Feature

BYLC Gives Back to Community on Victory Day

Ivdad Ahmed Khan Mojlish

AS the entire nation awaited with bated breath for the victory bell to toll to embrace the celebrations of a war triumphed 38 years back, a group of 42 bright, promising, young leaders in the making had been gearing themselves to rejoice the day by sharing their knowledge, experiences and not to mention fun amid 150 underprivileged kids in the Korail slum on December 16, 2009, the Victory Day. Yes, they were the next generation of homegrown young leaders honing their skills to practice real leadership under the banner of Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center's (BYLC) Building Bridges through Leadership Training Program (BBLT).

BYLC was founded with the vision of creating a more inclusive, tolerant and just society by training the next generation of leaders. BYLC instills in them values of public service, and promotes active community participation to address the developmental challenges of Bangladesh.

Advocating the theme “Tarunder Netrite Amra Bijoyer Gaan Gai”, BBLT 3 students were literally on their feet to exercise leadership role both by involving in active community service and also by propagating a powerful message towards the youth of the nation to firmly hold the reins of the nation's future. BYLC always believes in catalyzing positive change among the mass and this was an excellent way to promote that. The students spent the day with the underprivileged kids of the Korail slum. As there were five community schools, each incorporating 30 kids, the BYLC students were divided into 5 groups and each group was assigned to one community school, thereby ensuring the involvement of 150 kids in total.

The students started off the day, along with the BYLC team members by getting to know each other through innovative ways of introducing each other. Such an act melted the ice from the word go and the bonding thus became more free flowing among the participants and our students. Once the introductory part had been over, the students engaged the kids by forming them in groups and inducting them in an art competition. The competition instigated a lot of point-proving stances among the groups and the definite incentive to come out first ensured a hell lot of fun! Although, the motive was not to discern a clear-cut winner, our main purpose was to involve them in adrenaline-rushing activities! This contest was followed by chocolate distribution.

After an engrossing session of paints and screams, the BBLT 3 students looked to impart some knowledge through an exciting drama session and poster play. They involved the students in the process and made the whole narrative session more interesting and laughter stimulating. A part of this session also included story-telling, whereby the BBLT 3 students shared some important anecdotes and exhilarating real case stories during the liberation war of 1971. These narrations imbibed the sense of patriotism and responsibility among the kids towards the nation.

As a part of the process, our students again opted to entertain the students with a very basic food menu and shared the food with them. The purpose was to empathize with the kids rather than letting them relish something alluring which they could not afford to have everyday. This magnanimous gesture among the students was an exemplary move and deemed highly commendable.

The post-break session resumed with creative games such as pillow passing, blind-folding, complete my picture, puzzle, origami, memory game, put the ball in the basket etc. These exciting games brought out a lot of creativity amid everyone and kindling that shining light of smile on their countenances was unlike any other! The whole session ended with a group photo session.