newest endeavor called Nieoo, a social business created to provide financial relief to underprivileged women through the arts. The women will use their skills in sewing and design to create clothing and various handicraft products to be sold in Dhaka. The profit generated from these sales will be given back to the women as their own income. 

As a member of the YES alumni community, Maryan has tackled problems in her community with strategic solutions while working with her peers to make a difference. 

Congratulations on all of your accomplishments, Maryan!