In a quiet corner of Garuria Union, under Bakerganj Upazila in Barisal, a small group of young people decided to confront the hardship surrounding them; not with protests or petitions, but with a handful of rice. Their organization, Tarunner Shakti (Power of Youth), was formed in 2021 through WAVE Foundation’s ‘Empower Youth for Work (EYW)’ project, in collaboration with Oxfam Bangladesh. With a dream of nurturing leadership and sustainable community engagement, these youth took their first steps in local activism. But their most transformative step came later with the idea of a community food bank. In 2023, through WAVE’s new initiative, the ‘Strengthening Community Preparedness, Rapid Response and Recovery in Bangladesh’ (ACT) project, the youth were introduced to a new concept; a Community Food Bank. A localised, self-sustained safety net that ensures no family goes hungry during a disaster.
The idea immediately resonated with Tarunner Shakti. In late 2023, they held a meeting to discuss how to implement the model locally. With no financial backing, existing 20 youth volunteers began collecting a handful of rice from households every month. “At first, people laughed at the idea,” said Sohel, one of the founding members. “But we believed even a handful, multiplied by many hands, could become a mountain.” The then Union Parishad Chairman, Kaiyum Khan, recognized the effort and contributed 120 kg of rice from the Union Parishad’s reserve; the first institutional support the initiative received. Within three months, the youth had collected around 230 kg of rice and BDT 27,000 in cash. As no immediate emergency arose, the rice was sold and the money was deposited in a bank for future use.
Then came the real tests. After Cyclone Remal in May 2024, the group distributed emergency food relief to 25 families, with each family receiving 5 kg of rice. Their support, however, went beyond disaster relief. During Eid-ul-Fitr, they shared food packages with 40 vulnerable families, ensuring they too could celebrate with dignity. When extreme cold hit the region, 30 families received warm blankets; all funded by the food bank’s collected resources. Understanding the burden on women during crises, Tarunner Shakti also used part of the fund to provide rice cookers, electric cookers, blenders, sewing machines, and mobile phones, benefiting 12 women directly by easing their domestic workload and encouraging economic activity.
“We want to ensure no one in our community ever skips a meal during a disaster,” said Suraiya, who currently oversees logistics. As of today, the food bank has supported 150 families. From 20 volunteers, Tarunner Shakti has now grown to 75 active youth members. While their work once seemed small and symbolic, today it’s a living model of grassroots disaster resilience. A local resident said it best, “Seeing them gives us courage. Earlier, we thought no one was there for us. Now we know our children are.” The group’s appeal is simple but powerful, “Our poorest families do not always have rice at home. But with just a handful, you can help us ensure that no one goes to sleep hungry.”
