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Cyclone Remal's Devastation in Bangladesh At the end of May 2024, a powerful Cyclone named Remal ravaged parts of India and Bangladesh. It was “one of the longest ever experienced by the country” observed Azizur Rahman, Director of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. This brutal natural disaster battered the region for more than 36 hours, leaving a trail of destruction. According to the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) of Bangladesh, Tropical Cyclone Remal affected around 4.59 million people in the country. Over 800,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes, and 16 people lost their lives across seven districts. Impact on Dhaka's Excluded Areas In Bhashantek, an excluded area of Dhaka where our Training and Development Center is located, the streets were flooded for several days. The cyclone caused widespread electricity and water cuts throughout the capital city. Youth and their families in these areas, who are particularly vulnerable to such events, faced severe impacts as most of their homes were completely flooded. Personal Stories of Resilience Moriom, a Youth currently enrolled in the LP4Y training program, shared how her family faced these difficulties. Despite the severe weather and damage to her home, Moriom was present at the Center every morning during the cyclone. Along with other Youth we accompany in Dhaka, she adapted to the conditions and helped her family repairing and dealing with the storm's aftermath. "It was challenging, but we had to stay strong and support each other," Moriom said. Like 27 million people in the country, Bhashantek slum residents faced hours-long electricity cuts due to cyclone. Damaged sanitation facilities further contaminated water sources, posing health risks. Broader Implications: Climate Change and Vulnerability The aftermath of the storm reveals the resilience of communities as they come together to rebuild their homes, restore power, and heal their wounds. However, the impact of Cyclone Remal extends beyond physical damage, highlighting the urgent need for global cooperation to combat climate change. Azizur Rahman attributes this phenomenon to "the impact of climate change." The increasing frequency of natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, storm surges, droughts, and deadly heatwaves has made Bangladesh one of the most vulnerable countries regarding climate change. According to government estimates, by 2050, one in every seven Bangladeshis will be displaced due to climate change — around 13.3 million people. TESTIMONY OF MORIOM Hello everyone, my name is Moriom, I am 20 years old and I joined LPY4 two months ago. I live in Bhashantek, an excluded area of Dhaka. When Cyclone Remal hit, it was terrifying. Our house flooded super quickly and we had to leave everything behind. For a few days, my family and I had to move to my uncle’s place to be safe. When we returned, our house was a mess. Our beds and other furniture have been strongly damaged and all of our clothes have been wet. We lost a lot, and it was hard to find clean water or electricity. Still, some friends came to help us to remove the water from our house and to save what we could save out of it. That kind of situation happened last year in October already. We had to face the same difficulties. And I think it will happen again. During the time period of the cyclone, my mom supported me a lot by telling me to still go every day to follow the LP4Y training, despite the difficulties we had to face. Thanks to organizations like LP4Y, I am learning skills to help me find a job. Even though the cyclone was tough, I am hopeful for the future. We are strong, and we will rebuild together. For more information about the cyclone: https://www.thedailystar.net/environment/climate-crisis/natural-disaster/news/remal-leaves-trail-havoc-its-wake-3620481

The dynamic partnership between LP4Y Training and Development Center in Chennai and Dance Extreme, created by Natraj, started in 2020, when the shared vision of empowering Youth through dance first brought them together. It started off with Natraj's simple philosophy that everyone can dance. Since then, this partnership has flourished, driven by a collective commitment to community development. Through a diverse array of activities, from regular workshops to special events, Natraj and his studio, Dance Extreme have woven themselves into the fabric of Kannagi Nagar, leaving a lasting impact on its residents. Natraj and Dance Extreme International standard dancer known for his choreography, teaching prowess, and creative direction, Natraj is the driving force of Dance Extreme Studio in Chennai. With a passion for using dance as a tool for social change, Natraj has been instrumental in forging partnerships and creating opportunities for Youth empowerment. Dance Extreme has become a beacon of creativity and inclusivity in the local dance scene, inspiring both aspiring dancers and seasoned professionals alike. Best dance academy in India Natraj and Dance Extreme recently garnered acclaim as Natraj was honored with the prestigious Pride India Awards. This recognition, partly attributed to their collaboration with LP4Y Chennai, celebrates their dedication to Dance Extreme's social initiatives, empowering Youth through dance. Dance Extreme was hailed as the best dance academy in India for its commitment to initiatives such as regular workshops with LP4Y, engagements with Government Observation Homes in Tamil Nadu, guest lectures about dance as a powerful changing tool in the society, and his choreographies that carry social messages. This accolade not only highlights his excellence in dance education but also underscores their significant contribution to Social change. Empowering LP4Y's Young Women One of the most profound impacts of the collaboration between LP4Y and Dance Extreme is evident in the transformation of the young women participating in LP4Y's programs. Through dance workshops and engagements facilitated by Natraj, these young women have found a platform for self-expression, confidence-building, and personal growth. From initially shy and hesitant individuals, they have blossomed into empowered dancers, showcasing their talents with pride and joy. Ophélie, Coach at the TDC Chennai “I have seen poignant moments of empowerment, such as a shy participant flourishing into a confident dancer and a group of reserved young women finding their voice through dance.” Natraj, founder of Dance Extreme "This empowerment not only enriches the lives of these individuals but also resonates throughout the Kannagi Nagar community, inspiring others to embrace their potential and pursue their dreams." The Future of Collaboration Looking ahead, the collaboration between LP4Y and Dance Extreme holds immense potential for further impact and growth. Both organizations envision an evolution marked by deeper engagement, expanded outreach, and innovative programming. Ophélie “As a coach at LP4Y, working closely with the young women in our program, I see immense potential in our collaboration with Dance Extreme. Through this partnership, I expect our participants to not only refine their dance skills but also to experience profound personal growth. I anticipate that they will gain confidence, develop a sense of empowerment, and discover new avenues for self-expression. Moreover, I believe that this collaboration will provide our participants with valuable opportunities for community engagement and leadership development. Ultimately, I envision our young women emerging from this collaboration as empowered individuals, equipped with the skills and confidence to navigate life's challenges and pursue their aspirations with determination and resilience.” Natraj "As the Youth continue to harness the transformative power of dance, their collective efforts are poised to create lasting change and empower generations to come."

LP4Y is built on well-defined principles of non-profit, non-religious, and non-political engagement. However, some countries, such as Bangladesh, embrace religion as a shared lifestyle, having an impact on the whole ecosystem for one month during Ramadan. As in many other Muslim countries, Bangladesh adapts its working hours in the public and private sectors to match them to the needs and demands during the Holi month of Ramadan. In most places, the office time has been reduced  to 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. Ramadan started on March 11th, 2024 in Bangladesh and ended on April 10th, 2024. In the Training and Development Center (TDC) of Dhaka, all the Youth were very much concerned and dedicated to do Ramadan. For Rani, Youth in the TDC, it is a way to devote themselves towards good virtues. In the TDC Dhaka we also took the decision to adapt the schedule to match with the capacity of the Youth to fully concentrate and feel that they always evolve in the best conditions to come everyday to the center to continue to get new skills. The Youth had to come from 9 am to 4 pm (instead of 8:30 am to 5:30 pm) with only 30-minute break time in the middle of the day (instead of 1 hour). Even if the working hours have been reduced, the training remains demanding. No activities had been removed from the schedule. The length of each of them was just shorter. Jannatul says that the Ramadan schedule applied in LP4Y makes it easier for her to “fully focus on her tasks to get the maximum from the training”. Aside from the training, the month of Ramadan required a lot of energy and dedication for the Youth. Indeed, they had to manage many things in their homes before and after training day. When they came back to their houses, most of them were in charge of preparing and cooking for Iftar. Their sleeping cycle was also rythmed by Sehri, the moment when they had to wake during the night to eat before the sunrise. Still, even though that month was super demanding for the Youth, the attendance in the TDC was breaking records and was better than before the beginning of Ramadan for the last two weeks (more than 80% of attendance on average compared to the 64% on average in February 2024 for example). The resiliency of the Youth in such context shows the great motivation that animates them. That adapted schedule had been built together with the Youth. Being flexible, listening and understanding the needs of the Youth was the key for them to feel comfortable, to come everyday and to keep their motivation high in any context. Ramadan represents also the opportunity to share informal moments together, Youth and Catalysts, with the celebration of Iftar time that happened on April 4th, 2024.

O pened in 2018, the Training & Development Center (TDC) in Chennai initially welcomed young women and men aged 17 to 24. Located at the heart of the Kannagi Nagar neighbourhood, 1 hour south of Chennai, the center is close to the community to better identify its challenges and needs. In 2020, following the COVID pandemic, the center was forced to close due to restrictions. It could only reopen in March 2022, but these 2 years allowed LP4Y and the Catalysts to assess the situation in this neighbourhood and adapt  the program to better fit the needs of the community. In April 2022, LP4Y reopened the center with a program dedicated to women only. In fact, after 4 years of activities in Kannagi Nagar, it appeared that the coeducation of men and women was a major issue within the community, especially within households (jealousy, domestic violence, sexual abuse, forced and early marriages...). By the end of 2019, only men were participating in the programs as women were no longer allowed to participate. An issue not only in terms of gender equality but also when we know that a woman invests over 80% of her salary in children's education and household functioning (compared to less than 40% for men) when she has access to employment ( report "Global Employment Trends for Youth 2022" from ILO ). The conclusion was clear: to have a significant impact on the Kannagi Nagar community, LP4Y would now primarily support women . Today, the center mainly welcomes young mothers averaging 28 years old, but also 20% of young women aged between 17 and 24. The Chennai center has its own Little Angel Academy , a daycare facility that accommodates the children (aged 6 months to 4 years old) of women participating in the LP4Y program. Zooming in: Kannagi Nagar, Chennai, India Kannagi Nagar carries numerous stereotypes. Largest resettlement area built in India , its population comes from various backgrounds, including fishermen who suffered displacement following the 2004 tsunami. Today, nearly 80,000 people live in this neighbourhood, where no businesses are established, suffering from multiple factors of exclusion: Geographical exclusion : Due to its proximity to the coast, Kannagi Nagar is regularly impacted by floods and cyclones. The community frequently finds itself cut off from the rest of the city with no access to main roads and businesses. Medical exclusion : There is no hospital or clinic established in this neighbourhood. It takes a minimum of 45 minutes to access medical care. Basic needs exclusion : Due to the lack of infrastructures and low water pipes, access to drinkable water is complicated and power cuts are common. Economic exclusion : Employment opportunities are mainly limited to local shops (tea and local food vendors, tailors, beauticians). To find decent jobs, one must travel at least 30 minutes (highly dependent on traffic and available means of transportation). A new Micro-Company for the Training & Development Center in Chennai In this context, LP4Y's action in Kannagi Nagar has taken on its full significance in combating the socio-professional exclusion of this community. Following the innovative pedagogy deployed in all LP4Y countries, the Youth at the Kannagi Nagar center used to manage a Micro-Company, called Move 4 Change , that offered sport activities to the Youth of the community. The outdoor area of ​​nearly 100 square meter attached to the center, well equipped by LP4Y's various partners, was particularly suitable to organize activities such as  badminton, football or yoga training, among others. By the end of 2023, the team in Chennai saw an evolution in the profile of Youths interested to join the program and the needs of the community. An intuition confirmed by a survey ran by the Youth over 200 families living near the center. The team decided to change the Micro-Company in Chennai from Move 4 Change to Care 4 Change .   The focus is now on health, nutrition, and child care , as well as support for pregnant women . Well-being and sports remain part of the TDC Chennai DNA as yoga, dance and boxing sessions are still offered at the center outside of the professional training hours to members of the Kannagi Nagar community. The new Micro-Company still enables young women to develop their professional and personal skills such as accounting, partnership, communication in English, and computer skills. THE TDC CHENNAI IN A FEW NUMBERS 181 Youths impacted since the opening of the center, among which 87% are women 81% Youth integrated since opening 1,835 total people impacted on average (the integration of 1 Youth benefits 8 people from its close environment, as per the United Nations) 108 community trainings ran since 2021

Tasmiya grew up in DJ Halli, one of the biggest slums in Bangalore. Member of a family of 3 people (grandmother, mother and brother), she has a keen interest in computers and loves learning new formulas on Excel .  Tasmiya joined LP4Y 6 months ago with the hope to find a job that would help her support her family. Her long-term goal: study to become a doctor. But first, she needs to pass the NEET exam and get admission in college. In the meantime, she does not want to stay at home all day: her family has small resources and she wishes to support them financially to the best of her capacities. During her LP4Y training, she discovered Excel, a software that she enjoyed using so much that she decided to work as a Data Entry Operator for a company. In the recording, Tasmiya explains how she proceeds to look for a job . She shares her hope to find a position that would enable her to use her brand new computer skills.  By the time this story was published, things changed for her. Right after recording her story, Tasmiya found a job as Data Entry Operator at The South India Waterproofing Company. Goal number one: achieved! Watch the video to learn more about Tasmiya, her ambitions and her job search.

My name is M. Margaret. I am 22 years old. I was born on April 25, 2001, in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu, where I grew up. I have a younger brother. We live with our parents. My parents' names are Mariyadass and Metilda Mary. They have both been working since the ages of 13 and 15 respectively. My father is working as a watchman in a residential apartment and my mother is working as a domestic worker. My brother has a Diploma in Electrical Engineering programme but he is currently jobless. Even after doing a one-year apprenticeship at Chennai airport, it is tough for him to find a job. I completed my schooling through a scholarship in Chennai. For my brother’s and my higher education, my parents had to borrow money from others to pay the tuition fee. Afterward, they struggled a lot to repay that money. I am the first person to graduate from my family. I am a B.SC.,B.ED graduate, a 4 year integrated course that enables one to become a teacher in maths and sciences in school. But places are limited and at the end of my course, I didn’t get a job. Giving her family a better life During my childhood, we lived in a small house that was built using dried coconut leaves. On rainy days it was tough to live there: as the roof was made of dried coconut leaves, it would leak whenever it rained. The area we lived in was not that safe as there were a lot of vehicles around, so me and my brother used to play inside the house only. Our childhood was not that simple. I remember that one day, the corporation authority demolished our house and we had to stay in the street for almost 2 days after that. At that time, my brother and I were very young and I cannot remember the details, but I remember that I was scared, and thought why is it happening to us? After that, lots of things happened in our lives, we had to face challenges in our day-to-day lives. When I was studying 9th std, we got allotted a house in Ezhil Nagar through a slum clearance board. Life was not really easy for us in Ezhil Nagar, we faced different kinds of problems: financially, because of relatives, etc. At that time, my mother needed a major operation after which she had to rest for a whole month. My parents used to argue and quarrel a lot, which affected the overall well-being of my family, and added a strong mental pressure. In addition, I too had health problems: polycystic ovary syndrome, kidney stone and low hemoglobin level. I eventually started to understand life and people. In these few years, my family has seen different phases of life. We learned about people around us, whom we can count on and whom we cannot. In all this money and people played a big role. These were the toughest years of our life. It took some time for us to recover from that psychological pressure. The Covid lockdown period helped us heal slowly. We spent more time together and got to understand each other. After this period, everything was going fine. When I finished college, my mother had another major operation. Her uterus was fully removed, which finally helped her to heal. However, the financial problems remained. I came to LP4Y in the hope of achieving something big and I really hope LP4Y would be my first step towards that. My challenge is to help my parents and give my family a better life. Learn, improve and inspire people to achieve their dreams I want to be someone who faced challenges and inspires people to achieve their dreams. I want to have my own identity and I want to create my own individual identity. I always think big, because I want to achieve big. The only person I want to prove I am capable of great things is myself. I want to prove to myself that I am capable of doing anything and everything, and I know the biggest and toughest opponent one could face in their life is themselves only. I know that, to achieve something big one needs to work hard, and I am ready to work hard, ready to face challenges and ready to learn new things. After joining LP4Y I discovered that I have so many hidden skills and talents, so I want to improve and develop those. I can already see that my skills are improving. I seem to be more confident and I can see some improvements in my personality as well, for which I am happy. I really hope LP4Y will be my first step towards my dream and I hope through this I can give my family a better life and I really think I will be successful. I hope to learn more in LP4Y and I want to make my parents proud. Lastly, I may be born as an ordinary person but I am sure I will not die as being the same ordinary person. Let's hope for a better future!

On February 4, 2024, we – Tota, Subi and Alfa from the Training and Development Center Howrah – attended a flea market near Regent park in South Kolkata. We wanted to have a first professional experience selling clothes and learn to make new fashion designs. One of the Catalysts of the TDC Howrah Gwen was invited by her yoga teacher Rajendrani, and she offered us to join. A flea market is a place where we can sell handmade things like books and clothes. It is important to keep the place very well organized to attract customers. We can also use different types of fabrics and techniques, which are very beautiful to look at. It makes them unique and different from the competitors. How did you organize the flea market? First, we had to plan the number of clothes we can make, how we will go to the market, how long it will take to go and how much it will cost. We decorated the flea market with a rope that we hung on the sides of the small room. We used beautiful lights and hangers for clothes. We arranged the clothes very nicely. According to the size of the clothes, we can fix a price tag on it directly. It is very important to have very good practices in our team and in how we talk to the customers. How did you go there? First we took a bus from the TDC, which is a one hour journey. Then from there we again boarded a bus for 45 minutes. This was our first time going to this part of the city, so we were a bit lost. We used Google maps and called Rajendrani who helped. We reached the Flea Market place about 2 hours after leaving Howrah.   How did you feel?  At first, we were a bit scared because we had no experience about selling at a flea market, how to take orders and handle the customer relationship after the event, but then we slowly learned how to call the customer and how to inform him when the order is ready. Now we can explain how to fix a price, how to buy the fabric we use and even how to stitch pleats (the folded edges of clothes). Did you sell your product? We did not sell the clothes that we brought with us at the market, but one customer came and said  “I like these two dresses but I need different sizes. Can I order the two dresses for February 16? I will come to take them at your center.” We agreed to produce them. How did you manage the order?  How we managed it was that first we went to the market to buy the fabric and negotiated for the price, then we sewed it. We were just in time to deliver the order. The customer was very happy with the result and the girls from Don Bosco Ashalayam who received the dress were happy too. What did you learn from the experience? At first when we went there, we did not like it because the place was completely new to us, and we got confused  because it was our first flea market. We also felt shy talking to people and we did not know how to behave. Then slowly everything got fine because Gwen and other people from the market helped us to get installed and talk to the customers. Fixing a price and negotiating with a customer was a difficult exercise but Gwen explained to us how to do it and after a few tries, we understood. To fix a price we need to know how much time we spent stitching and what is the value of our time, the price of the fabrics and the transportation to go to the flea market. We learned from there how to prepare ourselves to go to another market where we can decorate very nicely and sell whatever clothes we want. We have experience in how to handle customers and convince them and handle our team to involve everyone. Why did you like the flea market? The market was great because we gained experience about how we could set prices, we learned that it can be long to wait for customers at a market. We developed our skills in public speaking, self-confidence and how to make full sentences in English. We also appreciated the Bengali music and tried new food.

Hello everyone, my name is Asfiya Ayat, I am 20 years old and I come from Kaliganj, Lalmonirhat, but now I live in Rangpur City. Like most of the girls from the village I grew up in, I never thought I would work at such a young age… But one day I heard about LP4Y and Green Village from one of my friends. I originally thought it was computer training, but when I called them, they explained to me what it was really about and that made me very motivated! I came to visit the center with my family, and all the present Youth were so welcoming and gentle to me that my family allowed me to join the training. I still remember how scared I was on my first day and the moment I made the interview to join my Micro-Company… Indeed, I joined the Digital Center Micro-Company, as a communication and IT Officer, but I have also been elected as a Youth Leader, meaning I was helping the coaches to supervise the 35 Youth in the center outside of working hours. My three months of training taught me a lot. Before joining I was very shy, I was not able to talk in public and I was very intimidated by computers, but now that I have overcome this, I have gained a lot of self-confidence and skills. The moment I left the center was full of emotions, but I was so excited to seek for a job… Unfortunately, job seeking was difficult because for the women neglected by the society, people think they don’t need a job and keep asking them questions like “why do you want to work?”. So, I started to lose hope and motivation, but one day the GV team called me and invited me for an interview to temporarily replace a Coach who had to go back to his country for administrative issues. I was very excited by this proposal, and after 3 interviews, they told me I was the selected one! That’s how I went back to Green Village with my family again, and my family members were, once again, very well welcomed by the Catalysts. I felt so happy to join the Catalyst team, and also to be able to enter the Catalyst areas, where I couldn’t go as a Youth, it truly felt like a dream come true. Thus, I felt very lucky to be there and it gave me a huge motivation to perform my duties with confidence and dedication. I felt very supported by the Catalyst team and I received many encouraging feedbacks, which gave me a boost of motivation for my job searches, and only a few days after leaving Green Village, I had an interview in a hospital, which I managed very successfully, and got confirmed for the job. That is why I decided to move to Rangpur City, where I joined an apartment shared with two girls I met in Green Village who were also working here. Unfortunately, two days before my starting date, the hospital called me to say that they wouldn’t need me after all… That made me very sad but it didn’t break my motivation. I remembered that Coaches told me that “the only way to never find a job is to stop looking”, so I continued my research very hard. A few days later, I found a job announcement on Facebook and I decided to drop my CV. It was again for a position of hospital receptionist, and I was selected for an interview, which I managed so well that they asked me to start directly by the day after. This is where I still work now, surrounded by very nice people and I feel very good! All work and job searches require a lot of willpower and I had to overcome many job-seeking difficulties and many obstacles to reach there. But I want to advise people in the same situation: Don’t take these obstacles too personally, don’t care too much about them, go ahead with patience, motivation and confidence, and you will end up reaching your goals! Asfiya Ayat.

During project time, we decided to tell our stories, before and during our LP4Y journey. We also want to share our dreams and what LP4Y has changed in our lives. We hope those inspirational testimonies from the Philippines will inspire other Young Women to believe in their potential and join LP4Y! Believe in you! Everything is possible! Janalyn Cezar Janalyn Cezar is my name, one of the Youth at Green Village, Calauan. After I graduated in Senior High School, I had no idea about what I wanted to do in life, I didn't make any plans to follow my dreams due to financial problems and I asked myself "what is my purpose in life?" At that time, I was aware of what Green Village is. But since my English isn't very excellent, I wasn't interested in joining at that time. However, after one of my classmates in grade 12 explained it to me, I felt that I was able to adapt to the professional world. Everything changed after I joined LP4Y. At first I was shy because I didn't know all the Youth & Catalysts and I didn't have a lot of confidence to boost it. As the time passed by I built and improved my skills and qualities like in computer skills on how to use google sheet, google docs, etc. I also improved my public speaking and communication with others, and of course on how to be a professional person. We all have dreams growing up. When I was a child my dream was to become an accountant because I love numbers, I easily solve math problems. But when I join LP4Y at, I want to become an event planner that organizes events. I discovered my passion and I unlocked new skills when I entered LP4Y. I am motivated everyday to learn more because for me if you're dedicated you will succeed to adapt. The LP4Y journey made me also realize that I need to trust my own skills. It taught me that if I couldn't do it alone, I can always call for support. Je-ann Hemodo I am Je-ann Hemodo 21 years old, one of the Youth in Life Project 4 Youth in Green Village Calauan, Laguna Philippines. I’m a graduate in High School. Before joining LP4Y, I was working in Puerto Galera as a Tourist Guide for 7 months but I decided to stop my work and we decided with my husband to go back to Laguna to take care of my son and my siblings. One day my friend told me about LP4Y and she always motivates me to join but I hesitated because my knowledge is not enough in my opinion : my English level was low, my communication with others was not good and I did not have computer skills knowledge. When I entered LP4Y I’m very happy even if it’s hard sometimes to talk in English. I did not give up on myself and I always pursue my dreams to find a decent job because I want to give my son a dream future. And now I am in the Responsibility step after 3 months and I did not expect that I would improve myself so much when I'm here. I also encourage others to join us here because we are developing a lot of skills p in LP4Y and we always make sure to be professional. Joan Fontanil I'm Joan Fontanil, one of the Youth of Life Project 4 Youth Green Village Philippines Calauan Laguna. Before joining LP4Y, I was a working student trying to work in the market, but I was struggling to communicate with customers. Despite occasional mistakes leading to embarrassment, I persevered in improving my communication skills until I graduated in grade 12. I decided to stop my schooling because of financial problems. One day, my cousin and my neighbor visited, introducing me to LP4Y. Intrigued by the idea of enhancing my confidence, and overall skill set, I decided to join LP4Y with the goal of getting a decent job. LP4Y has been instrumental in my growth . The experience has allowed me to explore and understand myself better, and become more professional. During my training at LP4Y, I completed an internship at the Post Office in Calauan, where I served as an office staff. LP4Y supported me in obtaining necessary official documents such as SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG, facilitating personal and professional growth. Now my confidence has improved. I can assure you that: Trials you can cry but you can't give up. Super woman mindset! Anjolina Francisco I am Anjolina Francisco, one of the Youth in Green Village Philippines Calauan, Laguna. When I graduated from Senior High School I felt jealous of my classmates because I had no one to support my finances to pursue my college degree and be a varsity player. My other batch mates asked me to join Green Village because they're aware that I didn't pursue a college degree. But I always refused when someone asked me to join because I know that speaking English is required at Green village. I'm scared to communicate in English as I know I'm not too good at it. One day, some Youths visited our home and introduced me to LP4Y. They said that judging and laughing at other youths is not allowed and they help Women, Identify as women, LGBT, Single mother, (18-24 yrs old) that are not capable of going to pursuing education. That's when I decided to join. On my first day in Discovery week, I was too shy to speak English in front of everyone. Then the next day we were getting ready for the Impact Meeting Presentation (A meeting with the external partners), everyone was prepared for their presentation and we needed to do a workshop and we needed to share our thoughts. I presented in front of everyone, and I've been challenged to do public speaking since it's my third day as a new bee in LP4Y. I was scared and my hand was shaking but I tried, and do my best to present our work. All I hope is to improve my English speaking ability. However I didn't expect that it would help me, to know more about my passion, my inner self, to boost my confidence, and to be the best version of myself and also to pursue my dream. That's why I was motivated to go to Green Village to learn everyday. Right now I have no idea what decent job I want, but I want to look into it and take the time to explore more. Eventually, I want to start my own business. As long as you believe in yourself, you can succeed, don't let anyone make you doubt yourself, always trust your abilities and let your light shine, be a source of strength.

Meet Rima and Khadija, two young women from the TDC of Dhaka in Bangladesh, whose lives have been transformed with the support of LP4Y. Let's start with Khadija, a motivated and determined 18-year-old woman aspiring for success. In 2022, she started her LP4Y journey by dedicating six months immersing herself in several skills-building activities within the organization. From mobilization initiatives to communication exercises, Khadija honed her professional project and built the foundations of her future success. When she bid farewell to LP4Y in August 2022, it marked the beginning of a new chapter for Khadija. She moved on to a dynamic role at Dhaka Bazar, a major online retail giant. Today, Khadija manages customer relations, processes orders and handles e-mail correspondence - a testament to the tangible skills acquired through LP4Y's training program. And then there is Rima, 18-year-old too, whose journey with LP4Y has unfolded in a similar way. LP4Y has become a landmark for her, by offering training in public speaking, IT and professional communication. Today, she is contributing to the success of an online shop that sells watches, where she has spent the last four months looking after customer relations, communication strategies and order management. LP4Y played a important role in facilitating their transition into the professional world. The advice of LP4Y's Catalysts acted as essential support, guiding them through the difficulties of developing compelling career plans. The impact on the Youth empowerment is very positive and promising for the future. They are now in a position to progress independently and develop professionally.

Every 28th of October, Indonesia celebrates its important historical time for Indonesian people to remember the sense of national belonging and unity, it’s called Youth Pledge Day or Hari Sumpah Pemuda. The Youth from diverse backgrounds celebrated the Youth Pledge Day at the Training Development Center in Jakarta, Indonesia. In collaboration with Jesuit Refugees Service and Jesuit Scholastics, it succeeded to carrying out the workshop about the Youngster problematic issues in Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Afghanistan. The event began with an opening and brainstorming of a Pledge historical story led by Aulia as LP4Y ecosystem developer. The celebration was very interesting and interactive because the guest speakers, Fr. Seng Den (Myanmar), Fr. Pon (Thailand), and Nisa (Afghanistan) were well prepared. Small workshops The Youth had the opportunity to take part in different workshops and discussions for 45 minutes per team in order to better understand the problems faced by the Youth from other countries. Nisa was representing the chaotic situation that happened in her country, Afghanistan, which forced her and family to flee to Indonesia 10 years ago. She was presenting to the Youth about the struggle of being refugees and the difficulties of living as a woman in Afghanistan. Frater Pon, as the expatriate scholastic showed to the Youth the diverse social life and culture in Thailand. The Youth were so attracted to Pon’s point of view regarding the freedom of choice which is not free at all. He explained about some issues happening with the youth's mental health problems such as mass shooting in the mall and the crime’s trend of owning guns among youngsters. The final speaker, Frater Seng Dan from Myanmar who raised the issues of experiencing chaos since the coup in February 2021. According to him, Indonesian people should be grateful that there is the Youth Pledge and Pancasila so that their sense of belonging to Indonesia as a country is very strong. The diverse tribes in Myanmar and some political issues make his country's problems difficult to solve. Retrospective After a long discussion, the Youth tried to analyze the problems and brainstorm to take a position as a youth figure in overcoming problems. They were very motivated by the idea of speaking in front of people and showing their ideas on stage. It was a great experience for the Youth who are living in the bubble of Kampung Sawah (slum area) to learn from others to improve their resilience, empathy and sense of national belonging. Aulia. ED.

TDC Dhaka organized its annual impact meeting on November 24, 2023. Around 30 partners joined, including ZE Project which gave testimony regarding Youth Inclusion and its partnership with LP4Y. Partner since LP4Y creation in Bangladesh in 2021, ZE Project organizes company visits and training sessions about gender awareness. Every 3 months, the Youth from the TDC Dhaka have the opportunity to learn more about this topic. To this date, LP4Y has not welcomed a transgender person in the program. It is nevertheless important to the team to make LP4Y programs a safe environment for transgender people. Reefat Munmun, Communication and Partnership Director of ZE Project said during her testimony: "Our goal is to do Youth Inclusion. We want to encourage and make the Youth aware. If you do not start this process at home, with your surroundings, in your house, is it going anywhere? We need to invite the Youth and the family to talk. We learn, we come back home and then we make them aware. Our goal is to make Youth aware of gender identity, so that they can both understand each other and then the inclusion happens. The training is mostly about the gender awareness section. Lastly, we finalized with LP4Y a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) which gives us a long term strategy for collaboration including the Micro-Company of Bhashantek, Care 4 Change. We got the opportunity to provide training in the Green Village also, near Rangpur. The trainers of ZE Project met the Youth there."