Since its inception in 1971, the Young Men’s Welfare Society (YMWS) has been engrossed in developing innovative approaches and executing time tested modes of reaching out to the marginalised sections of our society in the sphere of primary education and community support projects.

The Young Men’s Welfare Society (YMWS) started with a mission to help alleviate the tremendous deprivation of education, basic amenities for the destitute and to fight for their right to a fair chance to haul themselves up from the curse of poverty.

We were blessed to have the late Saint Teresa of Calcutta intimately involved with YMWS for 27 years. H.H. the Dalai Lama graced our 40th anniversary celebrations as the chief guest, encouraging and blessing us with his wisdom and prayers.

Mrs Salma Ansari and Dr Abdul Kalam inspired us with their presence in December, 2011 & February, 2012. Civil Rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson was our Guest of Honour on a 4 day visit in February, 2014. The Very Reverend Dr John Hall KCVO, formerly Dean of Westminster, Very Reverend Lt. Dr Wesley Carr KCVO, and The Dean and Chapter of Westminster also lend their support to our cause.

YMWS has been the host for Asian Youth Festivals in 2010, 2012 and 2017 with 1000 young participants from the weaker sections of our society. A 13 member youth delegation went to Stuttgart, Germany in 2006 to participants at the UNESCO World Youth Festival while another 2000 young minds have joined leadership programmes inspired by the spirit of service, dedication and cleanliness in civil society.

As on date, YMWS has provided elementary education to over 53,000 under-privileged children, successfully set –up and operating 3 secondary schools and are also engaged in rural reconstruction projects in 32 villages across Southern West Bengal.

YMWS had been collaborating with Indian Oxygen for the past 16 years to make health care available to the mother and the child in the far reaches of Southern West Bengal.

YMWS has already installed facilities in 160 villages to help villagers have access to potable clean drinking water and is hoping to do so in another 100 villages at least. After the catastrophic cyclone Amphan, availability of sweet drinking water in many parts of Bengal has become a huge challenge. Providing safe drinking water has hence become one of our key developmental goals in the target areas.

Following are some of the areas YMWS has collaborated with the urban poor and the marginalised sections of our society to improve their standard of living and to equip them for a healthier and brighter future.