What is YVU
YVU stands for Youth Volunteers’ Union . It has been working for developmental of socio-economic status of the poor strata of the society since 1970. It is registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 and its registered office is located at Waiview Bhavan, YVU Road, Thoubal Wangmataba, Thoubal District: 795138, Manipur. YVU has taken up a number of developmental projects for the poor in Manipur with financial and technical support from international and national developmental agencies.
YVU is recognized for its contribution in social welfare work and awarded National Youth Award in the year 1986-87 at Delhi in a function chaired by the then Honorable Prime Minister of India late Rajiv Gandhi.
How it started
YVU was born when 5 teenagers responded to flood that affected villages in Thoubal in 1970. These five teenagers are the founders of YVU. They were helping the people affected by flood in relocating to a safer place. They went from from one house to another to collect food for distribution to the affected people. Thereafter, these 5 teenager met regularly and started discussing what they could do for the society & YVU came into being.
Vision
To enable the weaker section particularly the women enhance their socio-economic condition and status in the society by delivering sustainable value to them.
Mission
To remain an effective change agent and bring about a constructive transformation in the lives of people.
Journey of YVU
The YVU followed through the usual process to traverse from relief to development. Starting with distribution of essential commodities to flood victims, the group continues organizing youth camps and creating small-scale service facilities for the communities e.g. renovation of village ponds, canals and roads, organizing literary meets, youth festivals and seminars. One of its visible constructive works is the establishment of the Thoubal Public Library cum Information Centre at Thoubal. The Public Library is registered separately under the Societies Act, XXI of 1860 being its registration No. 1668 of 1974. It continues to function as a visible institution independent of YVU.
1970-79: Flood relief service, Establishment of YVU
- Flood in Thoubal, Emergency Operation through Relief Camps.
- Formation of YVU
- Organisation of District Level Youth Festivals, Cultural Programmes, Literary Meets, Folk Festivals etc.
- Organisation of games and sports meets
- Establishment of Thoubal Public Library & Information Centre Registered it separately under Societies Act, XXI of 1860.
- Construction of Inter Villages Roads, renovation, remodeling etc.
- Renovation and remodeling of irrigation canals.
- Renovation of cleaning of community ponds.
- Prohibition of liquor, opium, immoral trafficking etc.
- Construction of separate building for Thoubal Public Library-cum-Information Centre at Thoubal Bazaar and opening of an Information Centre.
- Procurement of Library Books.
- Development of Thoubal Bazaar Bus Parking at Thoubal Wangmataba.
- Renovation of Thoubal Bazaar.
- Sunday social work programme, toured the villages and cleaned community ponds, village market, social campus, hospitals campus, community toilets at the market etc
- Public Work Activities.
1980-1989: Projects under foreign donor agencies
- Consultation Workshop on YVU Vision
- Diversion of activities from youth programs to socio-economic development.
- Establishment of a Printing Press at Thoubal bazaar, providing of employment and training facilities to destitute women.
- Construction of the first River Lift Irrigation Scheme. Supply of assured irrigation water to 275 acres of cultivable land at Thoubal Wangmataba, Mathak Leikai, Training in improved farming, support for agriculture development etc. The first project of YVU with a foreign donor agency –EZE, Germany.
- Establishment of Rural Polytechnic at Hiyanglam village, Kakching C.D. Block. Providing of training in wool knitting, tailoring & Cutting, Handloom weaving, Fishing net making, embroidery. The project was assisted by CAPART.
- Establishment of weaving Training-cum-Production Centre at Charangpat village in Thoubal C.D. Block assisted by AFORD, New Delhi.
- Development of Wasteland and bringing the land under social forestry at 2 scheduled tribe villages in Senapati District assisted by NWDB.
- Second phase project of AFPRO-EZE Package Program. Covered 12 villages ( 8 in Thoubal C.D. Block and 4 in Kakching C.D. Block). Constructed 2nd River Lift Irrigation Scheme at Thoubal Wangmataba College Leirak Community Pond at Shikhong village, construction of drinking water scheme at Shikhong, Uyal, Khongjom and Ishok village. Distribution of agricultural implements, pisciculture, piggery, duckery, input supply, crop loan, sanitary latrine, home-yard manure, custom service etc.
- Establishment of Waiview Dairy Foundation Farm at Thoubal Wangmataba. Providing of Artificial and natural insemination services at local cows with assistance of CLWR, Canada.
- Agricultural Development Project with assistance from CAPART in 6 villages of Thoubal C.D. Block. Input supply, agricultural implements, crop loan, training and agricultural extension programme were the main activities.
- Formation of Development Committees in the villages. Capacity building of the members in accounting and management were the main activities.
- Awareness and Motivation of youths in the field of social welfare with support from IGSSS.
- Integrated approach through watershed programmes.
1990-1999: Cattle development, fruit & vegetable processing factory, micro finance
- Enlarged Vision of YVU – sustenance issues and stronger commitments.
- Reclamation approach for 20,000 hectares of cultivable land from flooding due to the construction of the Ithai Barrage for assured water supply to NHPC’s Loktak Hydro Electric Project. Approached the State Government for permission for Constriction of bund at the Western side of Khoidum and Pumlen Lake (at the boarder of Bishenpur District Block Level Committee under the Chairmanship of the Zila Parished Adhyaksha, Thoubal was formed. A number of meetings were organised. District Level Committee under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, Thoubal was also formed and approached the State Government permission. But State Government rejected the proposal. But, we did not loss our interest in the work and began lobbying in the ministry level but could get the approval of the government. In the process 3 / 4 years have passed. In the mean time the state was kept under President Rule. Finally, we approached to the Governors Council. State Level Committee was constituted and state government again reconsidered the proposal. The Advisor (P) to the Governor of Manipur, called a meeting in his office chamber. In the meeting Commission, Secretary, Chief Engineer, Additional Chief Engineer, Superintending Engineer and Executive Engineer of Irrigation and Flood Control Department; Project Director and Executive Engineer of Loktak Development Authority, Chief Engineer of NHPC, Chief Engineer, PWD attended. Finally state government cleared the proposal and permission was given for construction of the bund. Inception of the bund from the year 1993 with assistance from EZE, Germany.
- Establishment of Rural Resource-cum-Community Centre – RRCC in the campus of YVU. The Centre is the first in the state, which has separate training hall and conference hall with modern day training equipment. 60 persons can be accommodated. EZE supported the centre.
- Third phase Community Development Project (AFPRO/EZE) in Thoubal C.D. Block and Kakching C.D. Block. Establishment of the thirs River Lift Irrigation project at Sabaltongba village. Drinking water schemes at Yangdong and Langmeidong village, NADEP compost, farmyard manure, low cost latrine, fishery, improved dairy, rain water harvesting, agriculture input, agriculture extension program, kitchen gardening, introduction of triple cropping, double cropping, mixed cropping etc.
- WAIFRUIT a Fruit and Vegetable Processing Centre with an annual production capacity of 250 MT. The project is partly financed by EZE and partly by SIDBI in the form of short-term loan and grant.
- Water and Sanitation Project at Thoubal District and Chandel District. Construction of 4 numbers of HRF scheme and 4 number GFS scheme, lowest cost latrine etc. Water Aid, London, supported the project.
- Women Initiative for Dairy Development – establishment of 30 dairy units at Nongangkhong Bamon Leirak and Ningombam supported by IGSSS. Marketing the milk produced by the individual women dairy owner.
- Integrated Tribal Development Project in 8 scheduled tribe villaged in Sanapati District. Wasteland development and bringing the land under pineapple cultivation, loin loom weaving, poultry, social forestry in 100 acres in 2 villages, community hall etc. supported by MISEREOR, Germany.
- Women Credit and Thrift Project – WCTP, a Women's Credit Society. Started from its own fund and supported by SIDBI in the form of loan and capacity building grant.
- Forth and last phase Community Development Project (AFPRO/EZE) in Thoubal C.D.Block and Kakching C.D. Block. Establishment of the forth River Lift Irrigation project at Kiyam village. Drinking water schemes at Lamjao and Langmeidong II village, NADEP compost, farmyard manure, low cost latrine, fishery, improved dairy, rain water harvesting, agriculture input, agriculture extension program, kitchen gardening, introduction of triple cropping, double cropping, mixed cropping reclamation of the 20,000 hectares of cultivable land etc.
- Completion of the ring bund, Formation of village development committee to look after and maintain the bund. Support and capacity building to the members of the committees.
- Second Phase Women Initiative for Dairy Development – establishment of 30 dairy unit at Nongangkhong and Ningombam Utha supported by Canadian High Commission, New Delhi, Marketing of the milk produced by the individual women dairy owner. Establishment of 2 dairy co-operative society.
- Expansion and opening of a Branch office at Imphal.
- Partnership with Youth Clubs Mahila Mandals-Enlargement of YVU Scope
- Consultation workshop.
- Establishment of YVU Institution; Commissioning of RRCC. WAIFRUIT, WCTP and YVU Complex
- Water & Sanitation – Better Quality of Life at Household levels.
- Environmental Programme – Protection of Agricultural Land inundated by Backwaters in the ithai Barrage area
- Partnership with Youth Clubs – Enlargement of YVU Scope
- YVU preparing itself for the next Decade (new millennium)
2000-2009: Dairy project under tata Trusts, NBFC, YVU Microfin
- Second Phase MISEREOR sponsored project – Integrated Tribal Development Project at 8 villages in Senapati District. Development of Spring Spot and supply of drinking water at Khongnem village. Piggery Development, agricultural crops, pineapple cultivation, capacity building of NGO leaders etc.
- WATSAN Project at Imphal West District in collaboration with the District Administration sponsored by UNICEF.
- Third Phase Women Initiative for Dairy Development at Yaithibi, a scheduled caste village – establishment of 30 dairy units. Marketing of the milk produced by the individual women dairy owner. Establishment of 2 dairy co-operative societies.
- Establishment of Vocational Skill Training at its campus in the trade of carpentry and weaving supported by IGSSS.
- Achievement of YVU to self-sustenance. The following programs give a sustainable income for YVU. No more dependency to donor agency for its own survival.
- Under the guidance of the Governing Body members of YVU, YVU Microfin was established under Indian Trust Act 1882
- Chand Fairdeal Financiers Private Limited (later renamed as YVU Financial Services Private Limited), a Non Banking Financial Company was acquired under the guidance and leadership of the Governing Body members of YVU. The main objective of acquisition was to expand the microfinance outreach by tapping debt and equity market.
- Looking for like-minded donor agencies to take up development programs in different sectors.
2010-Today: dairy processing plant, project in tripura, establishment of ympc
- Implementing of dairy development project under the support of TATA Trusts.
- Establishment of a milk processing plant with capacity of 5000 litres per day (LPD). Later, the capacity of the plant has been increased to 10,000 LPD.
- Establishment of YVU Milk Producer Company Limited. The company has over 500 dairy farmers as its shareholders.
- Implementation of dairy development project in Tripura under the support of TATA Trusts and in collaboration with Tripura State Government.