Maya, an educational website for women

Much of our sufferings arise due to lack of knowledge that we pay no heed to. In the odd game of setting priorities, we often turn a deaf ear to the apparent small issues which eventually evolve into a massive complication. This is specially true for the women in Bangladesh. However, ignorance is not the only case for them, they are also pulled back by the dogmas of a conservative society.
Bangladesh, a country of wonders, has taken steps towards the development of her women. The country and her people are more determined than ever to grant the Bangladeshi women their rights. Maya, a Bangladeshi technology based organisation, is one of such projects.
Named after her own mother, Maya was founded by Ivy Huq Russell with the vision to educate Bangladeshi women and solve queries regarding their health, legal and social issues- the most crucial concerns. The unavailability of imperative information that lead a particular population to a state of dilapidations is now taken care of by the changemakers of Maya.
The team of Maya includes those who are specialised in engineering, medicine, law, communications, consultancy etc. They are an active group of citizens working for the betterment of the society with firm actions. Their act of decisiveness is commendable since they identified the integral parts of the society that still continue to suffocate most women.
Reproductive problems are close to taboo subjects amongst the women. Their act of shyness halts them to gain proper knowledge about themselves, thus leading to deteriorating health and major complications. Engrossed into their daily chores and tasks, women tend to ignore the importance of little things such as beauty, fitness and serendipity that later become the causes of their woes. The official website of Maya, www.maya.com.bd, has a distinct section to answer to all kinds of health questions. The website is enriched with articles that talk about diseases and solutions, all related to health. The user-friendly interface of the page is easily accessible by anyone and users can choose within an array of articles that is more familiar to their circumstances.
Legal and social rights are unknown to many and injustices are often endured for the mere 'burden' of actions that need to be taken. But only a few are aware of the power of knowledge that can tactfully handle the minor hassles, while for the extensive concerns one needs to consult an expert. The 'society' tab on the website engages the social stigmas, legal rights, common occurrences and preventive measures that can guide citizens through the social issues.
The website Maya is an incredible source of education that enables the target group to have an upper hand on their adverse situations. However, Maya did not limit its responsibility to education. It widened the spectrum by making  courses interactive. In partnership with BRAC, Maya launched the first touch-app for women in Bangladesh- Maya Apa app. Now, your consultant is just a tip away. The app is a clean and simple technology that runs on the basis of questions and answers. Queries placed by users are analysed and answered by the experts within 48  hours.
Projects like Maya let Bangladesh stride towards development and prosperity. Apart from extending a hand of help towards women, they also promote women empowerment. Furthermore, they encourage citizens who think alike and wish to bring changes to join the team as writers, consultants, specialists, software engineers etc. depending on availability of jobs (please check the career link, maya.com.bd/career). We need to broaden our minds and equip ourselves for there is no greater strength than ourselves. Our lives are within the clutch of our hands, so let us not loosen it at the cost of wrong decisions. Maya is there to provide with whatever information we are looking for.
The writer is a second year Pharmacy student at North South University, noshinnoorjahan@gmail.com