Emory University Renames Room In Memory Of Abinta Kabir

Emory University Renames Room In Memory Of Abinta Kabir

 

Abinta Kabir was a known and loved figure at Oxford College of Emory University. As an individual, she was human-centered and aspired to help anyone around her. It was her lifelong ambition to bring a positive change in people’s lives.

She always made an effort towards social causes. It was her dream to start an organization after she graduated, which would work towards alleviating the condition of the less fortunate and make their lives better. Abinta wanted to empower women and the next generation of this country by opening a school for underprivileged girls. She wanted to help acid victims and did not want them to be treated as outcasts in the society. Pertinent to this, she had given countless hours of effort and hard work to social causes at her college.

Abinta believed in inspiring those around her and dedicated many hours to the Student Activities Committee at Oxford College, Emory University. She both served and lead the Oxford community through her limitless efforts and endeavors.

She left a lasting impact on many Oxford students, faculty members, and staff members who were fortunate enough to share the same space with her. The 2017 sophomore class of Oxford College at Emory University memorialized her and another honored member of the Oxford community. On March 29, 2017, they renamed a room in Candler Hall to Hossain-Kabir Room in order to remember campus leader Abinta Kabir along with her friend Faraaz Hossain.

Abinta exemplified the true meaning of kindness and served as a role model to aspire leaders and scholars. Abinta Kabir Foundation humbly receives this recognition by Emory University to commemorate the great soul that Abinta was.

 

 

Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts Launched

Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts Launched

 

Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts, formerly, Athena Gallery of Fine Arts was first opened in 2012. The gallery serves as a cultural and educational center, with frequent exhibitions, seminars, workshops and other activities open to public at large.

Athena Gallery has been renamed as Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts in remembrance of Abinta Kabir – the granddaughter of Ms. Nilu Murshed who is the CEO of the gallery. Abinta loved art and had an eye for good paintings. As a budding changemaker and humanitarian, she dreamt of bringing change to people’s lives through personal and social philanthropy. The objective and intention of the gallery is to showcase Bangladesh’s promising generation of young artists and creative minds.

We stand to Aid Acid Victims

Abinta Kabir Foundation Stands to Aid Acid Victims

 

Abinta Kabir Foundation is an initiative that aspires to take form and become an entity which showers the benevolence that Abinta had. It was Abinta’s dream to help those who are less fortunate and those who need it the most. Abinta always strived to fulfill their need and dreamt, of one day, making an organization that would work to better the lives of such that included acid victims. Her strong sense of morals and values have made this organization to be what it is and it also inspires the Foundation to uphold her memories through social work.

Abinta dreamt of building a wholesome loving community where everyone was treated equally. She hoped that no one would be treated as outcasts in the society and that everyone would be able to fulfill their ambitions and dreams. Once during a social work, Abinta came across victims of acid violence and seeing a little boy of just 8-years old made her question how and why do people commit such heinous acts. She wrote, “the acid burned the boy’s mouth and throat and he now needs to use a feeding pipe for the rest of his life… I wondered what kind of life he would lead, as he grew older; as if this pain and lifetime burden were not enough, society also treats acid victims as outcasts…I am inspired by the strength of these people”. Taking this as recount from her life, the Foundation aims to help acid victims and better their conditions.

In this context, we attempted to show our never ending support for initiatives like Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF). On March 29, 2017, the Abinta Kabir Foundation donated 140-meter fabric for pressure garments to the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF). Pressure garments is a special type of fabric that is required for acid and burn survivors. By using these garments, better physiotherapy treatment can be given to the acid and burn survivors. These garments will provide health benefits, such as protecting fragile skin, promoting better circulation of blood in damaged tissues, decreasing itching, helping to keep moisturizers on the wounds, and, so, lubricating the damaged skin. This will lead to the better rehabilitation of the victims as they get well. Upon receiving the donation, Selina Ahmed, Executive Director of Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) in a thanking note to Abinta Kabir Foundation wrote, “your generous support will contribute to continuing our mission. It is expected that these pressure garments will benefit about 300 survivors of acid and other burn violence approximately 1000 times in next two years”.

At Abinta Kabir Foundation, we want to ensure that acid victims, who suffer unimaginable pain, are not treated as outcasts by society and instead are looked after with care. In the future, we want to inspire them and help them to get enough opportunities in the pursuit of their ambitions.

Memorial Held in Washington for Abinta Kabir

Abinta’s diligence was praised by anyone who knew her. Her legacy lives on today through the work of the Abinta Kabir Foundation. Abinta lived abroad for many years of her life. Yet, her heart was always determined on doing something for the welfare of the people of this country. She said that she was inspired by the strength of the less privileged like orphans and acid victims, who were striving to survive and fulfill their dreams. Abinta wanted to share their dream. She wanted to put in her efforts for these people so that they can fulfill what they have always wanted.

 

Her untimely departure left her friends and family bereft. It was necessary to fulfill what she had informally started. The Abinta Kabir Foundation was, thus, launched in order to complete the social endeavors that Abinta always dreamed of fulfilling. Members of her family, friends and especially her well-wishers here and abroad are always remembering her loss. To pay respect to her memory, her friends and family members organized a memorial in Washington.

 

At the memorial, prominent members of the Washington community were present that also included her close family members and friends. Everyone who knew Abinta shared his or her views about her dreams. They all believed that through a collective effort of her friends and family and her well-wishers, it would surely be possible to complete the dreams that she had. The Abinta Kabir Foundation is a social organization, working towards providing better education for the poor, planting trees in order to sustain our environment and help those who are in utmost need of it.

Abinta Kabir Cyber Center and Archive Inaugurated at Dhaka University

Abinta Kabir Foundation has been launched in memory of Abinta Kabir. The foundation seeks to put its efforts into making a considerable amount of contribution in helping build a better society. Helping the poor and educating children from less fortunate backgrounds is one of the prime motives of the foundation.

Recently, the “Abinta Kabir Cyber Center and Archive” has been launched at the Fine Arts Faculty Library at Dhaka University. The inauguration was completed on May 24th, 2017. The inauguration was done by the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, Dr. AAMS Arefin Siddique along with other respective members of Abinta Kabir Foundation.

Abinta had an eye for artwork and painting. She, in her lifetime, used to collect painting and wanted to showcase the works of Bangladeshi painters in the global arena. Keeping respect to that, the cyber center and archive have been launched at the Department of Fine Arts, Dhaka University. The objective of the cyber center is to provide the members of the Fine Arts Department to use necessary software applications to support their academic endeavors. Alongside this, the archive is the accumulation of the records of the respective department. Primarily containing source documents that have been accumulated over the course of the department’s tenure at Dhaka University.

As a whole, the center will contribute to the betterment of the study of fine arts at the department. This center is an attempt of the foundation to fulfill one of the many goals that Abinta had. At the end of the ceremony, a documentary was shown in memory of Abinta Kabir. Afterward, Dr. AAMS Arefin Siddique, Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University commented, “Abinta’s dream of doing something for the underprivileged and her dedication to this end prove her patriotism. It is our deepest regret that we have failed to save her”.

Another Abinta Kabir Foundation School launched in Natore

Abinta wanted to provide free education to the children from underprivileged backgrounds of our country. She wanted that the children will get the proper education to become able citizens and bring positive change in their own lives. This is one of the prime legacies of Abinta Kabir. The Abinta Kabir Foundation, since its inception, has been working towards the fulfillment of this dream of Abinta. Previously, the foundation opened 5 schools in Natore for the less privileged children.

 

It must be noted that Bangladesh is a developing country that is still suffering from chronic poverty and illiteracy. The poorest people in rural areas cannot find enough employment opportunities to sustain their families. This is one of the prime causes of why children from these families cannot go to school. The foundation has been working to solve this problem and has launched five schools in Natore where children are studying.

 

We believe that proper education will liberate these children to get out of the cycle of poverty in the future. Also, the foundation believes to educate girls, so that they can put in an equal effort like boys for the development of our land. It is our core cause to spread education and make learning accessible to them. Therefore, alongside the five schools in Natore, the foundation recently launched another girls school.

 

The school will educate girls from less fortunate backgrounds. Educating girls alongside boys will help our country to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for our country. In the future, these girls will become active citizens in the country and educate their children – the next generation and this will create a developmental cycle, which will turn our country into a developed one. The foundation aims to fulfill the legacy of Abinta Kabir through these endeavors.

Book Drive Campaign for Abinta Kabir Foundation Schools

Neil Gaiman once said, “A book is a dream you hold in your hand”. Indeed it is true that books are dreams held in our hands. A book is a world in itself. It helps to bind thoughts together, help create newer perceptions and such. A book is a treasure for anyone, especially children. Books are not the only source by which they can get educated but it is also the source that serves to inspire them to dream. At Abinta Kabir Foundation, we have launched schools to educate the less privileged children of our country. It is our motive to give them quality education so that they can grow up to be responsible citizens and bring a change to their own lives. It also is our motive to inspire them to dream and broaden their minds. Keeping respect to that, the foundation has recently organized a book drive campaign to gather books for the children.

 

The goal of the campaign is to gather donations of new and gently used children’s books ranging in level from kindergarten to fourth grade, of varying topics and genres. These books go directly to students at the Abinta Kabir Foundation Schools, enabling them to develop a reading habit and enjoy reading.

The book drive campaign has commenced from 1st of June, 2017 and will continue till 31st of July, 2017. Book donations are being accepted at the following locations in Dhaka:

 

  1. Lavender Super Store Ltd. 30/2, 30/3, Progoti Shoroni, Shahjadpur, Dhaka. Helpline (of Lavender): 01730728994

 

  1. Lavender Super Store Ltd. Faisal tower, 27 North C/A, Gulshan 2, Dhaka.

 

  1. Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts, AJ Heights, Cha-72/1/D Progoti Shoroni,Uttar Badda, Dhaka-1212, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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