Yuva Vikas Samiti (YVS) is a dedicated NGO working since 2007 towards social transformation and community empowerment through sustainable development. Based in Basti, Uttar Pradesh, India, YVS is operating across 11 districts with 50+ active projects, impacting over 10,000 lives through various development programs.
The work of YVS focuses on environmental conservation, water resource management, climate resilience, youth empowerment, health awareness, education, and community participation.
In its commitment to become a Blue Community, YVS states:
We wish to become a Blue Community because we firmly believe that access to safe, clean, and affordable water is a fundamental human right. In many rural areas where we work, communities continue to face challenges related to water scarcity, groundwater depletion, pollution, and inadequate sanitation. These issues directly affect public health, livelihoods, agriculture, and the well-being of vulnerable populations.
We expect that affiliation with the Blue Community Network will enable us to learn from international best practices, exchange knowledge with organizations across the world, and build partnerships that enhance the impact of our community-based initiatives. We also hope to access educational resources, participate in global campaigns, and contribute to the worldwide movement for water justice and environmental sustainability.
As a member of the Blue Community Network, YVS is committed to actively promoting the Blue Community principles through community awareness campaigns, school and youth engagement programmes, capacity-building workshops, tree plantation and watershed activities, rainwater harvesting promotion, and advocacy for the protection of local water bodies. We will integrate Blue Community values into our ongoing development programmes and encourage local institutions, educational organizations, and communities to adopt sustainable water practices.
We believe that becoming a Blue Community will strengthen our commitment to safeguarding water for present and future generations while contributing to a more equitable, sustainable, and climate-resilient society.
YVS recognizes access to safe drinking water and sanitation as a fundamental human right, essential for health, dignity, education, gender equality, and sustainable development. We are committed to ensuring that vulnerable and marginalized communities, particularly in rural areas, understand and exercise this right.
YVS believes that safe drinking water and wastewater services should be publicly financed, publicly owned, and publicly operated to ensure equitable and affordable access for everyone. We have worked with Gram Panchayats, local government departments, schools, and community groups to promote awareness of water conservation, sanitation, and the protection of public water resources. As a Blue Community, we will strengthen these efforts by organizing community awareness campaigns, encouraging citizen participation in monitoring and protecting public water infrastructure, collaborating with local authorities to improve water and sanitation services, and advocating for greater public investment in sustainable water systems. Our goal is to ensure that public water services remain accessible, transparent, inclusive, and accountable while empowering communities to actively protect and manage their shared water resources.
YVS is committed to promoting water conservation, climate resilience, protection of rivers, ponds and wetlands, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, environmental sustainability, and community participation in water governance. We also support reducing plastic pollution, promoting sustainable agriculture, and empowering youth as leaders in water and environmental conservation.
As a Blue Community, YVS will organize regular awareness campaigns, school and community education programmes, rainwater harvesting demonstrations, water body restoration and clean-up drives, plastic-free campaigns, and climate resilience workshops. We will train youth volunteers as Water Ambassadors, encourage sustainable agricultural practices, and collaborate with local governments and community organizations to protect water resources and promote long-term water security for present and future generations.
Yuva Vikas Samiti was designated a Blue Community by beginning of July 2026 (see here).
