Learning alone does not bring change. Real change happens when young people also get the opportunity to use what they learn, together with others, in their own community. This is how we help that happen, step by step.
We do not begin with lectures. We begin by listening. We first ask young people about their own life and their own village. Once we understand what matters to them, we teach them about their rights, the constitution, and how local governance works. This way, new knowledge connects to their own life, and stays with them.
After a training, we do not simply wait for people to come forward on their own. Our team meets each young person and talks with them closely. We try to understand what they care about, and what they can offer, such as their time, their trust in the village, or their good relationship with local leaders. Through these talks, small groups form on their own. We call these youth collectives. Each collective works together on the issues that matter most to their own community.
Our aim is for young people to lead on their own, not to depend on us forever. Every collective we help build is encouraged to guide and support new members over time. This way, leadership keeps growing from within the community itself. Many of our own team members come from the very communities we work with, which shows that this way of working truly succeeds.
Because injustice can be reduced if all youth are equipped with leadership skills, we work in India to empower marginalized youth at the grassroots through co-designed, community-led leadership, in order to create 10,000 marginalized youth leaders by 2036.
Many young people we work with live in villages alongside coal, limestone, and granite industries in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh. Dalit and Adivasi families have lived here for generations. Awareness of their own rights is often low, and confidence to speak with local institutions and decision makers is lower still. We work to close this gap, so young people can take part with confidence in decisions that shape their land, water, and future.
We give special attention to young women. In villages such as Lojhra in Sonbhadra, our women’s collectives help women build confidence and take a stronger part in local governance. We aim for at least 3 out of every 10 members across our groups to be young women, and for many of them to grow into leaders in their own right.
Registered Office
Koharouliya, Yogichaura, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh-231222, India
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