TDS Desk:

Brac has announced the Kaiser and Wendy Zaman Fellowship, an inaugural endowment launching a new educational initiative within its Medhabikash programme, an innovative intervention of the Brac Education Programme (BEP) where talented but disadvantaged students receive financial as well as capacity-building assistance.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony took place on Tuesday at Brac Centre, Dhaka.

The initiative will become a cornerstone of Brac’s Medhabikash programme, and will be dedicated to creating opportunities for adolescent girls aged 10-19 who have dropped out of secondary education.

In its initial phase, the endowment will fund the establishment of learning centres aimed at empowering these girls through foundational literacy, numeracy, and life skills education. The initiative’s ultimate goal is to equip participants to resume formal education or embark on entrepreneurial ventures, fostering independence and resilience within their communities.

Executive Director of Brac Asif Saleh, Managing Director of Brac Enterprises Tamara Hasan Abed, Executive Director of Brac International Shameran Abed and Nazia Du Bois, Yasmin Hussain and Syed Rezaul Karim, representing the family of Kaiser and Wendy Zaman, were present at the event.

Also present at the event from Brac were Moutushi Kabir, Senior Director of People, Culture and Communications; Safi Rahman Khan, Director of Education, Skills Development, and Migration; and Najmul Hoque, Associate Director of Finance and Accounts.

Nazia Du Bois, niece of Kaiser Zaman, collaborated closely with Brac to ensure the fellowship aligns with her uncle’s aspirations. She said that the initiative honours her uncle’s legacy and his belief in the transformative power of education.

He envisioned the fellowship as a means of providing freedom and opportunities to disadvantaged young people, even after his passing. She expressed hope that it will inspires others to create similar programmes and shared her deep gratitude at seeing her uncle’s dream realised.

Kaiser Zaman was a true humanitarian and a key organiser of Bangladesh’s war of liberation. As one of the closest companions of Brac’s founder, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, he played a pivotal role in the organisation’s formative years.

A member of Brac’s governing body and a lifelong advocate of its mission, Kaiser Zaman dedicated his career to serving displaced communities worldwide through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Together with his wife Wendy Zaman, he envisioned this fellowship as a means to empower youth facing systemic barriers — particularly girls — by providing access to education and opportunities. Kaiser Zaman passed away on 19 June 2023.