Urishilla Youth Foundation

The Urishilla Youth Foundation is based at Mr. Hukam Singh’s house, number 29 47, over in HathiBarkala. That’s right in the central part of Dehradun, so it’s pretty easy to find if you know the area. We’ve been operating from here for a while now. It’s not a formal office space, more like a living room that’s been taken over by papers and folders. We focus on the younger crowd in the neighborhood because we think they need a bit of direction sometimes. We aren't experts with big degrees or anything, just local people who have lived here and seen how things go. The street outside can get pretty cramped with scooters and cars, especially in the evenings. We often sit on the porch to talk when the weather is nice. We don't have a website with flashing lights or a big marketing budget. Most people hear about us by word of mouth from their cousins or neighbors. We drink a lot of chai while we discuss what to do next. Sometimes we disagree on things, but that’s just part of working together as a small group. We try to keep things honest and straightforward. If a kid needs help with something, they just come and knock on the door. We don't make them fill out fifty forms first. It's just a simple way of helping out. We like being in HathiBarkala because it’s where we grew up and we know everyone around the block.