Queen Elizabeth II, as Head of the Commonwealth, has recognised Korvi Rakshand, representing Bangladesh, as the 181st Commonwealth Point of Light in honour of his exceptional voluntary service helping young people take part in volunteering.
Korvi, aged 35, launched ‘Volunteer for Bangladesh’, the country’s largest volunteer platform with over 35,000 young people taking part in voluntary activity in their local district.
First set up in 2011, the platform has been critical in supporting relief efforts during the Coronavirus pandemic, with volunteers helping to distribute food to people whose livelihoods have been affected, the British High Commission in Dhaka said.
The platform forms part of 'JAAGO Foundation', which Korvi also created and leads, which is dedicated to improving access to education for children from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, including refugees based in the Rohingya camp. The foundation runs 12 schools across the country, alongside a nationwide sponsorship programme, and has so far benefitted the lives of more than 3,500 vulnerable children.
As part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London 2018, the Queen is thanking inspirational volunteers across the 54 Commonwealth nations for the difference they are making in their communities and beyond, by recognising one volunteer from each Commonwealth country every week.
By sharing these stories of service, the Commonwealth Points of Light awards celebrate inspirational acts of volunteering across the Commonwealth and help inspire others to make their own contribution to tackling some of the greatest social challenges of our time.
"It is such an honour for me to receive the Commonwealth Point of Light Award. I am earnestly grateful to Her Majesty the Queen as the Head of the Commonwealth for the recognition I have received for my work,” Korvi was quoted as saying in the statement.
“It is truly amazing to win such a prestigious award and able to represent the work of our volunteers. Our 40,000 volunteers throughout Bangladesh who have been doing amazing works to develop their community, this award shows that their hard work and dedication is significant. I hope that 'JAAGO Foundation' and 'Volunteer for Bangladesh' will keep continuing doing amazing work to create a better society and keep inspiring others to join in this great cause."
Robert Chatterton Dickson, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, congratulated Korvi Rakshand on his Points of Light award.
“As I have seen for myself in a Jaago school in a poor community in Dhaka, his contribution to improving access to quality education and efforts to inspire Bangladeshi young people are outstanding. I am delighted that this award further strengthens the Brit Bangla Bondhon and the spirit of the Commonwealth in Bangladesh,” he was also quoted as saying.
The Commonwealth is a diverse community of 54 nations who were the former colonies of Britain.
The Points of Light awards recognise outstanding volunteers every day of the week – people whose service is making a difference in their communities and whose story can inspire others to creative innovative solutions to social challenges in their own communities and beyond.
Points of Light began in America under President George H. W. Bush and today over 6,000 US Points of Light have been recognised.
The scheme has the support of all living US Presidents.
Since 2014 the UK Prime Minister has been recognising a daily Point of Light from the UK, with over 1,600 volunteers now recognised.
Commonwealth Points of Light is a continuation of this programme with a special series of awards recognising inspirational volunteers throughout the Commonwealth, coinciding with the UK being the Commonwealth’s Chair-in-Office of for the next two years.
One volunteer from each of the 54 Commonwealth countries was recognised in the days leading up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April 2018.
Following the success of this programme, the Queen decided to continue this work and award one volunteer from each Commonwealth country every week, according to British High Commission.
