The Rolex Awards support exceptional men and woman who are breaking new ground in areas which advance human knowledge & well-being. Runa Khan received this award for preserve the ancient boat-building heritage of Bangladesh by opening a “living museum” Runa Khan Marr is restoring traditional wooden boats and preserving the skills needed to construct them at a “living museum” briiging glory and tourists to her country’s waterway. details....

The foundation goal is to serve the maximum number of children in need, with the maximum amount of administrative expense. December 2005 – The Emirates Airline Foundation has signed a contract with Friendship, for the management of the new Emirates Friendship Hospital ship in Bangladesh. The foundation has previously helped in the work of the Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital, a former river barge also managed by Friendship, which currently serves the medical needs of the isolated communities in northern Bangladesh. details....

Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs who we recognize to have innovative solutions to social problems and the potential to change patterns across society. They demonstrate unrivaled commitment to bold new ideas and prove that compassion, creativity, and collaboration are tremendous forces for change. Ashoka Fellows work in over 60 countries around the globe in every area of human need. Runa Khan has developed a series of "user-friendly" goal-oriented textbooks to replace the ossified rote learning methods employed in the Bangladeshi school system. The text books, which emphasize critical thinking and self-directed learning, have been instrumental in significantly improving student performance.details....