The Fizz Foundation's founder e-mailed with justArts about his mission to improve literacy and the quality of education in one of the world's poorest and most densely populated countries by selling T-shirts printed with his own design.JustArts: When did you start doing graphic design?

Nafiz Ahmed: This is actually my first "graphic design." I've never produced art for purposes of sale before and have also never made T-shirts or commercial items with my art. However, creating the design for The Fizz Foundation T-shirt has been a great experience. It's great when I walk into a class or walk through the Shapiro Campus Center and I see Brandeis students wearing the shirt that I designed. It goes beyond pride for myself. It's pride for my fellow Brandeisians who are supporting my cause and are a huge part of making The Fizz Foundation come to life.

JA: What inspired you to help children in Bangladesh in particular?

NA: I am originally from Bangladesh. Even though I spent my high school years in the US, I have spent more than enough years of my childhood in Bangladesh to call it my home away from home. However, after spending quite a few years in the US, now when I go back and visit my birth nation, I notice the stark differences in livelihood. Students at Medford High School and even Brandeis complain about the food, the living arrangements and so on, but compared to where I come from, everything I see here is magnificent. When I visit Bangladesh and I see a young child, merely ten years of age, trying to sell flowers by the street so that she can eat food to survive, I ask myself-what did she do to deserve this? Nothing. She was born to an impoverished household. I created The Fizz Foundation so I could reach out to these children who are otherwise ignored by society.

JA: To which organization does the money from The Fizz Foundation go?

NA: Money from The Fizz Foundation goes to The Notre Dame Literacy School which is run by Notre Dame College, one of the top colleges in Bangladesh. This school is a part of the College's social outreach program. Children from poor households come to the school and receive free education, something which is very hard to find in a place like Bangladesh.

JA: What is the meaning behind the design you chose for the T-shirts?

NA: The design itself holds a lot of meaning to it. It is a tree that bears books. I personally believe that in an ideal world knowledge should be free flowing. In the United States, public schooling is available to all and is mandatory, but in many other parts of the world, such as Bangladesh, only the rich can afford to be educated. Every child has the right to be educated regardless of wealth and social status. What I am trying to do with The Fizz Foundation is to plant a tree that produces books for the ignored children who cannot afford an education. In an ideal world, there would be book-bearing trees growing all over the world providing children with books to learn from. When someone purchases the shirt and wears it, it symbolizes the fact that he/she is a contributor to the tree.

JA: Can you talk a bit about your most recent trip to Bangladesh?

NA: When I flew to Bangladesh this past summer, I went there with the intention of searching for an ideal institution to donate to. I spent several weeks networking among my local contacts in Dhaka and found a good bargain for manufacturing the shirts, which can be a challenge sometimes considering the need to keep the costs low. I also talked to many people to find a legitimate institution to donate money to. My cousin who attends Notre Dame College brought the Notre Dame Literacy School to my attention. I visited the school, met the people who ran it and spent recess with the children. It was a great experience. For many of them it was the first time they saw a camera. It was also one of the rare occasions in which someone approached these children and showed interest in them. They were very excited, as was I.

JA: How can people purchase your Fizz Foundation T-shirts or help your cause in another way?

NA: The Fizz Foundation is very young. This is the first time I am doing something like this and if all goes well I hope to do this on a yearly basis with a new design every year. With each T-shirt someone purchases, I will send money to the Literacy School to buy a school book for each child. If anyone wants to purchase a T-shirt they can get in touch with me at nafeez.rubayet@gmail.com and join the Facebook group: The Fizz Foundation. I send messages to the group members informing them on what is happening and update them on my progress. I also set up events on Facebook for times and locations regarding when and where I sell the shirts on campus. They are only $10 each. I would also love any amount of additional donations to support the cause. With the ridiculously low exchange rate, every dollar counts!