MYP students celebrate service learning through fundraising

On Thursday, 22 December, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) students of the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka celebrated service learning upon the successful completion of the 2022 academic term. As part of the celebration, MYP students hosted a fundraising event where they applied the knowledge and skills they learned throughout the past academic term to raise funds for the JAAGO Foundation. Students planned, prepared and designed stalls where they organised games, sold homemade foods and handicrafts, campaigned on drug abuse, and much more.  

Service learning is a foundational element of the International Baccalaureate’s MYP curriculum. It seeks to develop students as caring members of the community, where they engage with the community to make a positive difference through their individual or group efforts. The event provided opportunities for students to explore and reflect on their learning from the term.  

“The event was exciting, fun and rewarding,” said Grade 8 student Mazeesha Khan. “It was a new experience for all of us and we had a great time!” 

Grade 6 students organised fun backyard games in connection with their physical and health education unit, while Grade 7 students sold creative handicrafts that they learned how to make in their visual arts class. Additionally, the students of Grade 8 used concepts of profit and loss to organise their food stalls. All together, they raised approximately BDT 228328 ($ 2150). The funds raised will be used to purchase necessary stationeries for schools of the JAAGO Foundation. There are currently 4,500 underprivileged students receiving free education from the JAAGO Foundation's schools, which are dispersed throughout Bangladesh. 

MYP parents, who actively participated in the celebration, were ecstatic to see the arrangements and overall enthusiasm of the students and faculty members.  

“The ambience, stalls and the arrangement were excellent,” said Mr Amran Mamun, parent of a Grade 7 student. “We experienced much more than we anticipated. The event exceeded all our expectations.”