Footsteps Bangladesh

Shah is the Co-Founder of Footsteps Bangladesh, an organisation working on community development issues by designing and implementing innovative, long-lasting, and sustainable programmes to solve social challenges. Bangladesh is particularly susceptible to climate change and natural disasters, ranking 9th out of 193 countries in the 2023 WorldRisk Index, due to its exposure, vulnerability, susceptibility, and lack of adaptive capacities [1]. Footsteps Bangladesh is tackling issues such as water access, disaster resilience and climate action, youth social entrepreneurship, and healthcare through its core programmes. It targets low income and marginalised communities, empowering people and communities across the country.

Shah attended the One Young World Summit in Manchester, 2022. During the Summit, he learned the value of a global approach when supporting young people to create change locally. Shah has subsequently developed a campaign focused on global movements for local change, broadening the support network for Footsteps Bangladesh while expanding its community engagement.

Footsteps Bangladesh has impacted 544,356 people to date; 403,077 through its core programmes and an additional 143,279 through awareness campaigns, volunteer training, and outreach events, including workshops and consultations. The organisation is addressing the traditional issues faced by NGOs in Bangladesh by training local communities in project maintenance. Footsteps Bangladesh targets local institutions to engage and mobilise communities in key development areas. It also developed a portable filter, the Dreamwater Portable Filter, converting 450,000 litres of floodwater into drinking water, and a disaster resilience bag for people to safely store valuables. The organisation is integrating solar power and waste segregation, and has trained 2,000 young people on skills development through its Changemaker Development Programme.

“It was honestly a dream come true moment for me last year because One Young World was able to achieve a dream of mine, which I thought I would never have the opportunity, which was to fly the Bangladesh flag on the global stage. So I would wholeheartedly thank One Young World for giving me that opportunity.”