Breaking Barriers through Volunteering: Tanzil Ferdous’s Journey
I still remember the first time I saw them, a group of young people in yellow t-shirts, moving through the streets with an energy I hadn't seen before. Everyone called them the yellow army. I didn't know what JAAGO was. I didn't know what UCD stood for.
I just knew I was curious.
That curiosity, paired with something my mother had quietly planted in me through her own years of social work, was enough to make me want in.
Getting there wasn't easy. In 2011, I tried to join Universal Children's Day (UCD) during my A Levels, but transport and logistics got in the way. A year later, at the Asian University for Women, another UCD came around. This time, nothing was going to stop me.
When Small Moments Became Something Bigger
Standing on the streets, talking about children's rights, collecting funds, it felt small in the moment. But I saw where those moments led. One of JAAGO's biggest fundraising pushes eventually became the JAAGO school in Chattogram, a building I later filled with VBD meetings and late-night planning.
That's when I understood the power of collective effort. A street conversation had turned into a school. I took on small responsibilities and eventually became a Core Volunteer.
"I did not join VBD thinking I would become a leader. I simply kept showing up."
Learning to Lead When No One Expected Me To
I nominated myself for HR Officer, wanting to represent the female volunteers. Consistency led to an election—I became President of Chattogram District, and later Vice President of Chattogram Division.
It wasn't simple. I was young, and the only woman on a board that was largely conservative and male-dominated.
"I didn't see those barriers as walls. I saw them as reasons to prove young women could lead."
One moment I'm proud of is organising the Volunteer Premier League, a cricket tournament where a female team from my university played against a male team, with the Mayor of Chattogram watching. We weren't just playing cricket. We were challenging what people assumed women could do.
When Service Felt Personal
Not every powerful moment came from a big event.
On Valentine's Day, we organised a day trip for couples from urban slum communities. I stayed with a chacha and chachi. At the end of the day, he told me even their own children had never spent time with them the way we had that day.
That sentence stayed with me. Impact isn't always about numbers. Sometimes it's just making someone feel valued.
VBD didn't stay contained to one chapter. I helped establish Cox's Bazar VBD, stayed on in advisory roles, and later joined the National Board. Even when I stepped away for a job, I came back, because once it becomes part of you, it doesn't let go.
A Concert I'll Never Forget
The UCD I remember most—I convinced a few bands, including Bay of Bengal, to perform for free so underprivileged children could experience a live rock concert. It was the last UCD I organised as President. By the end, everyone was in tears, not from sadness, but from having given a group of children a memory they'd carry for life.
Why It All Leads Back to VBD
Over the years, I've since been recognised by the UN Youth Envoy and First Bangladeshi to win the "Emerging Young Leaders Award". In every room I've stood in since,
"Whatever I am today, I am because of VBD and JAAGO."
I've said this in every room I've stood in since. VBD gave me leadership, confidence, and a sense of purpose, I still carry into everything I do.
A Message for Young Volunteers
Don't wait for the perfect opportunity or a big title.
Be curious. Make yourself useful. Get involved in something that matters, even if it feels small at first.
I joined because I was curious about a yellow t-shirt.
I stayed because it became who I am.