Promoting the creativity and ingenuity of young minds in science and technology, JAAGO Foundation organised its annual science fair on Saturday at a Dhaka hotel -- showcasing 22 projects from its 11 digital schools across the country.

Muhammed Aziz Khan, Founder and Chairman of Summit Group, inaugurated the fair at Hotel Bengal Blueberry in Gulshan-2. Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh, was present at the event as the special guest, alongside Martin Holtmann, IFC Country Manager for Bangladesh.

At the fair, Khan reiterated his message as the first Bangladeshi in UNICEF’s International Council that the Covid-19 pandemic was the most extensive disruption to education in history. “The greatest contribution philanthropists can make is to get children to learn again to help secure their future,” he said at the event.

Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh, encouraged the students to keep learning, listening, and continue asking questions. "Through this process, we unlock the true potential of the human mind -- and I believe one day, I will see many of you in Stockholm at the Nobel Prize ceremony," he said.

Martin Holtmann, IFC Country Manager for Bangladesh, said, “Science and sustainability are the building blocks of a brighter future. Let us continue to cultivate our passion for both, and work towards a better world that benefits not only ourselves but also our communities and our planet."

“Our children are not just the future, they are the present. And it is our duty to equip them with the necessary tools and skills to shape a better tomorrow. Summit Group's unwavering support towards JAAGO's vision of providing quality education to underprivileged children has been instrumental in helping us create a brighter future for them, and for that we are gratefull," Korvi Rakshand, Founder of JAAGO Foundation, said at the event.

Visitors had the opportunity to witness live digital classes from JAAGO Foundation's Habiganj, Bandarban, and Rangpur locations. Aziz Khan joined one of the digital classes and interacted with the students virtually.

The event concluded with a prize-giving ceremony where the winning teams were presented with prizes by Aziz Khan and Sheldon Yett, acknowledging their achievements and encouraging further participation and innovation in science.

The 'Smart Street Lighting' project won the first prize at this year's fair, while ‘Season Neutralization and Smart Farming’ became first runner-up and ‘From Waste to Resource: Recycling Sewage for a Sustainable Future’ got the award for second runner-up, among the 22 exhibited projects.

As part of Summit’s CSR initiative, it provides a matching grant enabling JAAGO Foundation to educate 4,500 underprivileged students across Bangladesh using their UNESCO award-winning teaching model that utilises ICT to provide education over telephone calls, short messaging service, and video conferencing systems. Aziz Khan, from the Anjuman and Aziz Charitable Trust (AACT), supports UNICEF’s specialised learning programme to be offered to 3,000 children living in Dhaka South City Corporation Zones 3, 4, and 5 who have dropped out of school.