Introduction to WAYE- World Alliance for Youth Empowerment

Under the inspiration and guidance of H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, two IITians Mr. Khurshed Batliwala and Mr. Dinesh Ghodke founded World Alliance for Youth Empowerment (WAYE) in 2006 with the objective of holistic development of the youth. It is a non-profit, non-governmental, apolitical, non-religious youth organisation, registered as a public charitable trust in the state of Karnataka, India in 2006.

WAYE works toward physical, spiritual, social and economic empowerment of the youth aged between 18-30 years through its transformational life skills program called the YES!+ (Youth Empowerment & Skills Workshop) and engages the youth in projects of social relevance in collaboration with multi lateral organizations such as the United Nations, Central and State Govt, Corporates and NGOs. WAYE is a NGO Member of GCN India and is a UNGC signatory

In a matter of just 4 years, WAYE has presence in about 50 cities in India and has a pool of about 250 trainers and 2,000 young dedicated volunteers!

Vision

To empower youth physically, spiritually, economically and socially for enabling participation and leadership towards making our world free of poverty, violence, corruption and exploitation.

Mission

• to promote Education and Awareness to enable youth realize their self-identified aspirations;
• to offer other sustainable and effective solutions to address youth related issues through participation and collaborations;
• to influence key systems, institutions & policies to inspire responsibility & human values among youth for social change.

WAYE has involved itself in activities that interest the youth to take up social responsibility. From global conferences to special youth events, and from university programs to humanitarian service projects, significant activities are ongoing and are in the pipeline. WAYE has consolidated the focus areas for the youth into the following primary avenues:

1. Life Skills Training
2. Environmental Sustainability
3. Nation Building & Civic Governance
4. Promotion of Young Talent
5. Humanitarian & Peace Initiatives
6. Substance Abuse & Crime Prevention
7. HIV/AIDS Awareness
8. Gender Equality

Involving youth en masse on these focus areas has required an inclusive participatory approach where youth can be engaged through avenues

• Entertainment (music, dance, theatre etc)
• Fine Arts (poetry, painting, film-making)
• Sports
• Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education
• Empowerment

WAYE is a Youth-Oriented Community Development organization. It works with the youth, their families, communities, corporates, organizations, and governments to bring about positive change and sustainable development. One of the most powerful assets of the society is the youth; so building capacity of the youth is fast emerging as the most critical need of our times, and this is what WAYE specializes in.