Faatiha Aayat, a 9-year-old American of Bangladeshi descent, is a fourth-grade student in the Gifted and Talented program in New York City. She has already received an honorable mention in the national level math competition. She regularly attends various UN conferences and talks about the rights of disadvantaged children.
For children of her age, she uploads content on YouTube on mathematics, coding, science, news, commentary on the Qur’an, and contemporary issues. Love to draw pictures and write letters. Although a citizen of the United States, she has a deep love for her homeland. That’s why seven-year-old Faatiha has spoken at the United Nations about the deforestation of Bangladesh by the Rohingya and its detrimental effects on global warming.
When she was asked in a national level math competition in the United States, this is not an international event, why are you carrying the flag of Bangladesh? Her fluent reply was, ‘Since no one in my predecessor’s country has ever won this competition before, I consider this achievement of mine to be the achievement of all of them. I am dedicating this award to all mathematical students in Bangladesh. ‘ These are Faatiha verses of Bangladeshi origin. https://youtube.be/MzrMsWcpzMI
Even though she lives in this country, Bangladesh is bright in her heart. Faatiha spoke about how she first went to the UN, October 11 is International Girl Child Day. Due to various engagements, the United Nations organized the International Girl Child Day 2016 on October 13, two days later. This 13th October is her birthday again. That year her parents wanted to give her a surprise as a birthday present. So they contacted the organizers of the event and took her to the ECOSOC chamber at the UN headquarters.
Faatiha said, “The chief guest of that event, the Minister of Women’s Affairs of Canada, Mariam Monsef, mentioned me in her speech and the hall was filled with applause and greetings from about 700 senior government officials from different countries. From then on, my interest in participating in various UN events grew and one opportunity after another kept coming. Faatiha Aayat last spoke at the United Nations on August 12, World Youth Day. Satya Tripathi, the Assistant Assistant General of the United Nations, who was present there, mentioned Faatiha in his speech. http://youtube.com/faatihaaayat
Earlier, Faatiha participated in the 16th International Conference on Human Rights 2019, United Nations Day 2018 and, Women Peace and Security Agenda 2018. In these programs, Faatiha talks about child abuse, gender inequality, domestic violence, inhumane life in refugee camps, and the effects of climate change on children. Even in the math competitions that Faatiha takes part in, she talks about children’s right to a happy education.
Regarding maths, Faatiha says she is always very nervous at the beginning of any competition. Her father gets angry when she sees her getting nervous. Her father could not think of any alternative to being confident. Faatiha’s mother then gave her courage. For example, there were five events in the 2016 National Mathematics Pentathlon Academic Tournament. Faatiha lost the first two events. Because she was very nervous. She was five and a half years old at the time, the first math tournament of her life, and again such a big national event. Mom gives her a lot of courage, a lot of care. Then Faatiha won the remaining three events and became the first Bangladeshi to win the title of ‘Honorable Mention’ in that competition.
She also participated in JI Math Olympiad 2019, National Math Festival 2019, Global Math Week 2018. Faatiha has some video tutorials on her Facebook page and YouTube channel. They have a studio in one corner of the living room in their home. Her parents used to help her, now she dresses, prepares a light-camera and records the video, edits it herself in Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro, and uploads the video herself.
In addition to mathematics, Faatiha also uploads content on science, geography, coding, Qur’anic exegesis, and contemporary issues. There are videos of Faatiha on the Kashmir issue, as well as videos of her letter to the mayor of New York about the garbage truck and the answers she gave. Faatiha has two books on Amazon, unwrapped by fiction writer Anisul Haque. Faatiha has wanted to be an astronaut since she met astronaut Don Thomas at NASA, astronaut Nicole Stott at the National Science Festival, and scientist Nathan Ruthman at the Science Port.
It seemed that there was nothing more enjoyable than seeing the earth from space. But since the first day of fasting, she no longer wants to be an astronaut. Now she wants to contribute to world civilization by doing something when she grows up so that not a single child spends a day in hunger or thirst. That can happen in many ways. For example, if she is a geological engineer, she will build a rainwater reservoir for more use without wasting rainwater, which will quench the thirst of children in all parts of the world.
If the genetic scientist discovers the DNA profiles of different foods, she will make them more nutritious for children. After all, whatever she is, she wants the profession to be for children. Advertising “Ever since I came to the United States at the age of four, my parents have been very careful not to let my first language become English,” Faatiha said. My father listens to BBC Bangla news with me every day, if I don’t understand anything there, I ask my father. I watch Bengali movies every weekend with my mother. I can read and write Bengali. Even though I am in New York, I regularly read the textbooks of the board of Bangladesh. ‘
Faatiha Aayat said, ‘I have won many painting competitions. Dad decorated his office with my paintings. Teachers use my drawings in various school leaflets and materials. After reading the storybooks, I cover them using ProCreat apps on the iPad. I write letters to many. I recently visited Alaska. When I came back, I wrote letters to forest rangers, glacier pilots, adventure guides, eco artists and sent pictures taken with them.
The day Faatiha Aayat first fasted, she wanted to eat a lot. Before Iftar, Faatiha thought that she would eat all the food and water in the world. Her father then told her that thousands of children her age in Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Somalia, and Ethiopia were starving every day, just as she was hungry that day. Faatiha Aayat has changed her dream since that day.
