YFS IN MEDIA

FROM THE COORDINATORS DESK

Namaste,
It gives me immense pleasure to bring this Annual Report of our activities to you. This will throw light on the work done by YFS volunteers in various spheres, in its second year of existence. Time-commitment and whole-hearted dedication of our volunteers, support, inspiration and encouragement from our network of NGOs, doctors, hospitals and well-wishers, coupled with financial support from our donors, has brought about considerable change personally and in the lives of the underprivileged as a whole. The YFS team has now grown to 7 full-time coordinators, including 5 exprofessionals, and 2 students who joined us as soon as they passed out of college, 2000+ people on our mailing list and about 350 regular volunteers spanning across 45 companies and 10 colleges. YFS focuses on volunteering as a means of self-transformation. It is a process of creating individuals with strong personal and national character, through doing their bit for the society. It is a very informal and fun-filled volunteering platform, new ideas and volunteers being its driving forces. The animating force behind YFS has been, is and will be Swami Vivekananda. 2012-13 being the 150th year of his ever-inspiring personality, we aspire to give more in terms of time and commitment. We invite all of you to join hands with us and and tread the path shown by Swamiji who said Let us all work hard, my brethren; this is no time for sleep. On our work depends the coming of the India of the future. Arise and awake and see her seated here on her eternal throne, rejuvenated, more glorious than she ever was this motherland of ours. Together we can, we will make a difference. Vande Mataram! Thank You, Swathi Ram YFS Hyderabad Coordinator
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OUR JOURNEY THIS YEAR

January First Annual day of YFS First Teens For Seva event Prerana School visited Govt. School, Balamrai Collection of Job Profiles from Visually Challenged Narayana Patra (Cloth-bag distribution and rice collection drive) started Surya Namaskar Marathon February Launch of Vidya Daan scholarship scheme for children Vana Yatra to Model Villages in Maharastra Hiware Bazaar, Ralegaon Siddhi and Baripada Lay Counselling started March Environment Week Facebook campaign with participants from world over Presence at SAKSHAMs national convention for Visually Challenged, Nagpur Promoted Eco-friendly Holi through Organic Colors June School Kit Packing 3000 school-kits, 200 volunteers YFS volunteers taught at summer camps across the city School Kit Distribution - 3000 school kits 29 schools, destitute homes and tuition centers in and around Hyderabad, 300+ volunteers 50 companies/colleges July Trip to Adilabad district to select tribal students for further studies Seva Vacation by 2 volunteers at Deendayal Research Institute, Chitrakoot April School Kit Drive 2011 launched Narayana Patra First time rice distribution at Pallavi Ashram for mentally deranged May Personality Development Camp for College Students Seva Vacation by 2 volunteers at Buruguputtu village, Araku Valley Village adopted by YFS

OUR JOURNEY THIS YEAR

5 college students interned in various projects Launch of recycled books distribution at Govt. School, Kothaguda Ekta Yatra and presence at Kargil Vijay Diwas August Sevathon 3-day Seva projects visit Marathon September Parisara Ganapati - Clay Ganesha idolmaking and Sapling Plantation Marathon Akshar Bharati library initiative launched October Be the Change volunteer training workshop First rural eye-screening camp conducted at Devarkadra, Mahbubnagar district Free Clinic and Tuition-Center started at Seva Bharati-YFS Office, Kacheguda Health camp for maids and office staff, and Braille Chess at L&T Serene County Seva Mela Promotion of rural artefacts in several companies International Day of Climate Action Awareness Campaign at Hi-tec city junction Vidya Daan donor-child video conference November Hyderabad 10K Run Participation in support of the cause of Artificial Limbs Akshar Bharati Libraries Inaugurated Launch of Sensitizing Disability initiative in schools on World Disability Day Chess competition at Wipro Visually challenged students vs Employees Presence at Sakshams National Convention for Visually Challenged, Nagpur December Workshop on Story Telling Akshar Bharati Library Initiative Seminar on Door to Entrepreneurship From an Idea to a Venture Seva Vacation at Gokavaram Tribal Village, Kurnool District

SPECTRUM OF WORK
YFS SHIKSHA YFS volunteers teach in many Govt. schools, destitute homes and tribal hostels across the city mostly Spoken English, Computers and Mathematics and make learning a fun-filled activity These programs are aimed at supplementing the teacher and nurturing the students intellectual as well as co-curricular abilities, in turn increasing the urge to study further. 11 projects are currently running and about 50 volunteers are involved in teaching on a regular basis. As part of the Vidya Daan scholarship program, 490 students have been sponsored. Regular reports are sent to donors and donor-child meetings are arranged periodically.
Funds for 15 libraries have been raised and are being set up as part of the Akshar Bharati initiative to inculcate good reading habits in underprivileged children from a very young age.

YFS AAROGYA
The YFS Aarogya team works towards bridging the gap between importance of good health, and lack of the same by organizing basic health, dental, ENT and eye check-up camps. Awareness camps about hygiene and nutrition, and on menstrual hygiene for girls are also conducted.

School Kit Drive was conducted at the start of the academic year and 3000 school kits were distributed to the most needy students in 29 schools across the city and in the surrounding rural areas.

The team has actively conducted Eye Camps in 17 Schools around the city, covering more than 5000 school children and distributed 400 spectacles. Awareness talks and follow-up sessions have also been conducted in 7 schools, dental camps in 3 schools. ENT camps have also been started recently.

SPECTRUM OF WORK
YFS PRAKRITI The Prakriti team at YFS works towards maintaining a clean-and-green environment and has been actively involved in spreading awareness about eco-friendly practices in schools, offices, residential complexes, shops and other commercial establishments. For Holi, the team promoted the use of about 220kg of eco-friendly colours made of floral and fruit extracts.Parisara Ganapati initiative involved training children in 19 government schools/ destitute homes, 6 apartment complexes and a few private schools in the city to make their own clay idols. 1000 saplings were also planted along with this activity and recycled note books were distributed to all the children.

Various activities include: 1) Green Clubs to inculcate green practices in children from an young age - Currently running in 4 schools. 2) Narayana Patra - A door-to-door cloth bag distribution and food grains collection initiative. About 4000 cloth bags have been distributed and 2200+ kilos of rice and pulses have been collected till now and donated to various orphanages, old age homes etc In view of International Day of Climate Action on Oct 24th, the volunteers conducted an awareness drive at the busy Hi-tec city junction by distributing pamphlets and stickers outlining the importance of switching off engines when idle.

SPECTRUM OF WORK
YFS VIKLAANG Supporting differently-abled people in whatever ways they require is another prime focus area of YFS. Currently, 12 volunteers have been trained and are involved in recording audio lessons for the blind. Spoken English and motivational story-telling sessions, Computer training including use of Skype et..al, Yoga classes are some of our other initiatives. We also help them as scribes for writing their exams, and provide career guidance and assist them in finding jobs. YFS GRAM VIKAS YFS is now expanding its work to rural areas too. A local teacher has been sponsored by YFS in Burugguputtu village, in Araku Valley near Vizag.

Regular health activities, including eye-screening and spectacle distribution, and awareness talks on various topics of interest are being carried out in Devarakadra, Mahbubnagar district. Sessions on Sensitizing Disability to make sure that students are confident and do not feel uneasy, or simply be uncertain, about how best to deal with disabled persons were also launched on World Disability Day on 3rd December. As part of the same, and to expose the hidden talents of the blind, Braille Chess competitions are being conducted in apartment complexes and companies between the blind and the residents/ employees.
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SEVA VACATIONS AND INTERNSHIPS

YFS promotes Seva Vacations and Internships for volunteers who wish to give more than few hours over the weekend.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Vana Yatra to villages in Maharastra 18 Volunteers from YFS Hyderabad set out to study village development projects in Maharashtra. It included a visit to the famous Ralegaon Siddhi, village developed by Sri Anna Hazare, Dr Hedgewar Hospital and its projects in Aurangabad, Hiware Bazaar (another model village) and a tribal village Baripada at the Gujarat border. After a busy 3 days and 2000 Kms of travelling, volunteers were left spellbound by the monumental achievements and steadfast dedication of the people behind by the projects.

Pradeep, a fresh MCA graduate volunteered fulltime for 6 months in Chitrakoot to develop a website for Deendayal Research Institute. Many volunteers also spent time ranging from 1 week-3 weeks studying Seva projects in various locations across the country. 5 college students interned with YFS working in different projects of their interest, during their semester breaks.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Ekta Yatra - Trip to Kargil In honour of all our Jawans, YFS Hyderabad volunteers collected 4383 messages from Indians all over the world, to present it to the Jawans on Kargil Vijay Diwas, 26th July 2011 [one message for each day since we won the war on 26th July 99].

TESTIMONIALS
Being a part of the YFS Vidya Daan initiative, I have realized the importance of sustaining a planned grass-roots level education programme that not only provides the finances but also creates awareness among these communities that education is a sure shot way out of poverty. I and my fellow team of volunteers, felt more stronger than ever before to pursue our mission further and to empower the tribal community. Im glad to have been part of the Youth For Seva Vidyadaan initiative and I hope youll be inspired too! -Ravichandra, YFS-USA Coordinator It was really a wonderful experience working at a YFS eye-screening camp. At the end of day I felt satisfied and happy, As I had worked for some good cause; apart from that all the team members are very supportive and zealous. Even in near future, I would like to be a part of such kind of projects. My sincere thanks to YFS which gives me such a good platform to serve the needful children. -Sumit, Polaris

14 volunteers attended the Vijay Diwas celebrations at the Dras war memorial and presented the Ekta Sandesh - the collection of messages to the Jawans. The army men were pleased to receive such love and respect from Indians all over. YFS volunteers also visited many Seva projects in Leh and in remote villages around Srinagar, and a rehabilitation home for boys in Katra as part of the Yatra.

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CURRENT LIST OF REGULAR PROJECTS

1. Govt School, Kothaguda 2. Govt School, Rickshaw Pullers Colony, Jagatgirigutta, Kukatpally 3. Govt School, Sanathnagar 4. Govt School, Miyapur 5. Govt School, Osmania University 6. Mandal Primary School, Ramachandra Puram, BHEL Lingampally 7. Urdu Primary School, Dargah, Tolichowki 8. Govt Primary School, Izzatnagar, HiTex 9. Vatsalya Sindhu (destitute shelter for boys), Moula Ali, Secunderabad 10. Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram for Tribal Boys, Deendayal Nagar, Secunderabad 11. Sivananda Rehab Center, Kukatpally 12. Abhyasika (Tuition Center) Sewa Bharathi-YFS Office, Nimboliadda, Kacheguda 13. Chavadi Ashram, Telecom Nagar, Gachibowli 14. Free Homeopathic and Diabetic Clinic Sewa Bharathi-YFS Office, Kacheguda

Expanding Our Horizons

If India has to become a developed nation by 2020, we cannot afford to neglect the 8-scrore Vanavasis APJ Abdul Kalam Youth For Seva is expanding its work to rural areas surrounding Hyderabad. Current focus is on Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Mancherial, Medak and Nalgonda districts. Ways you can volunteer: 1) 1 month Seva Fellowship for field survey. 2) 2-day weekend volunteering. 3) Provide references to schools, colleges, doctors , NGOs and others.
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