MBA students of the 27th batch of the Department of Marketing at the University of Dhaka have turned a classroom assignment into a community initiative, with their ‘Aaborton — Declutter and Donate’ campaign reaching more than 1,000 people through donations, resource reuse and access to books.

The initiative was developed as part of the Non-Profit and Social Marketing course, with students taking responsibility for planning and implementing the campaign, according to a press release. Dr Nasrin Akter, who teaches the course, mentored the student team throughout the project.

The campaign’s central event, a Donation Collection and Seminar, was held on 13 August 2026, bringing together students, donors, volunteers and partner organisations. Participants donated clothing, books and toys, while Badhon, a voluntary blood donor organisation, conducted an on-site registration drive. The programme also featured a seminar and a thrift sale of selected donated items.

The student team also launched ‘Boichakra’, a book-sharing platform designed to improve access to reading materials. The platform allows users to donate, borrow or purchase second-hand books, extending the campaign’s impact beyond the one-day event.

Genesis Foundation served as Aaborton’s beneficiary partner and joined the students in a follow-up donation drive, taking the initiative’s total reach beyond 1,000 beneficiaries. Proceeds from the thrift sale were channelled through Genesis Foundation to fund meals for street children living near the University of Dhaka campus.

Tasfia Anis, Team Lead of Aaborton’s Declutter and Donate initiative, said the project taught the team to remain persistent after facing setbacks while seeking partners. She highlighted the support of local business Femmeaura, which eventually partnered with the initiative.

Rafij Khan, Co-Founder of Genesis Foundation, said the campaign demonstrated how academic projects can create meaningful and lasting social impact, adding that the foundation was pleased to help extend the initiative’s reach to children in need.

The Department of Marketing said Aaborton reflects its approach of combining academic learning with practical community engagement, allowing students to apply marketing knowledge to social causes and gain hands-on experience in creating social impact.