YPSA, an organization for sustainable development, is observing its 37th founding anniversary as “YPSA DAY” at different working areas throughout the Bangladesh. YPSA (Young Power in Social Action) began its course of participation in the development process in 1985. The UN declared 1981-90 as Youth Decade and 1985 as International Youth Year. Being inspired by the spirit of International Youth Year, some socially conscious youths of Sitakund Upazilla under Chittagong District of Bangladesh began to motivate and organize the youth community establishing a youth organization named “Young Power” on 20 May 1985.
Youth led and youth managed organization “Young Power” has successfully adopted and implemented various social, cultural and sports activities from 1985-1991. Following the devastating cyclone and tidal bore on 29 April 1991, youth organizers of “Young Power” actively engaged in emergency relief and rehabilitation work. Later in 1992, the “Young Power” youth organization turned into YPSA (Young Power in Social Action) and started its activities as a non-profit social development organization.
YPSA gains huge reputation from the local, National and International level by the expansions of its social development activities and network. YPSA represented in UN World Youth Forum & Festival in Portugal in 1998 and won the International Youth Peace Prize (IYPP) in 1999. Currently, YPSA has special consultative status of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC).
YPSA works on various development programs or projects based on organizational vision-mission-values and community needs of the target population in accordance with its strategic plan. Currently YPSA is working for and with a total of 14 million (estimated) disadvantaged and vulnerable people under 6 development program themes including Health; Economic Empowerment; Human Rights and Good Governance; Education; Disaster Risk Reduction & Emergency Management; Environment and Climate Change.
YPSA’s social and economic development programs have played an active role in the grassroots level for achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in Bangladesh. The organization’s activities have achieved remarkable success in achieving the goal of MDGs in the support of local public representatives, local government institutions, Upazila-district administration and all government departments and ministries.
YPSA has been playing active role towards achieving the targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by aligning with the different initiatives taken by the organization which address important global issues, such as poverty, hunger, equality, peace, health and sustainability.
Major Awards and Recognition
- International Youth Peace Prize IYPP 1999
- National e-Content and ICT4D champion Award 2010 for DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) for all in Social Inclusion and participation categories. YPSA also awarded Special Mention award For Ship Breaking in Bangladesh web portal (www.shipbreakingbd.info) under e- enterprise and livelihood categories from D.Net in association with Ministry of Science and ICT, Government of Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh.
- Winner at the Regional Grant Competition 2013 ‘Youth Solutions Technology for Skills and Employment’, organized by The World Bank, Microsoft Sri Lanka and Sarvodaya-Fusion.
- The Information Society Innovation Fund (ISIF Asia) Awards. The Awards Ceremony took place during the Internet Governance Forum in Istanbul, Turkey 2 Sep 2014.
- International Excellence Award, 2015, London Book Fair (LBF), UK
- Henry Viskardi Achievement Award, USA – 2016
- Zero project award for Innovation of Policies and Practices on inclusive education-2016
- BECON Award 2017: Shining Light of Good Practice
- Zero project award for Innovative practice on inclusive finance – 2017
- Best Social Development Organization award by Ministry of Social Welfare, 2018
- “Bangladesh NGO Foundation Award” as recognition of the contribution to achieving sustainable development goal, 2018
- UNESCO/Emir Al Ahmad al Jaber Prize for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, 2018
- Best migration services organization-2018 award
- Tobacco-Control Award-2019, Institution Category
- Two micro-entrepreneurs of YPSA win 14th Citi Micro entrepreneurship Award 2019
- Zero Project Award 2020 for Capacity Building Activities for the Production of Books in Accessible Formats.
- Champion of WSIS Prizes 2021 for Empowering women with disabilities through market-driven ICT
training and accessible information
