Established students pursuing a bachelors’ degree in social work at St. Xavier’s College, ‘We’ for Change is the only non-profit organization in Nepal that is entirely run by youths. The organization aims to provide individuals of the age group 16 to 24 good opportunities for a bright future. 

“‘We’ for Change represents all the change makers out there who are willing to bring about positive change in society and opt for a productive tomorrow,” says Sushmina Baidya, president of the organization.

The institution runs under five different pre-planned strategies: Youth spaces for leadership and livelihood, active lifestyles and wellbeing, environmental sustainability, disaster preparedness to community reintegration and youth civic engagement for peace building. Here Baidya states that these aspects cover almost all the areas related to youths in our society. 

Through these carefully thought out plans, the organization intends to mobilize and empower youngsters on various important issues such as reproductive health and rights, climate change, water sanitation and hygiene, management of wastes, and peacekeeping. They are engaged in leadership or capacity building trainings, workshops, psychological counseling, management classes and many more.  

Since 2012, this organization has successfully completed many projects. One of the most notable projects was MTV OUTLOUD. Initiated in 2015 to make transportations workers aware about safe sex practices, it has now reached 301 people from 18 different routes of zones Bagmati, Narayani, and Lumbini. Under this particular project, more than 5000 condoms were distributed. They intend to continue the project for another year.  

Likewise, the project School on Wheels was also a huge success. After the earthquakes of 2015, ‘We’ for Change created a bus library to provide children a safe haven to read and learn. A bus full of books was driven to more than 32 schools and it stayed at each venue for two days. Baidya says that with the mobile library they were able to cater to more than 12000 students of 26 districts. However, this year the bus will be modified into a portable HIV testing clinic, where people will receive free HIV checkups and treatments.  

Time and again, ‘We’ for Change has also been involved in campaigns to advocate a plastic free zone in Kathmandu, run library projects to donate books, held flash mobs for HIV awareness, and participated in numerous cycle rallies for different causes. 

For all their work, the organization relies mostly on donations and charity programs. There have been times when donors have been skeptical about youths running an organization and questioned their skills as well. Baidya confesses that many feel they are still naïve youngsters and have little knowledge and experience but they are intent on proving those people wrong. And it’s not that everyone doubts them. They have received a lot of help from people who understand and appreciate what they are doing. 

This year, in collaboration with Department of Conflict, Peace, and Development Studies, Tribhuvan University, ‘We’ for Change will be organizing Youth Peace Camp where youth activists from across the nation will be educated on conflict resolution, good governance, and civic engagement aspects through experiential learning processes. Later, each participant will be engaged in at least one social activity where they will be mobilizing other youths to maintain peace and harmony in the society. 

(Ashma Chhetri)

 
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