JAAGO turns 18 : Celebrating the Incredible Journey of Breaking Barriers and Creating Opportunity

We are incredibly proud and overwhelmed with joy as we celebrate an incredible milestone—JAAGO turning 18! In life, turning eighteen marks the beginning of a new chapter, one filled with excitement, renewed energy, and an indomitable spirit. It’s when life takes a new shape. New challenges appear, but so do new opportunities. For us, 18 means the same.

As we celebrate 18 years of our journey, we look back with gratitude and forward with determination, ready to dream bigger, reach farther, and create even greater impact.

It all began in 2007, in a modest room in Rayer Bazar, with just 17 children, a whiteboard, and a marker. No grand plan, no lavish infrastructure, just a simple, powerful belief: every child deserves the chance to learn, dream and build a bright future.

Over the years, that small classroom grew into a movement. What started as a grassroots initiative to educate underprivileged children has now transformed into a multifaceted development organisation, touching over 1 million lives across Bangladesh.

Education remains our foundation, but our vision has expanded far beyond the classrooms. From Climate Action to Women Empowerment, from Digital Literacy to Youth Leadership, from Civic Engagement to Workforce Upskilling, we’ve taken bold strides to address the evolving challenges of our time. Our goal is to create real, sustainable opportunities for all.

With 30,000+ students, 300+ teachers, and 600+ dedicated employees, JAAGO’s education program continues to empower children in some of the most marginalised communities. But our reach doesn’t stop there.

With a nationwide network of 55,000+ volunteers across all 64 districts, our Volunteer for Bangladesh (VBD) platform has become a launchpad for youth-led change, building a generation that not only dreams of a better Bangladesh but actively works for it.

Eighteen years of impact didn’t come without struggle. We’ve faced financial hurdles, natural disasters, digital divides, and socio-economical complexities. But through every challenge, the JAAGO family stood strong—united by purpose and driven by hope.

We owe this journey to our incredible family, our students, child sponsors, donors, private sector partners, volunteers, colleagues, all who believed in the power of change and made the impossible possible.

Just like an 18-year-old stepping into the world, JAAGO is coming of age. We’re ready to evolve, to innovate, and to scale our mission like never before. Our goals are bigger, our strategies sharper, and our dreams, bolder.

But one thing remains the same: our commitment to breaking barriers and creating opportunities.

As we write this new chapter, we invite you to walk with us. Celebrate with us. And most importantly, stand beside us in building a future ignited by the spirit of equal rights and equal opportunities of all.

So here’s to you, here’s to us, here’s to 18 years of transformation. Here’s to JAAGO!