Participatory Community Engagements at Diverse Contexts

Portfolio

Location: Underprivileged Urban Communities in Bangladesh, Rohingya Refugee Camps of Cox’s Bazar and United States of America
Timeline: 2019- 2025
Key Role: Community Engagement Facilitator, Curating Activity-based Participatory Research, Qualitative and Quantitative Data Collector and Data Analyzer

Description:
As a Community Development Professional, I advocate for inclusive participatory methods in co-planning and co-designing with community stakeholders. This approach not only fosters a sense of community ownership but also ensures that the solutions we develop truly reflect the community’s needs and aspirations. My work process always involves community engagement events with diverse activities, such as art and storytelling, discussion sessions, informal conversations, transact walks within the community, asset mapping, model-making workshops, community garden workshops, etc

^{_{Art and storytelling activity with the children of Korail, Dhaka, Bangladesh}}

_{District Heights Community of Maryland speaking about their everyday struggles regarding development}

_{Community Gardening Workshop to realizing environmental issues with the children of Vashantek Slum, Dhaka, Bangladesh}

_{Community feedback and idea generation towards placemaking and building the City of Wheaton more walkable}

Community meetings have always been a cornerstone of my work, serving as a platform for me to gain a deeper understanding of the community’s current issues, the scope of work, and how to effectively address these problems. By engaging community members in the process, they not only feel valued and heard but also take on a sense of ownership and responsibility for moving forward in the initiative.

_{Community members helping to renovate the BRAC Play Labs at the Rohingya Refugee Camp of Bangladesh}

_{Community engagement of Play Leaders’ on facilitating storytelling sessions at the Rohingya Refugee Camp Bangladesh}

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with a diverse range of communities in various global contexts. These experiences have enriched my understanding of different community dynamics and honed my ability to adapt my approach to unique challenges. For example:

College Park, Maryland: Collaborated with the Historic Lakeland community on preservation and development initiatives and create scenario planning for the communities survival
Wheaton, Maryland: Engaged with the City of Wheaton community on various civic projects.
District Heights, Maryland: Engaged with the community leaders from District Heights, conducted a community walk-audit with stakeholders to map and analyze the community assets and economic opportunities.
Annapolis, Maryland: Supported communities facing housing crises, working to develop sustainable solutions.
Havana, Cuba: Worked alongside the local community to address the economic crisis, focusing on grassroots solutions
Dhaka, Bangladesh: Worked with informal urban settlements of climate migrants, addressing their unique vulnerabilities.
Rohingya Refugee Camps, Bangladesh: Supported the Rohingya refugee community, providing assistance and trauma-informed care for those dealing with displacement.