My Nonprofit Reviews

I would have to say that it has been and is a pleasant experience working with The YP Foundation. I still remember my induction meeting headed by 'Never-on-time' Nitya and 'Perfect' Pallavi! It was a casual yet enriching experience wherein they managed to create a sense of camaraderie amongst a group of perfect strangers! I got to know about the various projects of The YP through an excellent multimedia presentation as well as through Nitya and Pallavi. The ease with which both of them spoke, clearly demonstrated their sincerity and their love for what they did. I got essential information about The YP, when it was founded, and by whom and other general information about the hierarchy of the organization. I also learnt about the various projects of the YP like Project 19 that looks at sexualtiy, sexual health and AIDS. I was particularly impressed by how Nitya , the Project lead, explained the development of the project from something that started out to spread awareness about AIDS unearthed so many misconceptions about sexuality and sexual health amidst the 'educated' youth that it had to become backward compatible and include sexual health and sexuality, only then could the problems of STDs and AIDS could be tackled. Another project I learnt about was Voices where Maitreyi explained to us that YP members went to schools and conducted workshops on issues like substance abuse, peer pressure etc. after receiving training for three months from professionals. She also shared her own experiences with us and was very receptive to our doubts and questions. But the program I was most interested in was Blending Spectrum - interacting with slum children and talking to them about personal hygiene, basic education etc. This was introduced to us by Pallavi. Overall, I was very satisfied with the way the induction was conducted and more importantly was filled with enthusiasm about the journey I was about to embark on. After the 'formal' induction I got to spend a little time with Nitya, Pallavi and the others winding up as I was one of the last few to leave. It was good fun! Soon after I applied for a volunteer post at YP and met the woman herself - Ishita Chaudhry. Her force of personality kind of hits you in the face when you first meet her. A couple of questions in, I was impressed by her grasp of her field and her forthright attitude. I WANTED to work with her! Fortunately I was selected as part of the fundraising team and the best thing about it was more time talking to Ishita! Despite her busy schedule she personally introduced me to everybody in the office and then took me aside to teach me all there was to know about fundraising in the non-profit sector - the various types of organizations - NGOs, trusts etc., the various sources of funding - grants, sponsorships etc. and the YP code of ethics while trying to get sponsorship. Soon I got to know about the annual report being published for the first time by YP and was told to start out by getting advertisements for it. My interaction with all members of the YP has been positive and full of warmth. Even though some of these people have been working together since the inception of the organization, I have never felt left out. They all LOVE the work they are doing and KNOW that it is going to make a difference to the society at large, however minuscule it might be. Each member knows what he or she is supposed to do and does it on time and more importantly while having fun all the way! The lunch breaks are a time to pass around home made delicacies and maybe watch a video of one of the members performing at a cultural function! Nitya, Pallavi and Maitreyi all are fun to be with and at the same time extremely serious about and dedicated to, their work. The fact that the YP today boasts of hundreds of college students from prestigious Delhi University colleges among its cadres is a tribute to the core team of the YP and most importantly its founder Ishita Chaudhry. I am not a man who is easily impressed, but the way Ishita has carved out a whole organization from the flippant youth that comprise Delhi speaks volumes of her dedication, perseverance and business savvy. She clearly understands the sustainance aspect of the organization as well as its mandate to engage the youth constructively and works feverishly to achieve both these in a non-conflicting manner. That she is ably supported by a dedicated staff that shares her vision goes without saying. Brainstorming sessions often include impassioned speeches followed by emphatic urges not to get 'senti'! In conclusion I would like to say that I believe that it is a very professionally run organization even though it is run by recent graduates and its volunteers come from Delhi university colleges. In Ishita they have a visionary leader with the force of personality to take this organization far and make it one of the most trusted yet fun youth organizations for social change. In endorsing this organization, you shall be investing in a nascent plant that is definitely going to grow into a large and shady tree and reach out to and change the lives of many young people in a positive way.

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