July 16, 2010

I finally found time to read the emails I received while I was on the Grand Teton high adventure trek. One was an email that my daughter Michele copied me on.
Michele works for a company that has a division that sells office equipment on a website. She has been trying to get one of her suppliers to donate a laptop for Rakib. When I returned home from the trek I read the email she copied me on. It seems that this little company, The Microsoft Corporation has learned about how the Boy Scouts in the US have been helping a Scout in a third world country. They have contacted their people in the Bangladesh area and may try to meet Rakib to learn more about him, his involvement in scouting, and his dream to become a doctor. I am hopeful that they will provide a computer for Rakib.
When I called Rakib this morning I wanted to immediately tell him the news about Microsoft. I had to wait my turn to speak. When he answered, he was very excited, he said; “Bob, Bob, I want to tell you something, I have great news”. He went on to tell me he had received his final exam grades in two subjects.
In physiology Rakib placed 5th in his class. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place students were foreign students. Rakib said the foreign students from Nepal and India have an advantage. They learn English in at an early age through the public schools in their countries. All of the medical books are in English. Rakib received the second highest grade of all of the Bangladeshi medical students in his class. He received a score of 214.9, just 2.8 points behind the 1st place student. In Biochemistry Rakib was in the top 10% of his class, he placed 11th on the exam.
Rakib said sadly that many students fail those exams. They will be given the opportunity to study and take supplemental exams.
Rakib informed me that he had not received his grades in anatomy and community medicine. He said anatomy has many parts to the final exam and it takes the teachers’ time to grade the test. He said he likes his study of community medicine. He is currently learning about community health, disease, and vaccinations. He is also learning about how to educate the public about health and doctor patient relations.
Rakib had some other news that he was anxious to share with the scouts in the US. Now that his first semester is complete Rakib has contacted scout leader Nurullah Masum. This is the Bangladesh Scout leader and former editor of the Bangladesh scouting magazine who assisted me when I traveled to Bangladesh. Mr. Masum offered to help Rakib find a scout group to join near his college. After meeting Rakib he invited him to join the scout group where he is the chair person. Rakib will have to travel by bus to where the Rover Scout group meets. It is about 45 minutes to one hour, depending on traffic, one way to the scout meetings. Rakib will have to use some of the extra money we send him each month to pay for the bus.
Rakib informed Mr. Masum of his desires to earn the Bangladesh Presidential Rover Scout Award, be a scout leader / trainer for the rest of his life, and his desire to help other people. Mr. Masum reviewed Rakib’s current scout stage (rank) and told him that with his age and current rank he should be able to earn the Presidential Award in three and a half years. This would be spending the minimum time required in each stage. He said it would take most Scouts 5-7 years to earn the award.
In the USA about five percent of Boy Scouts earn the Eagle Scout Award. Last year in Bangladesh only 53 Scouts and 7 Rover scouts earned the Presidential Scout Award. There are about one million scouts enrolled in scouting in Bangladesh. That means that only about 1 / 100th of a percent earn the highest award in scouting. 5 out of 100 scouts earn the award in the USA, 6 out of 100,000 earn it in Bangladesh. It is quite an honor. Earning the Rover Presidential Scout Award requires a great deal of training, teaching younger scouts and service to the community. I wish Rakib success in reaching his goal.
Rakib said the rechargeable fan and light we bought for him had greatly improved his study condition, and he was very thankful for them.
I finally got an opening to tell Rakib the good news I had. I told him about my daughters contact with representatives of the Microsoft Corporation and how they are considering donating a laptop computer and that they may be contacting him. There was silence for a few seconds. When Rakib replied he said he was very grateful for everyone who was trying to support him, but he had a concern. He asked if the representatives would have to meet him at his college or dorm. Rakib said only my best friend knows I am from a poor family and that I am receiving assistance from scouts in the US. He was concerned that if the other medical students, most of whom are from wealthy families, found out he was from a poor family, they would not want to associate with him any longer.
I told Rakib that the representatives had his cell phone number and that I did not think they would show up unannounced. I told him that he was very articulate and that if they called him he should tell them about his concerns about how the publicity could jeopardize his relationship with the other students. Though there is not an official cast system in Bangladesh, there is a separation between social and economic classes.
As always Rakib ended the call by wishing health, happiness, and Gods blessings to al of us.