Md. Minhaj arrived from Bangladesh to Greece in September 2017, together with his mother, in order to be reunited with his father. His parents’ first concern was for Md. Minhaj to go to school. They immediately arranged for his enrolment in the 5th grade of a public primary school. A little boy, who did not know a single word of Greek, found himself in a classroom, doing the best he could – and with the help of his teachers – to adapt as soon as possible.
In the summer of 2018, at the end of the school year, he enrolled for the first time in the summer courses that METAdrasi held in the framework of its educational programme Step2School in cooperation with Open Schools of the Municipality of Athens.
Today, five years later, Md. Minhaj still attends METAdrasi’s courses. Every day, he comes smiling to the Organization’s Educational Center in Athens, which operates in the framework of the “All Children in Education” programme*.
“Here they help me with everything, with all my lessons. I love all my teachers!” says Md. Minhaj. He is now in the 2nd grade of senior high school, and he worked hard throughout the summer in order to be well prepared. Today, he continues taking remedial classes, with a focus on learning Greek, math and all the subjects that will help him in the difficult school year ahead.
But his 4-year-old sister also comes to METAdrasi’s Creative Activities Space for children 4-6 years old. “When she starts going to the primary school, she will definitely continue her classes here too,” says Md. Minhaj. “I get good grades at school and I owe this to my teachers at METAdrasi.”
As for what she wants to do in the future? “My dream is to become a chemist, but also a chef” he says enthusiastically. “I also have many hobbies. I make jewellery, do calligraphy in Greek,” he adds.
“Minhaj is an exceptional and diligent boy. He tries very hard and every year we see the progress he makes. I believe he will achieve all his goals for the future,” says Dimitris, Minhaj’s maths teacher.
*The programme “All Children In Education” is a UNICEF initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, co-funded by the European Union, and implemented in collaboration with a number of partners, including METAdrasi.