Link to the previous Story of Puja D.
I vividly remember, when I was 13, one young man asked me what I would do If I find one lakh (a hundred thousand Nepali rupees) money while walking on the road?
Simple enough right? I said I will give it to whomever it belongs and he asked me again What will you do if you find money which you don't need to return?
I answered that I will do something that benefits many people in the society.
He asked me again ‘’What do you want to be in the future?’’ and I said I want to be a person who can be useful for society and the conversation ends here.
Or so I thought. That conversation never really ends there. I carried this conversation subconsciously within me perhaps until this date.
I still remember. The day was December the 8th 2020 when I joined LP4Y and on a different note, I am grateful towards Laura who asked me to read the testimony which I wrote when I was a former Youth in the Green Village Nepal. It makes me realize it has been a long time since I looked back on my life and I started reading it. It reminds me of a lot of things at that moment and now I get to say it to myself : you did it Puja!
A lot of promises that I made to myself were in it and the change, the transformation that I saw in myself gave me profound joy. When I was in job search, I saw the vacancy on Mero Job where LP4Y was seeking a volunteer for Nepal and the requirements were Bsw, at least 24 years old and fluent in English. It made me realize that I need to work a lot on myself and I promised to myself that I will come back stronger when I come back to LP4Y again. While I was writing the testimony at the end of the three months training, I already wished to work in LP4Y.
After 3 months of training, my new journey started with LP4Y as a Stars Club president where I learned a lot throughout my journey. There is a saying: Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. I didn't even realize it has been already 5 months that I am working with LP4Y as a Catalyst. Maybe that's how I relate to the saying that I mentioned above.
When I was a president of the Stars Club I used to give testimony to the Youth and I always used to tell them that your past really doesn't matter, what kind of background you belong to. What matters is what you want to bring in your life and what you are doing with your life right now.
One day I was talking with the Youth about motivation. Someone asked me what my background is. I smiled and said ‘’I also belong to the same background as yours’’. She asked me again ‘’What did you do after 3 months of training?’’
I replied I did group agriculture and I taught in school as a teacher and I volunteer in Rcf Nepal as well. For women's economic welfare I worked as president in a women cooperative. She asked me again ‘’How did you manage to do all this in such a short period of time?’’ and I said it's not about time, it's all about energy and self motivation.
Talking about my mission, Community Life Coach is such a unique and beautiful
mission. I am enjoying this mission a lot as a Community Life Coach. I'm able to observe with empathy, the Youth day and night, the growth that I see in them inspires me to be an even better person.
When I see the Youth it makes me realize that I am living a meaningful life. Many Youth tell me that I am their inspiration but in reality they are the ones who inspire me because I work with them, I learn with them and I grow with them.
One day I was feeling sick. You can't imagine Godavari's cold. Some Youth knocked on my door and asked me if I was fine or not because they wanted to do yoga with me at 5:15am in the morning. When I see the youth standing outside of my door in that cold my sickness fades away and they do English class with me everyday after dinner even though they are tired. It gives me pleasure to see them trying their best.
I feel proud to work as a Catalyst in LP4Y. I feel proud to work for the youths from the different backgrounds of Nepal. I feel proud to be such a person who can put oneself in those Young women's shoes and relate to them. I feel proud to be able to observe their growth. I feel proud that I can say to all that the Youth never stop trying.
From a former Youth To a Stars Club President and Stars Club President to a Catalyst I am grateful to be able to grow with LP4Y and I am grateful towards life and grateful towards the amazing team of Green Village Nepal and Youth and myself also for always being dedicated and passionate. I am really excited to do more and explore more.
As a Catalyst in LP4Y, I finally feel like I have started the journey on the path which I vowed to myself when I was 13, when I told myself I want to be a useful person for society. Still a lot of things need to be done but I am proud of what I am doing now and where I am going. Thank you everyone !