14th foundation anniversary of BYLC celebrated
Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC), the country’s first and most celebrated leadership institute, commemorated its 14th anniversary at a hotel in the capital on 5 January (Thursday).
The event, attended by dignitaries from government agencies, the private sector, development organisations, educational institutions and media, commemorated 14 years of BYLC impacting change in the country through youth leadership, according to a press release.
Since 2009, the institute has been empowering young women and men of the country by equipping them with relevant skills that have enabled them to have a high impact in their community and society.
In the last 15 years, BYLC has trained over 50,000 youth through its leadership, professional, entrepreneurial, and online education programs. More than 1,800 BYLC Office of Professional Development graduates have been placed in jobs while 24 youth-led startups have been funded and mentored under BYLC Ventures.
“BYLC’s programs have been shown to have a significant impact, not only in teaching young people how to lead but also in inspiring them to actually want to do so. Our graduates are passionate about making a difference and promoting equity and justice,” said Akhter Matin Chaudhury, Chairperson of BYLC.
The institute also released its strategy for the next five years, which includes an impact report that shows how its leadership graduates are able to develop and build on different community capitals as a result of participating in BYLC’s training. The release of this information allows those who are interested in attending the institute to have a better understanding of what they can expect to gain from the experience.
When presenting the five-year strategy, Tahsinah Ahmed, Executive Director of BYLC, said: “Progress is a two-edged sword. Without careful handling, it can create far-reaching negative impact – as we can see from the devastation caused by climate change. Investing in protecting the climate has never been more important, and that’s why we’ve made it a priority in our vision for the next five years.”
