Eurie Maravilla, 19 years old, former Youth of Healthy Corner, Life Project Center Taguig, Manila, Philippines

Rama Rao, 25 yo, Entrepreneur, Life Project Center Chelta, Kolkata, India My name is Rama Rao, I'm 25 years old. Now, I live in Narendrapur with 2 boys from Les Galopins de Calcutta’s home. I would like to tell you about my past story and my present. Before arriving to this NGO home, I was in Howrah Station. I didn't have place to stay or live, no clothes to wear and nothing to eat. I remember I always used to check the train to find some food and I also collected the newspapers and water bottles from the train or from the road to sell it and get some money. In that time, I was so dirty and always in barefoot. Most of the days, I didn't eat and I slept in Howrah station platform, lying on rags. It was really hard to sleep and police used to come to beat me with a big stick. « I remember when I was looking at the people throwing some food to the dustbin » When I didn't have money to eat, I had to beg from the people some food or money to eat and buy clothes. I felt very hungry, I remember when I was looking at the people throwing some food to the dustbin, I picked up it and started to eat to make my stomach full. The situation was constantly repeated and I realize that I had a lot of problems in my life. After few days, I suddenly saw a woman called Mrs. Fabienne in Howrah Station with some boys. She was speaking with them and giving some food. After she left, I asked one boy who was she and he told me that she is from a NGO, twice in a week, she comes to the platform to distribute food to orphans and spend time with them. Every Tuesday and Friday, around 9am and 10am, she came and I was very happy to think that maybe she will help me. « I saw her in front of me, I thought why is she white and I'm black ? » After one week, Mrs. Fabienne came to Howrah Station to meet the boys. I was sitting alone, she called me and finally joined me and gave me some food. When I saw her in front of me, I thought « why is she white and I'm black ? what is the difference between us ? ». She asked my name in Bengali language and she asked me if I had a family. After giving me new clothes, soap to wash myself and eating a good meal in a restaurant, Mrs. Fabienne offered me to come with her at home. « I was thinking that Kolkata is another country like America. » I really didn't know that Kolkata is in India, I was thinking that Kolkata is another country like America. When I accepted to go with her at home, I was thinking that we will go to America. We left Howrah Station by bus and I realized that there was a lot of people with my skin color but nobody like Mrs. Fabienne. Even if I didn't know I was in a bus, I was sure that we were going to America. I finally reached the Boys Home with her in 2001 on 16th June and that was my Born Day for a new life. I joined Bengali medium school where I read up-to class (V) and I started to learn English in another school. At home, I was very naughty and angry but I didn’t know why. After working on my feelings and speaking with Mrs. Fabienne, I decided to take my life in hand, I learnt rules and commitments to have good behaviour. « One day, Mrs. Fabienne told me about LP4Y and explained that it's a professional training where you can learn many things to find a decent job. » Rama and Fabienne Fichet, fondador of the Association "Les Galopins" in Kolkata. After finishing my class from Boarding School, I started to work in some places to pay rent for my new house but it was very difficult to find a good stable job. In 2015, I got a job in a fast food but my salary was Rs 5500. One day, Mrs. Fabienne told me about LP4Y and explained that it's a professional training where you can learn many things to find a decent job. I quitted my job and joined LP4Y on 5th January in 2016. I learnt many things like how to be professional in the world, how to talk with people and to give respect. I acquired English, computer and business skills. I did this training during one year. Louise Phamtran Project Leader Partnership, Rama and Valentine Lesaffre, coordinator India in 2016 « Now, my life is better than before and my salary is Rs. 18000 per month. » Now, I'm working as a Supervisor in a DRICO Logistics Pvt. My tasks are to check the materials quality, quantity, take the photos of materials, print the barcodes, write the reports in Excel etc. Now, my life is better than before and my salary is Rs. 18000 per month. I'm very lucky to have Les Galopins de Calcutta and LP4Y in my life. I am thankful for everything that happens to me now, in my new life.

Isaline Marmontel, Coach and Leader of the Taskforce Monitoring & Anticipation Special circumstances imply special measures. Since the beginning of the COVID situation, the task force monitoring and anticipation help in the decision making process. Isaline, the Leader of the task force, tells us about it.

Quoc, member of Revival, introduce you the Life Project Center Go Vap in HCMC, Vietnam Nguyen Van Quoc, 19 yo, Management Step, REVIVAL, GO VAP, Vietnam

Raviraj Verma, 24 years old, Batch #3, Green Village Raipur, India My greetings to all the Coaches, stars and my dear LP4Y friends. Today I am sharing my LP4Y Green Village experience with all of you. I am glad that I became part of LP4Y and I am with you. So, I belong to a middle class family. Before coming to LP4Y I studied until 10th, then I should go to work due to financial issues in my home, I worked in a small grocery store where I was paid Rs.3000 by month (less than half of the minimum salary). So, on that way, I used to give some help to my family, but looking at the future, I felt that my future in the grocery store was not going to happen. So, I started working on the another place, called Ellery, I was a housekeeper. I said yes to this work because maybe my future could be made. After a few days, I came to know about LP4Y from one of my friend. I got the information about how LP4Y works and what I am going to get by joining them. Then, I was feeling confident about it so, I came home and asked for permission from my family. Then, I came to LP4Y in the Green Village Raipur, I got immediately new friends and I met the coaches. I got such good information and knowledge in the first week itself, I was very happy. After, we had to create our companies, there were 7 companies in which I had to choose one. So I chose AJA KHAJA, the restaurant company. I wanted to be cooking manager so I proposed myself and I got elected by the team. Being cooking manager, I learned how to manage the restaurant, to prepare the menu, to receive complains, how to serve our customers... Also, how to connect with the customers and keep them satisfied. In AJA KHAJA, ​​I also got a great team and it had resulted until now in an incredible friendship. While living in LP4Y, I experienced so many challenges and changes in my life. It was not easy, so I shared with Gaelle coach, she helped me in dealing with those problems. I consider now the Green Village really as my second family. Whatever I am today, I only thanks to the Green Village. Now I have a bike that I bought after my training in LP4Y with the salary of my job. I want to thank LP4Y from the bottom of my heart, who has made me reach this, I stand on my own, thanks LP4Y and the GREEN VILLAGE family.

Yair Lynn Naing, 20 , Management Step, Myanmade Catalyst Camille Bru Life Project Center Hlaing Thar Yar, Myanmar From Camille’s Side : Extending your VISA in Myanmar has something of a never ending TV series… In non COVID-times, we would do what we call a VISA-run. We’d print 2 documents, and 5 passport photos, jump on a bus or plane to a neighboring country, and happily come back. This would keep us legal for the next 3 months. But with the current situation, the government has “simplified” the in-country-VISA extension process. Unfortunately, the government employees don’t all have the same information, or all of it, and they obviously don’t speak English (not that any French government employee would ever be expected to speak English either, why am I complaining!?). But fortunately, the world is full of helpful and generous people that are ready to get out of their way to help you! After about 200 emails and 2000 whatsapp messages with an immigration specialist, 3 trips to different ministries in Yangon city centre, in 3 weeks, I gathered about 15 different recommendation letters, official documents, passport photocopies, stamps, etc, and I was able to obtain the Graal: A recommendation letter from the government, to say that our work is necessary and that we should be allowed to stay. (TV show, I told you!) It took a lot of effort, but this was just the start!!! This week was the final exam, at the immigration office, the hour of truth, did we pass or did we fail? Thank god we have the most amazing and motivated Youth! When I asked several managers if one of them could come with me, a few turned me down. But Yair Lynn Naing, was kind enough to say: “Yes I want to come with you. But I am afraid of speaking English!” I smiled inside, thinking, your English is 2000 times better than my Burmese… From Yair Lynn Naing’s Side : “I decided to go with Camille because I want to help her. I thought, If I go with her, I will learn how to renew Visa and learn English. And I wanted to go outside! I felt lucky because I have never gone to Immigration office in Yangon. Actually, before she asked me, I knew nothing about visas and passports. I had only heard. Now I have little knowledge about Visa extension. When we arrived at the immigration office, we were lucky to meet Min Min, an employee that explained to me the process. Because we didn't know what to do, and Camille can’t speak Myanmar language. We copied some documents, Camille filled out the forms, we went to the different offices and with Min Min' help we now knew what to do! But we had to leave the passports there and come back the next day. So on Thursday, we went again. We had to wait in line in front of that office. Camille told me to go copy some documents while she waited. She went inside, and after a few minutes, she told me that we needed to change money. We looked for a bank. I didn't know how to use an ATM, I never did it before. Camille showed me how to use it. I thanked Camille. And she went again to the Immigration office to pay. After a few minutes, she showed me like this 👍. I was happy that she was ok for Visa. One more day. Tomorrow she can pick up the passports and the Visa!” What I liked most about this experience was that Camille and I went to change money to the bank. I learned how to change money and how to renew the Visa. Now I don't know how I feel. But I am happy to help you. And would you do it again? “If I can help. I want to help everything for people in the world.”

Jyoti BK, 23yo, Management Step Green Village Kathmandu, Nepal My experience with LP4Y has been really amazing and learningful. It was for 3.5 months but it couldn’t complete because of the crisis. It is disappointing for us not to continue the training but also we have to accept the situation and I accept it positively because it is not in our hands to do anything about this situation. All we can do is stay at home and stay safe. First priority is our health, if we are healthy then we can do any tasks later and we can handle any situation or problem like we are doing during this crisis. The center had to close but we are still working on our Life Project Plan. It is not every day easy but we are accepting the situation and try to help each other. We don’t have to be frustrated about having problems or difficulties in our life. Life has many circumstances like happy, sad, enjoyable, failure, success etc. We need to handle any circumstances that come in our life. So, Accept and Be positive! Discover another Catalyst of Joy: The Gratitude >> here

The Youth from Healthy Corner present their singer and musician talents Marifer Ayunting, Autonomy step, 17 years old Merito Buelta, Autonomy step, 18 years old Patricia Rosales, Autonomy step, 21 years old Mary Grace Lagrimas, Management step, 19 years old James Cerilo, Autonomy step, 19 years old Life Project Center Taguig, Manila, Philippines

This video is going to make you hungry! Marifer Ayunting, Autonomy step, 17 years old Marcel Frange, Management step, 21 years old Jhomel Macalalad, Autonomy step, 17 years old Joana Geron, Management step, 19 years old Rarldine Basilan, Autonomy step, 17 years old James Cerilo, Autonomy step, 19 years old Joy Ambolodto, Autonomy step, 17 years old Merito Buelta, Autonomy step, 18 years old Mark John Aspilla, Autonomy step, 22 years old Mary Grace Lagrimas, Management step, 19 years old Healthy Corner program, Life Project Center Taguig, Manila, Philippines

Suraj Shaw, 20 years old, Management Step, Jannat Naskar, 19 years old, Management Step, And all the Youth from LPC Howrah, Kolkata, India Meet the LPC Howrah team following the motivating voice of Suraj and Jannat who were inspired by the topic "What is team spirit for you ?" Images from September 2019

Katharina Stafania Ade Jaro, 18 yo, Management Step, Source Of Life Program, LPC Cilincing, Indonesia

Paul Tongson, School Manager at the Asian Institute of Management, shares his insights on LP4Y action in the Philippines! Paul Tongson, Asian Institute of Management Metro Manila, Philippines I've always believed in the importance of giving back and of making a difference in the lives of others. That's why I am truly happy to have come across Life Project for Youth. Not only do they make a difference in the lives of Filipino youth, but they do so with compassion, commitment, and competence. I am truly impressed with their pedagogy and their overall approach to societal development. It is truly admirable how they are able to equip the excluded with the necessary tools to make it in the world of work, and in life in general. The LP4Y team is simply amazing. They tirelessly work to educate, care for, and advocate for the Youth. This is evident with how motivated, respectful, and curious to learn the Youth I've had the chance to meet were. Their progress under the organisation's stewardship is admirable. Last November, I had the pleasure of attending the LP4Y online meeting where the organisation presented updates to partners. Amidst the pandemic, LP4Y did not waver in their mission to help their beneficiaries; in fact, they stepped up the assistance even more, recognising the fact that those under their stewardship are some of the most affected by the abrupt quarantine, which affected livelihoods. Through the meeting, I also learned other ways through which interested partners can work together with LP4Y to create further impact - whether it be to provide financial support, internship and work opportunities to LP4Y graduates, or to volunteer one's time and talent by helping to train the youth. I look forward to continuing my work as an LP4Y volunteer, providing training via communication skills workshops and conducting mock interviews. I hope that in my own way, I am able to make an impact in these Youth's lives.