Yuvoday programme in Bastar completes one year

Central Chronicle News
Bhilai, Sep 26: Bastar, the Cultural Capital of Chhattisgarh, witnessed the new dawn of ground-level development about a year ago on September 23, 2020 with the launch of ‘Yuvoday’ program initiated through an MOU between UNICEF and Bastar District Administration. At first, it aimed at preventing covid-19. Along with it a focus was also given on improving basic facilities in Bastar with giving the right direction to the youth power through skill development training. Now, this journey has recently completed a year successfully.
With that, the district has been able to set an example in India that youths are not “USELESS” they are “USED LESS”, they are not “CARELESS” but only “CARED LESS”. During this journey, be it creating door-to-door awareness about prevention against covid-19 and vaccination or about nutrition, not a single subject has been left untouched. What made all of it really possible was the army of selfless, enthusiastic, and ever-evolving young volunteers.
Working tirelessly from day one, the young volunteers proved to be a positive catalyst. They thus gave a new dimension to gender equality, prevention of Covid-19, including health, education, nutrition, culture, tourism, sports, agriculture, forest produce, IT, etc. In this one year, programs like ‘Du Paiddle Suposhan Baar, Suposhan Vatika, Amcho Shughar Garden, Book, Blood donation, etc were initiated. Also, in times of Covid-19, these Yuvoday Volunteers accompanying Anganwadi workers, Mitanins, Sarpanchs, Secretaries by making door-to-door visits, motivated people in all Gram Panchayats of Bastar district to get vaccinated.
It then resulted in getting more than 37,000 people vaccinated. Even for malnourished children, door-to-door awareness about nutritious food was created. Also, the women were made to know about the specialties of 1000 days tricolor food combinations. The youth volunteers also played an important role in the field of sports, arts, cultures, and tourism. During this one year, Bastar District Collector Rajat Bansal’s continuous guidance, and UNICEF’s support to more than 7000 registered volunteers in the Yuvoday program, stood as a key ingredient of new energy and learnings. The charismatic zeal of these volunteers also caught the attention of Chhattisgarh’s Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. He, in a program organized in Bastanar, appreciated the work of Yuvoday, released the newsletter of Yuvoday, and honoured the Yuvoday Volunteers for their outstanding work. Now with the experience gained under this program’s journey, it is firmly believed that the employability of volunteers will increase. It will then again accelerate the overall development of Bastar with the continuation of several activities of the ‘Yuvoday’ program.
”Yuvoday proved wrong two notions firstly, that volunteerism cannot be sustained beyond two weeks and that today’s youth are irresponsible, said Job Zachariah, Chief UNICEF, Chhattisgarh. ”Yuvoday has proved that volunteerism and youth can support government and system to deliver for development. It is the bridge between Government and Governance, said District Collector of Bastar, Rajat Bansal.

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