Building Dreams Together- GYRF

[Mariam Atia Azad]

Last month, my team and I held a dream-building session at our office, where we envisioned what the Grow Your Reader Foundation could become by 2040.I’ve been part of sessions like this before, but this one surpassed all my expectations. The depth of the discussions made me see, in a way I hadn’t before, just how meaningful our work truly is. I was moved by how each person in the team spoke about Grow Your Reader Foundation with such heart, showing me that this isn’t just work to us—it’s a shared purpose, something deeply personal for all of us. We shared ideas, planned actions, and imagined the path ahead. Watching everyone come together, full of energy and creativity, was nothing short of inspiring. I felt a deep sense of connection with my team as we brainstormed, laughed, and supported one another.

As Adila Karim, our Partnership Associate, beautifully put it, “It deepened my understanding of our mission and showed me how our ideas are truly shaping something meaningful. I felt a stronger bond with the team, and the sense of collaboration was thrilling. It left me feeling more inspired and more committed to the work we’re doing together.”

If you were to stand outside our office, you’d hear nothing but the sound of laughter and joy. Our intern Mihsan Bin Maksud, reflected on the experience, saying, “Both the dream-building and self-assessment sessions were incredibly valuable for me. As I transition from high school to preparing for professional life, these opportunities have been major learning moments.”

After much discussion and reflection, we decided to create a song to celebrate our dream. Adila apu composed the music, Manira Khanam our GFC facilitator, wrote the lyrics, and I translated them from Bangla to English so that our message could reach everyone.

GYRF Dream 2040

আমাদের পরিবারে সবাই সবার জন্য,

আশা আকাঙ্খায় এক ও অভিন্ন।

সবাই উচ্চাকাঙ্খায় সদা নিয়োজিত,

গ্রো ইউর রিডার পৃথিবীর সর্বত্র।

তরুণ প্রবীণের চাওয়া পাওয়ায়,

আমরা থাকবো  সকল পাড়ায়।

পাড়া মহল্লা পেরিয়ে মোরা,

ছড়িয়ে যাব বিশ্বজোড়া।

সকল শিশু শিখবে হেসে,

গ্রো ইউর রিডারকে ভালোবেসে।

আমরা সবাই হব স্বনির্ভর,

চালিয়ে যাবো কাজ নিরন্তর।

English Translation

In our family, we’re all for one another,

Unified in hope, like no other,

Ambition drives us, ever so keen,

Grow Your Reader, our global dream.

From young to old, in what we strive and share,

Our mission extends everywhere,

Beyond neighborhoods, we shall soar

And spread our reach from shore to shore.

Children will learn with joy and cheer,

Loving Grow Your Reader, far and near,

Self-reliant, we’ll keep the flame,

Continuing our work, we’ll make our name.

I’ll end this blog with the heartfelt words of Sadia Jafrin, “When we started Grow Your Reader, we identified a problem and developed an idea, but it felt like it was just us working on it. Now, I see every team member not only engaged but also taking ownership, and this shared energy is the key to our growth.”

This journey we’re on together feels more powerful every day.