07/08/2026
Korvi Rakshand Dhrubo -
One Question That Changed Thousands of Lives
Korvi Rakshand Dhrubo: Empowering Communities Through Social Innovation
"Will you take me home?" Those five words changed Korvi Rakshand Dhrubo's life forever. While spending time with children living on the streets of Dhaka, a little girl asked him to take her home because she had nowhere safe to go. The question stayed with him. He realised these children were not lacking intelligence or potential. They were simply denied opportunities. Instead of walking away, he chose to create a solution that would change thousands of lives.
Born on 19 August 1985 in Dhaka, Korvi Rakshand Dhrubo grew up in a business family and was expected to continue the family business. But destiny had other plans. Although he completed his LL.B., he dedicated his life to educating underprivileged children.
In 2007, Bangladesh's education system remained inaccessible for many children living in urban slums. Admission often required documents, permanent addresses, uniforms and financial stability that many disadvantaged families simply did not have. To address this gap, Rakshand Dhrubo and a small group of volunteers established JAAGO Foundation in April 2007. Their first school began in a single rented room in the Rayer Bazar slum with only 17 students, one blackboard, a carpet and a box of chalk. What started as a modest initiative gradually became one of Bangladesh's leading social development organisations.
As JAAGO expanded, new challenges emerged. Opening another school in Gazipur revealed a serious shortage of qualified teachers willing to work in remote areas. Rather than abandoning rural communities, he introduced JAAGO's Digital School model in 2011. Through live video conferencing, experienced teachers based in Dhaka taught students in distant classrooms while local facilitators supervised learning. Instead of moving teachers across the country, JAAGO successfully transferred teaching expertise. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the same model was adapted for mobile phones, allowing students with limited technology to continue learning despite nationwide school closures.
JAAGO's commitment to sustainability extends beyond education. Its financial model combines individual donations through the Sponsor a Child programme with partnerships involving UNICEF, USAID, FCDO, Plan International, CARE International, UN Women and other development partners. Rather than relying on a single funding source, this diversified approach has strengthened the organisation's long-term sustainability. More importantly, JAAGO invests in systems such as teacher training, digital learning and community leadership instead of providing only short-term assistance.
Another important innovation is Volunteer for Bangladesh, launched in 2011. Unlike traditional volunteering programmes that simply assist existing projects, it enables young people to lead community initiatives themselves. Today, the network includes more than 35,000 registered volunteers across all 64 districts of Bangladesh alongside international chapters. Through activities related to education, disaster response, civic engagement and climate action, young people become active problem-solvers rather than passive participants. This approach creates lasting community ownership and strengthens local leadership.
Korvi Rakshand Dhrubo's leadership reflects several recognised leadership styles. His transformational leadership inspired thousands of volunteers to work towards the shared vision of breaking the cycle of poverty through education. His servant leadership was evident when he lived alongside students and teachers during JAAGO's early years to understand their daily challenges. His visionary leadership enabled him to introduce digital classrooms years before remote learning became common, while his adaptive leadership allowed JAAGO to respond effectively during floods and the COVID-19 pandemic by redesigning its education model instead of suspending it.
The organisation's journey was not without difficulties. Limited funding during its early years, public scepticism, teacher recruitment challenges, and expanding quality education across geographically diverse communities tested JAAGO's resilience. Instead of making drastic changes, he consistently solved problems through small-scale innovation, testing practical solutions before expanding them nationwide. This gradual and evidence-based approach became one of JAAGO's greatest strengths.
Today, JAAGO has educated nearly 30,000 underprivileged children, currently serves more than 5,000 students and has trained over 50,000 young leaders. Its Digital School network has expanded access to quality education in remote communities while Volunteer for Bangladesh has built one of the country's largest youth volunteer movements. These achievements earned him several prestigious honours including the UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Award for ICT in Education and the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award recognising his contribution to quality education and youth empowerment across Asia.
He believes that every child deserves quality education regardless of where they are born or how much money their family has. His mission goes beyond educating children. He seeks to empower young people to solve social problems, strengthen their communities and build a more equal Bangladesh.
Korvi Rakshand's legacy is not measured simply by the number of schools he established but by the thousands of children whose futures changed because someone believed in their potential. His work demonstrates that sustainable social innovation is built through compassion, practical solutions, community empowerment and resilience. His journey reminds future social entrepreneurs that genuine leadership begins with empathy but its true impact is realised through consistent action that creates lasting opportunities for others.
