31.12.2015

Imprints of Bangladesh

“It is our moral duty to help those in need.”

Iveta Zelenkova is a quiet, kind and sensitive woman with a big heart. She has three children of her own and two more in Bangladesh, a boy named Samuel and a girl named Menuprue, whom she supports together with her friends. In April she met them both in Bangladesh.

Iveta, the morning after our arrival we celebrated the Bengali New Year and then left for the BASC Boarding School, where you met Samuel. Can you tell us something about the encounter?

It was amazing; I’ve never felt this way before. Sammy took me by the hand right away and showed me around the school grounds. In the garden we looked at flowers and Sam told me their names. I didn’t understand what he was saying so I told him their names in Czech. We then went for lunch. Sammy’s family was really nice; he’s got both parents and a younger sister. He kept offering me something all the time and then asked me, “Why aren’t you eating? You eat too little!” Sammy is a nice clever 12-year-old boy. He’d like to become a doctor. I’m so glad I could meet him.

And then we visited schools in the West and North of Bangladesh. Travelling by car, motorcycles, boats or rickshaw, we met many kids from those schools, taught them how to say hello in Czech, gave them presents… We had a lot of fun, met the locals and even saw a snake charmer. What was the strongest moment for you?

I don’t think I can pick one moment. They are like fragments making a wonderful whole together. Take the journey itself: there was always something to look at. We traveled during the rice harvest time then. The people are tenacious in their work. They stick together and live in contact with Nature. They haven’t lost the roots of their humanity yet. They were hearty and outgoing, kept smiling at us and wanted to talk to us. They weren’t afraid to look us in the eye.

At most of the schools you could tell that the children were happy. That they were grateful for the opportunity to study, grateful for the clothes or the rice and egg for lunch they were given.

There was a school where the kids waited for us until late afternoon. Their old school building lost a part of the roof in a storm – and it happened just a moment before our arrival. Fortunately the staff managed to finish the roof of a new school building so the kids could hide there. I saw them floundering through the water and mud – that seems as terrible conditions to us but not to them, they were happy. That was a strange experience.

One of the unique moments of the journey was meeting the young lady you support. Her name is Menuprue and she lives in the south-east of Bangladesh, where we couldn’t go since there is unrest and governmental restrictions there. But Menuprue together with her teacher came to Dhaka to see you – in what respect was the encounter special?

Menuprue was really nice, kind and sort of a hugger. I was surprised that she was dressed in a European way: a black dress over black jeans. She knew some English but most of the time she spoke Marma and her teacher took the role of our interpreter. When we were left alone together we held a language class. We told each other and wrote down words of all sorts; Menuprue wrote the word in her language and I did the same in mine. She told me she would like to be a nurse and work in the city of Chittagong where she comes from.

Then we went for a walk, enjoyed a view of Dhaka from a tall building and visited the Chalantika Slum where ADRA helps the children as well as their parents. We were both shaken since neither she nor I had seen anything like that before.

The night before her departure Menuprue said she’d like to sleep in my room with me, so we put our beds together and talked through the whole night, each in her mother tongue. I was tired the next day but it was a wonderful experience.

Menuprue named you “my white mommy”. What’s it like when a child in a foreign country calls you mom?

It really touches your heart. Both children I met were truly grateful for our help and the opportunity to go to school. Menuprue was happy and made it clear to us. She told me she’s proud of me and over again that she likes me.

When Menuprue left, a surprising thing happened: through one of our colleagues she sent you 1,000 Taka (approx. 13 USD) to buy something for yourself. What was going on inside you then?

It was a shock. They don’t have anything themselves, we are helping them and then she gives you money she’s been saving up for a long time just to give you something. So there was a conflict going on inside me, I had no idea what to do. Obviously, I had to take it but I thought that if she was there with me I’d give her hell, I guess.

So I bought a traditional three-piece dress. The guys helped me pick it, took some pictures of me and sent them to Menuprue.

That reminds me of something – Kim (BCSS colleague) and I picked a sari for your daughter. We examined photos of her on your phone to find out the color of her hair, her figure… We also asked about her personality and tried to tune in to her and then spent two hours and a half to pick one for her. Did she like it?

Lucka wears rather dark clothes, jeans and stuff; she isn’t really fond of colorful clothes. When she saw the sari for the first time, she asked, “Isn’t it too colorful?” So I told her, “Honey, I’ve got nothing to do with it, it was you who talked about it with Kim and Kamil.” Then she tried the sari on and it looked really nice. You did well, Lucka was crazy about it.

Try and compare the Iveta Zelenkova who left for Bangladesh on April 12 with the Iveta Zelenkova who came back home on April 27 – what is different about her? How did Bangladesh imprint in her?

Bangladesh imprinted in my heart and my mind and on my worldview. We’re so overburdened with work and so far away from the roots of life that we just can’t see or feel it. I could stop for a while there. I could see my life from an entirely different point of view. It made me rethink some of my personal values. I found out that you can always do more for other people.

And it’s my children who feel the change the most. When I tell them that something’s not necessary to their lives, they say, “Mom, you really shouldn’t have come to Bangladesh.”

And what about your husband?

 “I’d say she’s rather calmer and humbler… for now.” (she laughs)

Iveta, what would you like to tell us in conclusion?

What would I like to tell you? To make the world more beautiful we must help those in need – it’s our moral duty.

Thank you for the interview.

“To make the world more beautiful we must help those in need – it’s our moral duty.”


More information about program Support BanglaKids

BanglaKids is a development program of ADRA Czech Republic.
Since 1999 we have provided education to 6,500 children in Bangladesh.
Together, we’re giving them an opportunity for a better future.

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