More Than a Mission: A Journey That Changed My Life

By Ashraful Alam Sajal | Catalyst in GV Bangladesh

My name is Ashraful Alam Sajal served as a Catalyst at Green Village Bangladesh, part of Life Project 4 Youth (LP4Y) from 1 August 2025. My mission was to support Young Adults in developing the skills they need to build an autonomous and meaningful life.

When I first joined, I thought my role was simply to teach. Now I realize that I learned just as much from the Young Adults as they learned from me. Every day brought new opportunities to witness transformation. Sometimes the changes were significant, like a Young Adult speaking confidently in front of a group for the first time. Other times they were quieter, such as someone beginning to believe in themselves.

Both kinds of progress were equally meaningful.

GV Bangladesh' Catalysts

One experience I will always remember was preparing the Young Adults for Entrepreneurs Day. They were nervous about presenting their ideas. Many doubted themselves and wondered if anyone would listen. So, we practiced together again and again. With every rehearsal, they became more confident. We celebrated every improvement and reminded each other that making mistakes is part of learning.

The day of the event remains one of my proudest moments. The Young Adults stood before an audience with confidence. They presented their projects, answered questions, and expressed their ideas with pride.

Their confidence was not built overnight: it was the result of courage, persistence, and continuous practice.

I also had the opportunity to participate in the LP4Y Bangladesh Country Forum. Meeting colleagues from across the LP4Y network, sharing experiences, and discussing challenges reminded me that our work is part of something much bigger than one center. We are part of a global movement that believes in the potential of every Young Adult.

Throughout my journey, I organized community activities and workshops that connected Young Adults with new opportunities, partners, and experiences. These initiatives showed me that lasting change is only possible when communities, partners, and teams work together with trust and shared purpose.

Sajal Giving a Graduation Certificate to Bipasha

I witnessed countless victories that may never appear in reports but were deeply meaningful. Young Adults supported one another, stepped into leadership roles, learned to communicate effectively, and built strong teamwork skills. These everyday victories were the true measure of transformation.

One of my greatest lessons was understanding that success is not simply about finding a job. Success is about confidence, hope, autonomy, and believing that you have the power to shape your own future.

Before joining LP4Y, I believed coaching meant teaching people. Today, I know that coaching is first about listening. The Young Adults taught me patience, resilience, and the importance of believing in someone's potential even before they believe in themselves.

This experience completely changed the way I see social impact. 

It is not about giving people opportunities alone: it is about supporting them to feel respected, trusted, and empowered to create their own path. Every interaction with the Young Adults became a lesson for me.

One of the greatest strengths of LP4Y is its collaborative spirit. We never work alone. I witnessed Young Adults supporting each other, colleagues working as one team, and partners generously sharing their expertise and time. Transformation happens when everyone contributes together.

Receiving feedback from both the Young Adults and my colleagues support me growing every day. However, the greatest reward was seeing Young Adults become more confident, hopeful, and independent. Their progress became our shared success.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to John Delaporte and Laure Delaporte, the founders of Life Project 4 Youth, for their inspiring vision of empowering Young Adults around the world.

Thank you for believing that every young person deserves an opportunity to build a better future. 

Bangladesh Catalysts

I am truly grateful to have been part of this mission.

I also want to thank my colleagues and the entire team at Green Village Bangladesh. You were more than teammates: you became my support system, my friends, and my family throughout this journey. We faced challenges together, celebrated achievements together, and learned from every experience together.

Most importantly, I want to thank the Young Adults. Thank you for trusting me and allowing me to be part of your journey. You taught me far more than I could ever teach you. Your courage, determination, and resilience inspired me every single day.

To those who will continue this mission after me, I have one message:

Believe in the process. Believe in the Youths.

Transformation takes time. It requires patience, trust, and consistency. As coaches, we guide the journey, but the Young Adults are the ones who create the transformation.

I joined Life Project 4 Youth hoping to make a difference in the lives of Young Adults. In the end, they made the greatest difference in mine. I came to support them and discover their purpose, but through them, I discovered my own.

Thank you, LP4Y.

Thank you, Green Village Bangladesh.

This is not goodbye.

Singing Off, see you again.