Stephania Dear

Member of Climate Gen, Majoring in Architecture and Urbanism at Royal University of Fine Arts.

“Because tomorrow is never guaranteed, live your life to the fullest and be present in the moment”

Ever since I grew up, I have always been curious about how to live life to the fullest and what the meaning of life is. After graduating I still couldn't find a job aligned with my passion, so I decided to quit my permanent job and remained unemployed for almost two years just to fulfill my desire. Coming from a family where my father always showed me what it is like to work in a rural area, I was deeply inspired by him. Then started volunteering to design a rural community library. Joining YSEALI could be the first step towards actively engaging with the environmental sector. Today, despite my quiet personality, I've found the opportunity to use my voice. As a member of Climate Gen, I speak up about the challenges and solutions of climate change, help raise funds for books, and bridge the gaps in educational disparities in rural areas. While I cannot predict who I will be in the next 10 or 20 years, I know that every step I take today paves the way to the great destiny I have always dreamed of. And for that, I am grateful.

What drew me to this project was its long-term and flexible schedule, allowing me to participate seamlessly like an everyday action without pressure. The project also offers training sessions and dialogue with experts, which is something I've always valued. Another exciting aspect of the program is the opportunity to design and lead your own campaign, something I've never done before. I believe this project will pave the way for a fulfilling future. Today, I'm here with no regrets, surrounded by amazing people.

Joining Climate Gen has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. Through the program along with every training session expert provided and dialog, I've gained a deep understanding of the environmental field, its complexities, and the multitude of ways we can tackle climate change. More importantly, It's about my personal and professional development, shaping my behavior and thoughts for the better.

I have a strong support system at Climate Gen. Everyone there is willing to encourage, advise, and cheer me on in my life journey and celebrate every little achievement. While I hadn't participated in many projects before, this one has been the best in every aspect, right from the beginning. The strong core team managed events and training, which bonded us together like being brothers and sisters. This taught me how important it is during the project implementation.

And the most rewarding aspect of Climate Gen has been the chance to lead a project. It was a dream I always held, and Climate Gen provided the platform and incredible mentors to guide me every step of the way. Throughout this journey, I've grown as a leader, gaining confidence, learning to speak my voice, and becoming a more effective listener and communicator. Climate Gen provides such a valuable footprint that I will always look up to.

The greatest achievement is seen when We start implementing the project. During the start of the program, I learned, examined, and observed from the core team. They’ve shown the important aspect of implementing an excellent project. I’ve seen how they communicate. I’ve seen how they handle hard decisions. I’ve seen their professionalism in work life. With this, we used this idea to support the group’s outreach campaign so that we all finally achieved the goal we aimed for.

Another important thing is the connection I’ve built with like-minded people and experts who are specialists in the environmental sector during the program. It’s crucial because once you have those people around you, they can support you, inspire you, and be able to give valuable advice.

One more special thing, During the project implementation, the team also got support from the US. Embassy as we receive books and tote bags which I’m grateful for. Thought it was the help from the core team, but during the process, I was allowed to see and experience the great conversation about the whole project which was perfectly documented by the team lead. That’s the greatest lesson, I’m going to apply to my profession.