Youth Empowerment

The pillars of the Sustainable Rural Development Program are the youth leaders. They are physically strong, mentally alert and morally responsible individuals. They are role models committed to channeling their energy and talents into mobilizing and strengthening people to work towards fulfilling their own community's needs. These youth leaders drive projects such as the building of homes for the homeless, health awareness and disease prevention camps and setting up of basic healthcare facilities in rural areas. The program also offers scope for long term employment to unemployed youth and gives them a chance to interact with diverse people and gain confidence in themselves.

In the United States, the Youth Empowerment volunteers are serving post-Hurricane Katrina Louisiana. And in the rest of the world, they have:

• Aligned villagers with developmental projects
• Provided clean drinking water in the villages
• Created information centers where villagers can get information on chemical-free agriculture, government schemes for development, etc.
• Encouraged people to be rooted in their tradition and culture.

For more information on the Sustainable Rural Development activities, please visit: www.iahv.org