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Our Story

How it all began

Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) is a non-profit working with the marginalised to empower them and help them access their rights. YUVA’s on-ground interventions are complemented with advocacy efforts and policy recommendations. Founded in Mumbai in 1984, currently YUVA is present at locations across Maharashtra, Assam and Jharkhand.

At the community-level, through an integrated 360-degree approach, YUVA works on issues of housing, livelihood, environment and governance. Through research, YUVA creates knowledge that enhances capacity building. Partnerships in campaigns help the organisation demonstrate solidarity and strengthen alliances to drive change.

YUVA’s journey through the years

YUVA’s journey began in the late 1970s, when a group of students of Nirmala Niketan College of Social Work, Mumbai, ventured into the informal settlements of Jogeshwari in the city’s western suburbs, as part of a college placement. Their work in the community inspired them to draw up a full-fledged programme for underprivileged youth. The youth aimed to develop a rights-based approach to address structural inequalities and respond to the issues of the most poor and marginalised.

Working with the community in Jogeshwari - YUVA India

Working with the community in Jogeshwari

They believed that by helping people strength their rights awareness and by empowering them to access their rights, marginalised groups would be able to drive change, and in turn inspire others to join and lead further change efforts.

A few years later, on 30 August 1984, Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) was formally registered as a voluntary development organisation.

In the formative years, YUVA’s interventions aimed at community organisation and youth development. Gradually, YUVA began working on inter-related issues—of habitat, livelihood, gendered issues, rights for children and youth, and so on.

YUVA - One of the first large meetings with women

One of our early meetings with women leaders

With the New Economic Policy of 1991, YUVA developed the People’s Organisation and People’s Institution Model, catalysed the growth of collectives to address emerging socio-political and economic issues. Following the riots between Hindus and Muslims in 1991-92, YUVA’s work extended to address the divisive forces of religion, caste, etc.

With the Latur earthquake in 1993, our response mechanism extended to natural disasters too. Understanding that poverty could not be tackled solely in the urban areas, YUVA’s work extended to rural areas too, and urban–rural linkages were more deeply understood and worked on.

An early initiative at the renovated Community Resource Centre, Sadbhavana Kendra, 1993
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An early initiative at the renovated Community Resource Centre, Sadbhavana Kendra, 1993

Rebuilding lives post the 1993 Latur earthquake
View Larger

Rebuilding lives post the 1993 Latur earthquake

Since 2012, YUVA has been working on three core areas—Poverty, Environment and Governance. We aim to address multidimensional aspects of poverty in a holistic and integrated manner.

To know more about our journey of change, click here.

YUVA OVER THE YEARS:

Ongoing discussions while planning the national campaign on housing rights

An early initiative at the renovated Community Resource Centre, Sadbhavana Kendra, 1993

An early initiative at the renovated Community Resource Centre, Sadbhavana Kendra, 1993

Rebuilding lives post the 1993 Latur earthquake

Rebuilding lives post the 1993 Latur earthquake

YUVA - One of the first large meetings with women

One of the first large meetings with women

Working with the community in Jogeshwari - YUVA India

Working with the Community in Jogeshwari

Protest march for pavement dweller rights

Workshop on housing rights organised by the Legal Resource Centre

An activity in progress during Urban Animator Training Programme, 1988

Homes demolished in Bhabrekar Nagar evictions which rendered 12,000+ families homeless

Rebuilding lives post the 1993 Latur earthquake

One of the earliest programmes by people’s organisation Shehar Vikas Manch, 2001

Children and youth engage at the shelter set up for them

Intervening post the Bhabrekar Nagar evictions which rendered 12,000+ families homeless

First morcha for malki patta (land titles) to the Nagpur Assembly, 2004

An early photo of children’s collective Bal Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan

Representatives of Feriwalla Vikas Mahasangh speak at an urban consultation

Women participate in an event by Mahila Vikas Parishad

A public meeting of women’s organisation Stree Manch at Dharavi

Seminar on women's empowerment through credit cooperatives in Nagpur, 2000

Citizens queue up for a meal prepared by Matrutva Service Cooperative

Glimpses of our early work in rural spaces

YUVA Centre inauguration programme, August 2001

2.11 An exhibition at YUVA Centre, March 2018

The rehabilitation and resettlement colony of Lallubhai Compound, Mankhurd, Mumbai

Working with communities for people’s access to water

A public hearing organised by informal workers in Navi Mumbai, 2017

Meeting of Azmi Nagar Area Sabha, Mumbai, January 2011

Drought proofing initiative in Rapar, Gujarat

Awareness campaign at Dadar Terminus on World Day Against Child Labour, 2014

Children learn through play at Lallubhai Compound, Mankhurd, Mumbai

Training session at our Habitat Facilitation Centre, Guwahati

Community women leaders speak at Hamara Shehar Mumbai Abhiyan

Members of youth collective, Malvani Yuva Parishad, stage a street play

Ghar Hakk Sangharsh Samiti people's organisation members discuss right to housing

Children and youth lead a campaign to claim spaces for play and expression

Supporting rural water management through well recharging, Akola district, 2018

A session on hygiene with students in Nashik, 2017

4.7 A cultural programme from ComplexCity, YUVA’s annual festival to celebrate difference and diversity in the city

4.8 Discussions at the URC 2018

YUVA OVER THE YEARS:

Ongoing discussions while planning the national campaign on housing rights

Protest march for pavement dweller rights

Workshop on housing rights organised by the Legal Resource Centre

An activity in progress during Urban Animator Training Programme, 1988

Children and youth engage at the shelter set up for them

One of the earliest programmes by people’s organisation Shehar Vikas Manch, 2001

Rebuilding lives post the 1993 Latur earthquake

Intervening post the Bhabrekar Nagar evictions which rendered 12,000+ families homeless

First morcha for malki patta (land titles) to the Nagpur Assembly, 2004

A public meeting of women’s organisation Stree Manch at Dharavi

Women participate in an event by Mahila Vikas Parishad

Representatives of Feriwalla Vikas Mahasangh speak at an urban consultation

An early photo of children’s collective Bal Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan

Seminar on women's empowerment through credit cooperatives in Nagpur, 2000

Citizens queue up for a meal prepared by Matrutva Service Cooperative

Glimpses of our early work in rural spaces

YUVA Centre inauguration programme, August 2001

Working with communities for people’s access to water

A public hearing organised by informal workers in Navi Mumbai, 2017

Meeting of Azmi Nagar Area Sabha, Mumbai, January 2011

Drought proofing initiative in Rapar, Gujarat

Awareness campaign at Dadar Terminus on World Day Against Child Labour, 2014

Children learn through play at Lallubhai Compound, Mankhurd, Mumbai

Training session at our Habitat Facilitation Centre, Guwahati

Community women leaders speak at Hamara Shehar Mumbai Abhiyan

Members of youth collective, Malvani Yuva Parishad, stage a street play

Ghar Hakk Sangharsh Samiti people's organisation members discuss right to housing

Children and youth lead a campaign to claim spaces for play and expression

Supporting rural water management through well recharging, Akola district, 2018

A session on hygiene with students in Nashik, 2017

Facilitating legal entitlements for homeless people

Supporting and strengthening Mohalla Samitis

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