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"Let me start with a few questions: Who here thinks a college degree is necessary? Who here has a job aligned with their degree? Who here already disqualified a candidate because they did not have a college degree? Let me tell you: you are wrong. Nowadays, out of 1.2 billion Youth, 700 million are coming from excluded backgrounds. Meaning that you will not include them in your recruitment process. That you would not include me, for example. And today, I will prove to you that you should have ! Population is aging. Recruitment and talent retainment are some the main challenges HR will face in the future according to the ILO organization. So you should consider thinking outside of the box of Education and go FURTHER. The preconceived idea of Youth being lazy, not willing to Work or to take initiative remains printed in our mind. But do you trust us enough? Do you give us enough opportunity to thrive? Do you use the right framework to follow us? I am telling you today that when you give an opportunity to a Youth coming from an excluded background, he or she will not give up. I will not give up. We are responsible for our family, for our future. We are therefore committed and have the willingness to champion for your brand, your company. We are proud because this might be the first time someone believes in us. Fast learning, flexibility, and responsibility are not taught while sitting on a bench. By hiring an excluded youth, you will have access to a better workforce and you will also directly impact your image and the way people see your brand. You will reach your diversity objectives, which we know are a success indicator in terms of well being, motivation and creativity for your employees. You will even enjoy tax deduction from your government! Amazing right? But you already know that. Do you want to have an impact? Do you want to follow the process or do you want to be the one leading the change? Do you want to be a follower of the next champions of inclusion or do you want to be this Champion of inclusion? Of course it can look complicated knowing where to start. Today, I will share with you a few tips on how to have an impact starting tomorrow: Contact the Youth Inclusion Network to shape your HR strategy and be connected to the Youth Remove educational requirements in all your job offers Support financially Youth inclusion initiatives Be a speaker during events to inspire and be a role model for many more organizations Raise awareness around you, you are part of the change! Excluded Youth are full of skills, dreams and talents. They are eager to join you, they are eager to show you who they really are and I am one of these Youth. I have skills, I have potential and I deserve that chance. Let me show you what I can bring. Beyond the data in your HR records, we are talking about loyalty, willingness to learn and so much more. Diplomas will never bring the practical experience that I gained throughout my life, while struggling to succeed. Today, I am able to bring so much more than a piece of paper at an interview. I bring you 21 years of practical experience that will definitely change the way you will perceive interviews and candidates. I am bringing you a new field of possibilities, full of talents that deserve to be discovered. I am Josephlyn and I am the one who can open you to this world. And now, would you hire me?" Speech prepared during the Philippines Country Forum during a workshop. Currently a member of LP4Y team, Josephlyn used to be a Youth at the Training and Development Center in Tondo.

It is undeniable that recruiting Youth for professional training is not an easy job. There are so many challenges that Catalyst and Youth face in the field. Cliched factors such as lack of parental approval, huge demands to immediately look for any job as long as it makes money and as well as lack of confidence in themselves. Despite the difficulties, Catalyst and Youth did not give up on innovating and diversifying the mobilization strategies to train more Youth. After discussing with several Catalysts regarding best practices and getting some input from Indonesian NGO partners, the team tried to "adjust" to the culture and needs of the target, the Youth. We now have 3 projects of mobilization in Jakarta such as LP4Y goes to School, Job Fair and NGO collaboration events. LP4Y Goes to School In fact, unequal education and unpreparedness to train a work-ready young generation, makes the “LP4Y goes to School” project one of the mobilization strategies in the educational sector. LP4Y collaborates with several schools whose education participants come from underprivileged families in North Jakarta. The "LP4Y goes to school" project offers one-day professional training to students/alumni in schools, such as English for professional purposes, or resume-making. The training is adjusted to the needs of each school but always related to professional preparation. In May 2023, more than 50 active students and alumni gathered for a one-day English training (game/brainstorming) and shared dream session led by Youth from LP4Y Jakarta at SMK 3 Strada. The high enthusiasm showed that the Youth succeeded in carrying out its activities well. Job Fair Convinced that LP4Y is the perfect-alternative place for Youth to develop their potential, skills and readiness to enter the professional world, we also started actively participating in job fairs. The high enthusiasm of Youth and Catalyst in promoting LP4Y at job fairs, alongside several well-known companies, catches the attention of applicants who come to the booth easily. Catalysts provide free consultation sessions for job seekers regarding resumes and job application documents. This job fair activity is very helpful for LP4Y Jakarta in developing networks, building recognition among the community and showcasing Youth's project management skills. NGO Collaboration LP4Y is not the only organization working in the field of Youth inclusion in Jakarta, there are several other social organizations spread across the slums. With the same vision and mission to fight poverty and provide unlimited opportunities for the younger generation, we decided to organize a collaborative event with various NGO that focus on improving Youth’s skills. With this project, Youth from different backgrounds can meet and inspire each other. In June, LP4Y had the opportunity to collaborate with the Red Nose Foundation, Jesuit Refugees Service and Refugees Learning Nest in organizing a joint sports activity. The collaboration was very well received by many partners in Jakarta. We believe that the more we are involved in activities in sectors that are directly impacting the community (education, health, etc.), the more people will trust LP4Y pedagogy.

Hello everyone my nickname is CFC, and I am 26 years old. Before joining LP4Y I could not control my nervousness, especially when I was speaking in front of a lot of people. Whenever there was a job interview, I could not speak well and I did not know what to answer because I lacked self-confidence. I discovered LP4Y here in jail thanks to a former Youth who invited me. At first, it was difficult because I had low self-esteem. I could not speak well in front of people whenever there was a report or when my coach asked me to explain something, but I gradually gained confidence throughout the training and started expressing myself. In some situations, I am still shy, but not all the time. The greatest impact that LP4Y had in my life is that now I know what to do with my life when I will get out. I know what my goal is because LP4Y supported me on how to find it.

Today’s adventure is about the meeting between three different groups of people: LP4Y excluded Youth, RedNose Children and young refugees from Bogor - RLN Refugees Learning Nest. This event was held on the 6th of June with the collaboration of JRS - Jesuit Refugee Service and Red Nose Foundation. The goal of this event was to impact the refugees by raising awareness to unlock their potential in the society. Can we call it a successful event? Big yes! You want to know more about it? Take a dive in with us! First, we invite you to dance with the 1st Zumba activity given by the Youth, followed by diverse sport activities, each of them as fun and original as the other. After a little break, sit with us for a quiz game: the best players shall be rewarded. If you are curious to learn more about the prices, make sure to join us next time… and give us the right answers! After the game, back to your feet: join the circus training from the Youth of Red Nose Foundation. Feeling a bit dizzy? Get back to your chair and enjoy the Karate show offered by the refugees. The gathering between the various groups of Youth appeared to be natural. They discussed and played together, forgetting their differences of culture and language. A breathtaking experience, full of smiles and rhythmed by a big sharing spirit. Around 50 young refugees took part in this event. We cannot thank everyone enough for being part of it. Thank you RLN. Thank you JRS. Thank you Red Nose Foundation. Thank you LP4Y. Thank you.

Have you thought of your own Life Project Plan? The Life Project Plan invites the Youth to question themselves about the goals they would like to reach in their life and supports them in building their own project. A key tool of LP4Y’s pedagogy, it encourages the Youth to take a step back, and allows them to dream big! First, they get a grasp of their skills and qualities. Then, with the accompaniment of the coaches and the benevolent space, they realize all they already have achieved and what they are willing to improve. Finally, they set up an action plan to succeed in their short and long term goals, in order to achieve their dream one day! Every year, the Youth organize two special events called "Life Project Plan Presentations" in all LP4Y centers, enabling them to share their projects with Youth and Catalysts. During these presentations, the Youth are out of their comfort zone and show their dedication, motivation and creativity to reach their dream! Catalysts are also solicited to present their Life Project Plans. A great way to further their personal development, inspire the Youth and create stronger bonds between Youth and Catalysts. No matter where you come from, no matter where you are now, your dreams are accessible. Look at the Youth, they are the existing proof! Photo credits TDC Cilincing - Stefanie presenting her LPP and group picture TDC Yangon - group picture, Hnin Sandi Htay and Thae Su presenting their LPP TDC Beirut - group picture and Hevarin presenting her LPP TDC Payatas - group picture TDC Lapu Lapu City Jail - dance and presentation TDC Cebu - Alexia presenting her LPP GV Calauan - Jenny presenting her LPP TDC Iligan City Jail - flag ceremony

During the UN Commission for Social Development, the NGO Committee, which LP4Y is part of, is dedicated to raising awareness on the Priority Theme and bringing the voices, experiences, and recommendations from the grassroots. The NGO Committee holds a Civil Society Forum, which one of the thematic sessions is about “Working Toward Concrete Solutions for Marginalized Young People Facing Unemployment.” For most marginalized youth living in poverty, their work does not mean earning a living wage. It means exploitation, very low pay, and forced layoffs. This panel will look at how work should enable youth to live in dignity and be recognized as useful members of society. Sherlyn Caasi, LP4Y graduate, is an example of success. She worked as a call center agent in Alorica and is today coach herself leading a LP4Y program in Tondo, Manila, Philippines. She will share her testimony and precious inputs on this panel on February 10th.

In January 2023, every center of Life Project 4 Youth had celebrated Entrepreneurs Day : the final graduation of the Youth who finished the program in 2022. Every centers also heard inspiring testimonies from Alumni and Partners on their vision of Youth Inclusion which will give us food for thought! Let's see the picture of this event!

On a recent visit to India, Satya Ravi took the opportunity to see the work of Life Project 4 Youth (LP4Y) in the TDC Chennai. During her time there, she was able to learn more about the organization, have lunch with some of the women, and participate in a question and answer session. Satya said of her visit : “I spent a day with these courageous young women, and I was touched by their commitment to changing the course of their lives against all odds. They live in government subsidized housing provided initially to Tsunami survivors. They are seeking the blessing/permission/acceptance from spouses and in-laws in a joint family construct and trying to win hearts and minds in their quest for financial independence. They certainly benefit from all the encouragement and support from mentors. The funds from generous donors, as the pictures demonstrate, have supported the creation of a safe space for them (and their young ones) as well as computers and other valuable resources.”

Leuza khan LP4Y Bangladesh started in 2020 and we officially opened the center in 2021 nearby Bhashantek slum, the biggest slum in Dhaka city. We then started mobilization, pedagogy, and of course, partnership. Partnership in LP4Y is a very important part. In this partnership pillar, we are working on 4 topics : Integration, MEI, Exposure, Fundraising. We are supported by our partners with these pillars across the world. We have more than 500 partners working and supporting us. What do we do with our partners, how do we work with them? Firstly we establish a win-win relationship with transparent and effective communication, and we make a 6 month action plan with each partner. Today we’ll present two very active partners, one is “ETAM”, a clothing company and “ZE PROJECT”, a gender equality initiative. They are working seamlessly and try to touch every partnership pillar. Ze project is amazing! They support us by giving training both in the Training and Development Center and Green Village. The topics are mostly social awareness and gender diversity. They are working for the excluded transgender people from the community. They are trying to integrate them personally. There are many trans men and women who are supported by them educationally and professionally. We have signed MOU (Memorandum of understanding) with them for a clear vision of collaboration. In this MOU we mentioned how we will work together on 3 company visits, 3 training sessions both in TDC & GV and 3 testimonies throughout the year. Some words from Ze project Gender diversity and inclusion are significant challenges in both urban and rural settings. We are experiencing a big gap between employers and employees. The company required skilled employees, but a large number of our beneficiaries transgender, and gender diverse communities—drop out of the primary schools. Also, there is a level of stigma and discrimination fostering our community pushback against the job industry. Employers are not ready to provide their jobs due to a lack of gender equality policies. We are very happy that LP4Y is trying to invite transgender individuals to get professional job training both in Rangpur division and central Dhaka. The ZE Project also provided resources for the workshop Understanding the Context of Bangladesh & Transgender, Hijra, and Diverse Gender Community. Our collaborative efforts mean that ZE Project and LP4Y are currently learning together and reaping the benefits of our partnership. On behalf of the ZE Project, we promised to provide continuous support and enhance our partnership for the economic development of diverse youth and adolescent girls, transgender individuals. Manager: ZE Project Etam is one leading clothing brand. They also have CSR policy. They are using organic material for making clothes or coloring them. They reuse clothes for making new clothes. They are reducing water to wash denim .They are making eco-friendly fabric which is really helpful for our environment. They are using thin plastic bottles to make stylish pants for women which were very surprising. Some words from Etam The Etam Group has committed to empowering women since 1916, and in our ongoing commitment, our Bangladesh office partnered with NGO LP4Y to give some local Bangladeshi women the chance to peek inside our world. In January 2023, five young women from LP4Y spent an afternoon at the Bangladesh office in Dhaka, where we explained the office’s various functions, had a member of each department present their role, and offered mock interviews to train the young women understand the kinds of questions they might come across in an interview for a role in a sourcing office. After this first office visit, we arranged a short-term internship with Jannatul, one of those young women. Her career project is to become a fashion designer and launch her own fashion label. She was particularly thrilled to join us, seeing this internship as an opportunity to develop her cross-functional knowledge across logistics, quality control, merchandising, etc. We are honored to have had the opportunity to partner with LP4Y, worked alongside Jannatul, and positively contributed to these young women's professional and personal development." Cameron Garreau

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 !

When I came back to France after one year and a half in Bangladesh, I heard a lot the question “how was your trip?”. As if I had just left for a few months, visiting a new country and exploring its peculiarities, landscapes and culture. Indeed, I discovered a co untry I was not sure to place exactly on a map. But I also experienced and discovered so many other things, and one I was not expecting to: myself. I say a lot “I”, but I had not the bravery to leave my country, my job and my family all by myself. I took this turning point with Jérémy, my partner, who is also someone whom I highly respect the posture and energy in a working environment. Leaving for this great adventure together, it didn’t seem to be a difficult commitment for me to approach. Going to an unknown country, with a totally new professional environment, living a frugal life and meet with new people. But in the end, I know that this adventure with LP4Y has brought up to me a deep personal introspection, of which I have probably not yet fully determined the contours and the impacts on my future path. I take the opportunity of this LP4Y Story to do the exercise of the key learnings that my Catalyst journey taught me. Letting go I was confronted, at the very beginning of my Catalyst adventure, with a situation over which I had no control. I knew for a few weeks that I would be leaving for Myanmar. My family gifted me many essays and novels about the country for Christmas, I had tried to learn a few words in Burmese, already understood that the alphabet would be a tricky part of the language learning, I was picturing the marvels that I could visit during my holidays in the country, and already felt linked to this mysterious and rich culture and people that I was going to meet. It was February 2021. In the middle of the online training session with LP4Y (covid was still complicating all admin and organizational processes), we all learnt about The Coup that happened in Myanmar, making the situation completely uncertain: was the government able to replicate? Was the incredible strength of the people in the street enough to prevent the army from rolling back the painful democratization of the country? Was the admired leader Aung San Suu Kyi equipped to counter this well-planned coup ? In the middle of these important geopolitical concerns, Jeremy and I were plunged into perplexity and had to find comfort in unpredictability. Our plan was to leave around February 15th, and the days were passing without giving us any answers of our million questions. Would the LP4Y projects continue in Myanmar? Would we be ready to live in a country hit by civil war? And if we were not going to go to Myanmar, would we still be able to leave for a mission? We had not taken yet neither our flights, nor did we get our visa. We just had one thing to do: wait and see. Accept the fate and stay flexible. Forget about our plans. Feeling powerless in front of this massive political change in this country that we had started to love. On its side, LP4Y was already used to changes of plans after months of covid, announces from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, decisions from the different ambassies. In one word, they already mastered the Letting Go mantra. On our side however, it was mentally very difficult not to know about our future. We had quitted our job in the busy French capital, and fortunately had a place to live, but we had no idea what to be ready for. We had finished our two weeks training, seeing fresh catalysts excited to join their country of mission, going to meet each other, whereas we were sort of stuck in this blurry situation. We had to be ready to leave at any time, prepare ourselves for countries on which we hadn’t learn much about. But we also had to prepare for worse: to possibly wait for months in France if we had to (as it happened to many catalysts from the previous batches during covid). In any case, we had to admit to ourselves and also to our relatives, that we had zero control on what would our mission with LP4Y become. Fortunately, we escaped this uncomfortable state in only four weeks, to reach a totally new one: plunging into the unknown. Indeed, as France would not authorize volunteers to go to Myanmar in the current political situation, Jeremy and I would go to Bangladesh (a neighborhoodcountry), and not for any mission, but to create from scratch the first Green Village of Bangladesh. What a challenge. First regarding the mission of course. We had no experience with LP4Y before, had to learn everything about the pedagogy but also about the country we wanted to be useful to. And second, regarding the country. I had not read any books about Bangladesh, I didn’t know about its history and culture, the words learnt in Burmese would be totally useless there. And as a woman, what to expect? I had heard a lot about female condition in India and could only imagine what it was to leave in a Muslim country. I quickly realised how lucky we have been to have the opportunity to deep dive directly into unknown waters. Having no formal preparation dedicated to discovering Bangladesh, I have tip-toed into a culture as I will probably never have the opportunity to do again. We could only be fortunate enough to learn through the people that we would meet, by listening, looking, walking, eating. Leaving our adventure day by day. This first key learning, of being able to let go, was probably crucial to the adaptation skills I had to develop throughout my own journey, would it be for lockdown and uncertainty of the realisation of our project, for visa issues, for sudden lack of resources during the project. But I also know that it is a true asset that I have added in the vision of my life in general, and I hope it helps soothing people around me. Breaking mental barriers I spent my first six months of mission in Dhaka, in the neighboorhood of Bhashantek, nearby a large slum area. The arrival in our shared-flat with almost 10 other Catalysts surprised me in a way I hadn’t expected: despite the location, and after having read the difficult living conditions of Lucie Taurines in her book (Scarred by Life), I was amazed to see we had quite a comfortable environment. Tiles on the floor, kitchen, electricity, individual rooms, a WiFi connection. All the modern comfort I was ready to give up during this adventure. And on the outside, the village-like surroundings of the slum charmed me very quickly, thanks to the highly welcoming spirits of the inhabitants and the lively rhythm of life that we were witnessing and soon taking part of. However, everything was not so easy and smooth, as I had to break several mental constructions that seemed very common in my culture. One of the first that comes to my mind was linked to the legal authority of the country. As for many NGOs or organization volunteers working in Asia, I had entered the country with a visa that was not exactly matching my purpose of staying. This actually caused my several visits of the immigration police, sometimes at night. I had never encountered problems with the police before, and I knew that deep down, I was on the edge of the legality for a purpose that I could fight for, and that I was doing it supported by my organization. But being a quite discreet citizen in my own country, I have been tensed by these administrative tricks, and had to question my motivation and my values. More prosaically, we were in a fluctuating situation regarding lockdown during my first months of mission: sometimes we could not go out of our homes, sometimes shops opened, sometimes Youth were allowed to come to the center. But generally, it was very difficult, if not impossible, to leave our neighborhood of Bhashantek. Police officers were posted at every corner, drivers were not authorized to reach our area to connect us to different places of the city and get out of the slum, checkpoints were marking out the road and randomized control were the common situation. At the same time, my mission was focusing more and more on determining where we should settle our Green Village, meaning we needed to go and visit places, to meet with people in rural areas, to convince and collaborate with partnering NGOs having offices in other places in Dhaka and projects scattered everywhere in the country. Trying to be flexible and useful for the advancement of the project, we had to be cunning to understand the extents of the regulation and to manage to visit whenever it was authorized. Sometimes thanks to the national holidays, when all the roads were magically re-opening, sometimes using our local contacts to better understand a region without having to investigate on the field too quickly. In the end, I felt extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to deep dive into a culture, a country, hundreds of landscapes, hundreds of meetings throughout my mission, but not in the easy way. And maybe as a last example, I had to deconstruct a mental barrier of comfort. I will jump a few months after my arrival in Dhaka, after having found the perfect place to settle the first Green Village of Bangladesh, it was time to move to our new home. Located a little further than 300km from the capital (often translated as a full jumpy night in the bus), we were entering a whole new part of our experience by choosing to live in a very small village, in a building as old as the country that was unoccupied for at least 10 years. I wouldn’t say I need a lot of comfort in my daily life, but one thing I was sure I definitely needed was to have access to running water. But of course, when we moved in, with Jeremy and our two first Green Village co-catalysts Raisa and Shams, there was no proper rooms, no kitchen (so no stove or refrigerator), dangerous and messy electricity, no thermal or phonic insulation and of course, no running water. What a challenge to go every day at the nearest well, to pump our water into buckets in order to shower, cook, clean or simply go to the washrooms (even at night, no respite for missing water). But finally, even if I wouldn’t say we were not tired by the situation, I realised that with time and good companionship, we could manage to live in the simplest and most frugal conditions. Focus on the essential We spent three intense first months in our new location. During this time, I had mostly become site manager, supervising the construction, renovations and equipment of the soon-to-be Green Village training center. It was an amazing opportunity to connect with the community around, as most of the workers and suppliers were almost our neighbours. It was also a perfect time to improve in our practice of Bangla, the national language of Bangladesh and also the national pride of the country, as it symbolises the liberation of the country after its violent separation with Pakistan. After that, we were ready to open the center to young women, coming from different areas of the region (or even further away), from different organizations or coming from the neighboring villages, and we enlarged the team with a new member, the great Sharmi. It was a period when we were ready to experience a lot of “firsts”: the first youth of the country to enter a Green Village, the first time for Raisa and Jeremy to become coaches, for Shams to mobilize Youth and for Sharmi to find her posture as a Community Catalyst, the first time people would live in the center, the first time we would open MEIs, the first time we would rely on the Youth to make a center run, the first time I was witnessing and coordinating such a project, the first time for both our team and the Youth that we would see a Green Village for real. The key learning I have withdrawn from these dense and satisfying months is to focus on the essential, especially in periods of doubts or difficulties. At the end of the year 2021, the renovation works were almost finished, we had planned and communicated about our opening date in the coming January and organized everything to fit our timeline. Unfortunately, as in many organizations, the end of the year is crucial for accountancy balance, and we learned at the last minute that we would not receive sufficient funds to finish our renovation works, pay all the workers and suppliers we needed to, and open the center on time. After a very stressful period, we managed to sort out the essential: what we needed to prioritize, what could wait a few weeks more, who we needed to contact and how to communicate to the stakeholders trusting us. We learned altogether to trust ourselves and work as a team, and to communicate extensively about our fears, our stress, solutions we could find, and most of all, take a step back on what was happening. We ended up pushing our opening date of two weeks and explaining our difficulties to workers and suppliers, who were very understanding. Honesty and trust were our saviours at that time. We could finally open peacefully on January 23rd with our first batch of 20 motivated and inspiring young women. We started to find our rhythm, and even if we sometimes lacked of human resources, we managed to focus on the essential, thanks to the amazing energy all the catalysts put into the project, but also to the great moments of sharing and debriefing. In this context, a new problematic came to me. As we were in a quite remote area, we were far from any large city or entertainment. Also, we were living 24/7 with the Catalysts we were working with, which required us to find our own personal balance. In this peaceful and remote environment, I had to ask myself simple questions: what do I really like to do? How to reinvent my daily routine, and especially my weekends, far away from friends or restaurants? What do I need to feel comfortable in this different environment? This introspection helped me to determine what was really important for me, even outside of the context of my mission. Among other things, I can now say that I like to see the nature, to have time for myself, to spend time with people I love, to be surrounded with people I admire and respect and feel a mutual respect back, to do some physical activities, to laugh a lot, to eat tasty food. Maybe not very original, but with these essentials, I know I can feel at home, wherever I am. Learning from people As this story is starting to get very long, I will finish my testimony with a last learning I developed during my whole mission, which is to always learn something from people I meet. I had the opportunity to let my heart open to new encounters with different personalities, aspirations, qualities, and I feel that these meetings filled me with an unvaluable wealth. The richness of knowing we can always be inspired, to become better ourselves but also to share to others that amazing people, people sometimes a little different from our usual circles, do exist and make this world a way more interesting place. I hope I will keep this habit and continue seeing people surrounding me as individual souls. I will not enter into details, but I have witnessed true open-mindedness, kindness, professionalism, generosity, alignment, optimism, hidden skills, technical knowledge, patience, humour, resilience, determination, love, sacrifice, honesty, good will, intelligence, welcoming, inclusivity, passion, activism, selflessness, pro-activity, active listening, team spirit and so many other traits of personality that will enlighten my vision of humanity today. Thank you to the great Green Village Bangladesh team who made this project come true with their determination and kindness, thank you to the amazing Catalysts I have met along the way, thank you to the Youth who taught me so much, thank you to all the Bangladeshi who made my journey so delightful and sometimes very funny, and good luck to all the inspiring spirits enrolled in an intense but fascinating mission around the globe. Mylène Wang

Let's discover the two testimonies of two former Youth of Life Project 4 Youth in Philippines who had been integrated in our partner Bolloré. First testimony : Reynalyn Salboro I am Reynalyn Salboro, an outgoing intern at BL Asia Support Services Inc. I came from Life Project for Youth or known as LP4Y. Last April 25, 2022, I started my internship with the Human Resources and Admin Department. After that, I was assigned with Finance Department. I was quite anxious on my first day of work because it was my first time working in an office. However, things and my expectation seemed to change as days go by. When I met the employees of BL Asia Support Services, I was overjoyed and relieved because they are all approachable and kind. They’re easy to work and transact with. Despite working in a professional setting, I was made to feel at home throughout my four months there. I also learned a lot about confidentiality, paying attention to the details in every employee file, and participating in several events. And Ms. Jean made the decision to give me an additional challenge by deciding that I would also receive training in Finance. At first, this made me anxious because I despise numbers, but the moment I started processing supplier invoices, I was relieved with the fact the things I hated and initially afraid of can be surpassed through determination. It was also a pleasure working with Ms. Jenarlyd because she was kind and patient knowing how busy she was. This internship served as a steppingstone for me as I really wanted to land a good and decent job in the office given my working history with the manufacturing companies, and other on call jobs. I also had the pleasure of working with Ms. Jean – HR Manager, Ms. Kriselle – HR Specialist, and Ms. Jerriza – Admin Assistant throughout my internship at the HR and Admin Department because I have gained valuable knowledge from them, they never had a hesitation in providing me a close guidance so that I could grasp the procedures quickly. I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity that BL Asia Support Services provided me. Additionally, the staff members are incredibly kind, considerate, and helpful. Thank you for your guidance and advice. I want to make you all proud and promise to do my best with every task that will be assigned in the future. And The good for me is this coming November 7, 2022 Blassi Absorb me that I’m the One of there employee. Second testimony : Germilyn E. Padrid. Good day everyone. I am Germilyn E. Padrid. I live at 1110 Laguna Ext Tondo, Manila, former youth of C4C1. I started my OJT last August 8 handled by my Manager Venus and the one who guided me in my duties is ma'am czarisse. The first few days I was so nervous but I realized that it was a normal feeling, it is part of the journey. I was thinking if I would do my job well and if I’ll get along with my office mates. After a few weeks I enjoyed doing my tasks because everyone was approachable and nice, and the one who taught me in the workplace was amazing. My work is managing the invoices or checking, registering invoices and also completing internal invoicing and cost posting. Does it look hard? Haha at first I was confused, because you need to go through the container to know which branch it should be registered to because there are three branches which are N08, N02 and N01. That's why you need to be extremely focused while working. In my 3 months here I learned a lot because before I didn't know the forwarding and why we needed to do them. I was happy because people around me motivated me and they always tell me that I can do it and they didn’t treat me differently just because I am not a degree holder. And I also want to tell you that there is no hard task when you enjoy what you do. LP4Y was such a big help to reach your goals in life because the day isn’t over yet to continue to fulfill your dreams. And I also want to say that they want me to be part of their company.