Simin Hasan Chowdhury
Bangladesh
Artist, Singer & Dancer
Simin Hasan Chowdhury, 16, is an artist, singer and dancer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She goes to Oxford International School, pursuing her A levels under the Cambridge Assessment International Education.
She is a Scholar of the prestigious Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program under the US Department of State. She has served as a Patrol Leader of her school’s Scouts team. Simin maintains her YouTube channel “Simin Chowdhury” during her leisure time. For her outstanding performance in academics and extracurricular activities, Simin has been awarded with multiple recognitions including the “All Rounder” title in her school.
What inspired you to enter the World NTD Day Story telling competition?
I found the World NTD Day Story telling competition to be a powerful avenue to voice out my opinion as a young person. As an aspiring artist, I truly believe in the power of art as it is a universal language. I wanted to highlight and raise awareness about NTDs by channeling my talent in art through this competition.
Why does fighting NTDs matter to you?
Bangladesh is a high-burden country for NTDs. But there is a lack of awareness among young people. I never learned about NTDs in school or anywhere else until last year when I stumbled upon a video online. It sparked my interest because I have seen people with NTDs on the street many times but never knew those were NTDs. I have also known about Bangladesh Scouts who worked on raising awareness about Dengue fever. As a Scout in my school myself, I felt inspired to bring the initiative to my school. Fighting NTDs matters to me because it is a shame that poor people are neglected for diseases that can be prevented.
How do you intend on continuing the fight against NTDs after this competition?
I aim to continue to bring different NTDs to the spotlight through my art work and posting them on social media. Furthermore, I want to raise awareness about NTDs in my school through my Scouts team. Moreover, I want to educate myself more on NTDs by researching existing resources on the internet, and joining groups like Youth Combating NTDs.
What would be your request to your country’s leaders regarding fighting NTDs?
I urge my country’s leaders to invest more in fighting NTDs through greater use of technology, research and development for efficient diagnosis and treatment, as well as raising awareness among communities especially through young people like me using creative campaigns, artivism, competitions etc.
