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Foreword from President
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July 12, 2011
 Dear Friends,
In the midst of the summer heat and the monsoon rain, a new batch of BYLC youth leaders are honing their leadership skills by implementing six exciting service projects in an underprivileged community in Dhaka. I also recently met with the new promising BBLT batch in Chittagong. For the first time, BYLC is simultaneously running leadership programs in two cities.
As we begin the second half of the year, I am reflecting on our journey this year and the road ahead. In our last AGM in April, we said farewell to our chairperson, Zafar Sobhan, who served BYLC with great distinction since our formation, and welcomed his successor, Manzoor Hasan, who will guide us for the next two years. In May, we partnered with Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) to introduce our students to the Right to Information (RTI) Act and to equip them with tools and techniques to apply RTI in the community.
Alongside our signature leadership programs, we are currently involved with an innovative project with the World Bank. In August, we will be releasing a report outlining the hopes and aspirations of the young generation in Bangladesh. This, we hope, will stimulate debate and add value to the current discourse on youth leadership development in our country. In addition, our refurbishment work on the new center is underway and we are eagerly looking forward to opening its doors in September.
As the changing season of fall and Ramadan approaches, we are reminded of the changes in society that we seek. May the values of equality and inclusiveness that knit us together help us strive for a better tomorrow for the next generation.
Sincerely,
Ejaj Ahmad
Founder and President
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| SECOND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING |
Manzoor Hasan elected new chairperson
BYLC held its second Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Lake Shore Hotel in Dhaka on April 30, 2011. Members of the governing board and the general board were present at the AGM, which was chaired by Zafar Sobhan. The general board members elected Barrister Manzoor Hasan OBE as the chairperson of BYLC. The board approved the audited financial statements for 2010 and discussed program development and future plans of the organization. Rahman Rahman Huq, a member firm of KPMG, was reappointed as the auditors for 2011. Read a short biography of Manzoor Hasan OBE here.
Year in review: 2010
The Annual Report for 2010 was adopted at the second Annual General Meeting. In 2010, BYLC reached out to more than 150 institutions and recruited 80 bright students, who completed more than 6,500 hours of community service and assisted more than 500 families in impoverished communities. In the past year, BYLC expanded BBLT to four months and launched BBLT Junior. The expansion allows for more sustainable interventions and gives participants a deeper insight into real-world challenges. BBLT Junior introduces secondary school students to concepts of value-driven leadership and active citizenship from an early age. The new initiatives have proven to be successful.
Download the complete 2010 Annual Report here.
Second batch of junior leaders graduate
Lauren Lovelace, director of the American Center, presents a certificate to BBLT Junior 2 facilitator and BBLT 2 graduate, Rakshanda Zihan. Ms. Lovelace delivered the keynote address at the BBLT Junior 2 graduation ceremony held at the BRAC Center Inn in Dhaka on May 21, 2011.
New concepts in BBLT 6 curriculum
Participants from the Building Bridges through Leadership Training (BBLT) 6 have completed their month-long leadership training and are now working closely with members of the Korail community on several service projects. BYLC launched BBLT 6 in an opening ceremony held at the BIAM Foundation on April 10, 2011. Father Benjamin Costa CSC, the principal of Notre Dame College and Mrs. Kaniz Mahmuda Akther, the principal of Siddeshwari Girls' College, appeared as guest speakers. Thirty-eight students were competitively selected from approximately 400 applications representing 150 institutions. The participants received full scholarship from the World Bank Institute in Washington, D.C. BYLC has incorporated Right to Information (RTI) and several important skills such as survey design and needs assessment into the BBLT 6 curriculum.
Graduates take lead of BBLT 7
BYLC commenced its seventh leadership program, Building Bridges through Leadership Training (BBLT), in an opening ceremony held at the Peninsula Hotel in Chittagong on June 30, 2011. Nicholas Dean, charge d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh, appeared as the keynote speaker. Addressing the new class, he congratulated them and highlighted their ability to shape the future of Bangladesh. Thirty-eight students were competitively selected from over 500 applications representing more than 100 institutions. The participants received full scholarship from the U.S. State Department. Graduates from BBLT 1 are fully administering this program in Chittagong. Read more...
Spotlight:
Tonima Tasnim Ananna, BBLT 2 graduate, BBLT Junior 1 project coordinator
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Tonima Tasnim Ananna, a physics major at Bryn Mawr College and a BBLT 2 graduate, returned to Bangladesh last summer and helped pioneer the first BBLT Junior program. BBLT Junior was designed to introduce concepts of leadership to secondary school students. She now shares her experience as project coordinator and as a student studying abroad. |
Tell us about your experience as project coordinator of the first BBLT Junior.
While coordinating BBLT Junior, I became aware of the challenges associated with starting a new initiative. I had to manage operations within a limited time and budget. Given these constraints, every time I made a decision, I had to hold steady to see how it worked out, despite it not being everyone's favorite choice. Fortunately, my training at BYLC prepared me to cope with difficult issues and manage the stress that typically surfaces in group work.
What was the most rewarding moment of BBLT-J for you?
The most rewarding part of BBLT-J was to see how our graduates evolved after the program. One of our students from a Madrassa background, Joshim, initially had trouble connecting with his peers. Since part of leadership training is to build communication skills and increase tolerance for uncertainty, we tried in various ways to push students like Joshim out of their comfort zone. When I met him a few months after graduation, I was happy to see his improved capacity to interact with people from diverse backgrounds.
What leadership roles have you played in your academic career abroad so far?
As an active member of the Bryn Mawr chapter of Amnesty International, I have participated in efforts to bridge gaps and remove misconceptions through interfaith dialogue. Last month, I also began working with NASA, which brings in interns from all over the world. The BYLC experience has broadened my perspectives, and has helped me to thrive in new environments abroad.
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In this issue
- Second Annual General Meeting
- BBLT-J 2
- BBLT 6
- BBLT 7
- Interview with Tonima, BBLT 2 graduate
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BYLC BUZZ
Mobas Shirin, a BBLT 2 graduate, initiates a school to prepare class five students for the national standard exam
Md. Yazdani ul Islam, a BBLT 5 graduate, completes five-week study tour with the Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) for Student Leaders Program on journalism and new media
Abdullah Al Fahad, BBLT 3 graduate, is selected as a delegate to the ASES Tokyo Entrepreneurship Summit 2011, hosted by ASES Tokyo at Keio University
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NEW DIRECTIONS
"BYLC has already made a name for itself over a very short period of time, and the future is a bright one with many innovative activities to be undertaken."
Barrister Manzoor Hasan OBE, newly elected chairperson of BYLC
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Zafar Sobhan, former chairperson of BYLC, leads the second Annual General Meeting.
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RTI WORKSHOP
Farhana Afroz, manager of program and communications at MRDI, and Hasibur Rahman, executive director of MRDI, explain the Right to Information (RTI) Act to BBLT 6 participants.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
August 12
BYLC Alumni Event on International Youth Day
September 10
Admissions open for BBLT 8 in Dhaka
September 29
Admissions open for BBLT Junior 3 in Chittagong
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BBLT 6 FLASHBACK
"To be a good leader one has to learn to serve and to work with people with differing viewpoints. The BYLC program creates an environment for such learning."
Father Benjamin Costa CSC, principal of Notre Dame College; BBLT 6 Opening Ceremony
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OPENING CEREMONY
Nicholas Dean, charge d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh, addresses the participants and their parents at the opening ceremony for BBLT 7.
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EXECUTIVE SEMINAR
Ejaj Ahmad speaks at the National Consultation on youth entrepreneurship as Dr. Mahabub Hossain, executive director of BRAC, looks on. The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, SME Foundation and the Commonwealth Youth Program.
Photo Credit: SME Foundation
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BYLC IN THE MEDIA
Read about a health camp recently organized by BBLT 6 participants here.
Read press clippings on BYLC here.
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