How Education Helped Durjoy Turn Hardship into Hope

For 17-year-old Durjoy, dreaming about the future once felt like a luxury. Today, after achieving GPA 5 in his Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination, he dreams of becoming an engineer.

In a remote village in Bagerhat, Durjoy grew up watching his father work long hours as an agricultural labourer. His earnings were often just enough to meet the family’s daily needs.

“When I was young, we were mostly thinking about how to manage our daily needs. I never really thought about what I would become or what dreams I could pursue,” says Durjoy. 

Their story started to change in 2012, when Durjoy became involved with World Vision Bangladesh through its Sponsorship programme. Learning materials and other support helped him continue his education. But for Durjoy, some of the most important changes happened beyond the classroom.Through Child Forum and Impact Plus activities, he found opportunities to participate, learn and speak up. With each experience, his confidence grew. Slowly, he began to see possibilities beyond the circumstances he had grown up with.

“World Vision gave me opportunities to learn, participate and speak. Slowly, I started believing that I could also do something with my life” - durjoy shares with hope in his eyes. 

While Durjoy was gaining confidence, his family was working towards greater economic security. Through World Vision’s Economic Development programme, his father learned improved farming techniques and applied them to their land. Better practices helped increase crop production. The family also received a van, which his father uses to transport agricultural produce from their village to a distant market, creating an additional source of income.

Support also helped address a basic need. A tubewell provided the family with access to safer drinking water, while a sweet-water pond used by villagers was cleaned and restored, improving access to water for the wider community. Together, these changes helped the Ghorami family look beyond day-to-day survival.

For Durjoy, the change is perhaps most visible in the way he now looks at his future.This year, he achieved GPA 5 in his SSC examination a milestone that once might have seemed beyond his reach.

“I have come this far because I learned to believe in myself. Poverty may have been part of my childhood, but it will not decide my future.” Today, Durjoy dreams of becoming an engineer and building a future on his own terms.

His journey is still unfolding. But the boy who once had little time or opportunity to dream now has a clear goal and the determination to pursue it.

And he is not alone. Alongside Durjoy, 1,192 registered children of World Vision Bangladesh who succeeded in this year’s SSC examination are taking another step towards turning their dreams into reality.

Story By Lipy Mary Rodrigues
Communication Specialist – Impact Storytelling, World Vision Bangladesh