I’m a dentist and social entrepreneur. One of the biggest social challenges in my country is youth unemployment. My mission is to give youth opportunities.
Born in a small village in Bangladesh, I grew up while learning religion and English in a madrasa from an early age. My father worked in the development sector, contributing to society in educational institutions and orphanages. His dedication deeply influenced me, leading me to assist him as like his secretary during my teenage years. At the time, I was shy. I struggled with fears and insecurities, especially after moving to a city school due to my father’s work. I had difficulties with expressing myself.
Everything changed when I joined a leadership training program where I learned leadership and practical skills through four months of activities. This experience honed my inner potential. This program was the turning point for me, pulling me out of my comfort zone and helping me overcome my fears and anxieties.
Following my family’s wishes, I chose to become a dentist. Biweekly, I travel to my village to provide free dental treatments. With only a few dentists in a sub-district of 500,000 people, my role is vital. Yet, my mission extends beyond dentistry. I want more young people to have the same growth opportunities I experienced. In other words, I want to help them discover their potential and build a better future. This led me to launch “Youth Opportunities,” which is the largest opportunity discovery platform for youth across the world. We provide self-development opportunities and essential educational content to youth for free. In starting this project, we faced many difficulties. Our business model was unprecedented, raising concerns about sustainability. Furthermore, our limited business and social knowledge made it difficult to build trust, and the progress of our organization was slower than expected.
Nevertheless, we did not give up and gradually built up our knowledge and trust with the people involved. Then in 2016, I received the “Queen’s Young Leaders Award. “ It validated our efforts and allowed us to officially launch the organization. Today, millions of young people benefit from our platform, and we receive a lot of feedback. Our goal is to create an inclusive platform where all young people have equal opportunities around the world. I will continue my journey to contribute to my community as a dentist, while I am dedicated to creating a future where young people can thrive.