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Prayasam

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Prayasam

We change the mindsets of the youth so that they can bring positive change in their community. Committed individuals from every walk of life have chipped in.

The vision of a couple of committed individuals germinated in the slums of Kolkata in 1996 and led to the creation of Prayasam, an organisation which today reaches out to a million children. With a dozen years of experience working with children from both mainstream and marginalized communities, Prayasam has established itself as a regional expert in child rights, particularly the right to partici

pation. Our work stems from the conviction that children possess the potential to transform their local communities by assuming the role of change agents. Through interactive workshops and trainings we are mobilizing group formation with children in diverse, neglected pockets of West Bengal, ranging from slums in the heart of Kolkata to peripheral brick kilns in the city’s outskirts. Prayasam’s innovative work in child participation won its founder, Amlan Kusum Ganguly, the prestigious Ashoka Fellowship in 2006. More recently, Amlan was invited to present his concept at the Global Summit on Urban Population Health by the Rockefeller Foundation in Bellagio, Italy for his innovative solutions to urban health problems in slum areas. This past year, Amlan was selected as one of eight public health leaders to be profiled in Revolutionary Optimists, a documentary film project headed by Stanford University’s Center for Biomedical Ethics, Program in Bioethics and Film. In the year 2010 Amlan has been awarded Indian Achievers’ Award for Social Service from Indian Achievers Forum, New Delhi. Amlan was invited by the Stanford Program in Bioethics and Film to attend the Bay Area Video Coalition’s Producers Institute for New Media Technologies from May 28 through June 6, 2010 in San Francisco, California, as a guest of the Institute. The Producers Institute for New Media Technologies is a ten-day residency with a shared goal of developing and prototyping a multi-platform project inspired by, or based on a significant documentary project. Unicef, which parented the birth of Prayasam, continued fostering it for the next 10 years together with several prominent citizens of the city. The founders, after much deliberation, decided to tackle the problem of health with its Health for All mission. Since its inception, the goal of the Prayasam team has been education to all and through the process of each one teach one. Prayasam believes in social justice and challenges all forms of discrimination, especially that based on s*x, age, social class, disability, HIV status, s*xual preference, religion, race and ethnicity. Through its work with children, the organisation has unique opportunities to transform social attitudes towards boys and girls, as well as gender relations among boys and girls for the next generation. The organisation recognises that the achievement of full and equal rights for girls will result from changes in social values, public policy and practice. Prayasam works to support both girls and boys to fulfil their potential and become active members of their societies. It recognises the need to understand better the different needs of girls and boys, and to address those needs by directing resources through its programme work in order to improve their positions in society. Prayasam will seek to ensure that girls are not discriminated against and have equal access as boys to adequate food, education, healthcare, shelter, leisure, emotional support and respect. It will promote activities to enhance girls’ self-esteem, their information and knowledge about their rights and their participation in activities and decisions that affect their lives. Prayasam recognises that boys and girls have different socially defined gender roles and responsibilities and as a result will seek to be aware of these differences and design appropriate programmes and advocacy work in order to respond to these needs. Prayasam will challenge all types of violence, including violence against women, girls and boys but also among boys and men, and among girls and women. Prayasam recognises that gender issues vary between cultures and over time and will address issues of gender equity with great sensitivity in different cultural contexts. Equality, partnership, respect and co-operation between the s*xes are values that will be promoted throughout our work. Prayasam will ensure that its principles for gender equity are mainstreamed within the organisation. The principles will be applied to structures and practices within the organisation, and to its members. The organisation will foster an organisational culture that promotes the equitable participation and distribution of power between men and women within the organisation, including on decision-making bodies. Today, Prayasam's activities have spread to seven districts and assistance has come from the local government, leading business/corporate houses and citizens. Overseas funding agencies and global implementing agencies have also been adequately impressed by its work and funded certain of its activities in a few districts. Different NGOs have also partnered Prayasam to strengthen and spread its peer educator concept. As we look back on another year and reflect on achievements and obstacles, let us reiterate the key elements that make Prayasam unique: its replicable and strong foundation, a broad vision, encompassing an inclusive geographical approach, a complete coverage, coupled with close links and co-operation with the government.

23/08/2026

[This was the last editorial by Piyalidi, our former President and Director. Due to her declining health, she chose to take early retirement. As a result of a debilitating nerve condition that made it impossible for her to hold a pen, she could no longer write. Instead, she preferred to respond to questions verbally, allowing her thoughts and reflections to be recorded.]

Annual Activity Report, Editorial:2017-18

Prayasam has always ensured that the youth are at the forefront of communal support. What impact has this made?

When Prayasam first started, children were at the forefront. So I think starting as a group in their area, the children had a great impact on the health, health in totality, like mental health, emotional, social, and psychological health. Whether it’s domestic violence, marrying at a young age, making the community polio-free, reducing malaria, dealing with problems of alcoholism, verbal abuse, etc, I think they [the children] created a very powerful impact that asked their community and even the world: what are the best applications of technology and what can media do? What can be the best use of media? And they made a customized plan as per the community’s existing socio-cultural-economic situation. As we say, the child is the father of man; I think the children of Prayasam first made an impact in their home, changing their parents’ thought processes and gradually, their attitudes. Our programmes, where students learn leadership skills as well as technical skills, it is very holistic, multifaceted, and powerful tool of mentoring, which has been a constant evolving process. Prayasam’s child and youth participation model has no boundaries and isn’t limited to classrooms, but rather it entails linking to life activities and programmes. These have been replicated in our work in countries of Africa and Europe and states of America, where the children and youth are at the forefront as Lead Educators, peer mentoring and educating their fellows from different backgrounds.

As you said, the mentees are now mentoring their juniors; how do you feel about that?

It’s a great thing because, firstly, the environment they come from is very much the same; so it gives them a lot of commonality-- shared goals, dreams, hurdles, obstacles, and apart from that, Prayasam is very successful because the seniors are being constantly groomed. On top of that, they have a very deep understanding of the mental process and know how their juniors may be feeling as a change maker. Anybody from outside [of Prayasam] may be able to provide new knowledge but may not have that same level of compassion for the juniors because the mentor should have the best qualities of the heart and mind. A lot of personal attributes can be taught by the senior to the junior, and it’s not a one-way learning process. The junior can teach the senior as well. What happens in an organization is that the bonds between juniors and seniors strengthen, in terms of chemistry, but in most cases, only a few rise to the top. Whereas here, the average is far greater because everyone is learning from each other. Everyone is strengthening each other, and the organization has a lot of inner strength.

The youth partners of Prayasam are taking the role of CEO of our enterprises. What do you think of this paradigm shift?

Age is no factor; it is more about the mental age or mental attitude- how passionate you are about something...that inner drive- that is what’s important. As an entrepreneur, you need to have original thinking, creativity, and be aware of your surroundings, able to find the window in the midst of closed doors. The youth have gained a thirst for more because Prayasam has taught them to have confidence and to never be stagnant by learning every day. As CEOs, when you are the head of an enterprise, you must learn how to customize and improvise. Some things are already in existence; one does not necessarily need to invent something to address the present issues; rather, by improvising and redesigning, you make it the best thing that it can possibly be. And that is exactly the modus operandi of our youth CEOs.

Happy reading,
Piyali Mazumdar,
Director, Communications

22/08/2026

Annual Activity Report, Editorial: 2016-17

If the Stanford University-produced film ‘The Revolutionary The Revolutionary Optimists amplified the children’s voices like never before, Prayasam’s Youth Voices are being heard on the world stage ever since the recent launch of its first-ever grassroots film studio for Community Youth in Asia. As a grassroots organization, laying special emphasis on creating real impact, Prayasam firmly believes that Community development programs and initiatives must be of high quality and address priority needs. In the process of partnering with children and youth and building their capacity to play the role of powerful and dynamic actors of sustainable change at the ground level, the organization’s mission has been ever since its inception.

But in the recent past, the issues addressed and visually portrayed by the youth are not only in the minds and hearts of people residing in local communities, but from across the globe. This is precisely due to the diverse formal and non-formal trainings and implementation of the skills learnt in our Grassroot Management Institute, Ontrack, a multi-faceted empowerment tool, and the Visual Basics program, for developing skills in digital media. As a result, the senior youth have not only developed a sound knowledge in different aspects of filmmaking, but have gained an in-depth understanding of how to bring into focus the latent problems and issues in an effort to break gender stereotypes, socio-cultural barriers and conventional notions. Thus, in order to attain a high degree of empowerment and capacitate the youth to play the role of effective Community Contributors, the advocacy approach focuses on motivating youth and the community by encouraging critical thinking, creativity and innovation.

To achieve this goal, mentoring in Prayasam is a trickle-down approach under the guidance of Prayasam’s Chief Mentor in the HR sector. The senior-most YOUTH members have taken the role of Community Development Practitioners, being responsible for daily administration, community mobilization planning, strategizing, and effective implementation in their respective communities. The positive outcome of which is that youth partners are already showing remarkable signs of unique abilities in communication and leadership skills within the group, spontaneously taking ownership of issues and their community work. Moreover, due to Prayasam’s multi-dimensional approach, their regular interaction with global interns is making them sensitive to different cultures, and they have acquired the capacity to work with people from diverse social backgrounds, simultaneously learning to merge cultures, blend ideas and expand dreams. Coupled with this, another powerful aspect of their mentoring process has been the varied innovations demonstrated by our youth partners in the process of designing and implementing their work in different situations.
The 2016 – 17 Annual Activity Report tries to capture the different perceptions of our youth partners regarding Prayasam’s ongoing activities. Three youth from three Continents, Africa, America and Asia, have debated, discussed and finally drafted this Report. We enjoyed their discussions and debates and hope YOU enjoy reading their thoughts as much as we did.

Happy reading,
Piyali Mazumdar,
Director,
Salt Lake City Prayasam

21/08/2026

Annual Activity Report, Editorial: 2015-16

Prayasam has stepped into adulthood. As a young adult, into its twentieth year and traversing through this enriching period, PRAYASAM has gained a diverse range of experiences working with children from different socio-economic backgrounds, establishing itself as a well-known expert in child rights and attaining almost the highest degree of Child Participation at a global level.
Daring to tread the untrodden path in its two-decade journey and shunning all conventional notions of development, which only lay special emphasis on fulfilling basic requirements or infrastructural needs, Prayasam has emerged a winner!
Thus, portraying beautiful kaleidoscopic designs on its 20-year canvas, with seemingly irrelevant aspects such as smart attitude, commitment, participatory approach, multi-layered work, low-cost innovations, and attention to minute details.

Keeping this in view, Prayasam has emerged as a philosophy, a concept, inspiring both children and adults across the globe to create more platforms like Prayasam.
Most significantly, renowned entrepreneurs have acknowledged our work and the founder-director’s novel concepts and their powerful impact on children as empowered changemakers.
Thus, addressing the root of development and, through its holistic approach and innovative work, which aims at complete eradication of mental and emotional poverty, Prayasam has been able to make its partners and everyone realize the real process of empowerment.
And it also seems that, just like a jigsaw puzzle, all original ideas and initiatives are falling into place, in the form of structured programmes that once started as experimentation projects for empowering children and youth
Mentoring is an integral part of our work, where more emphasis is placed on mentality than the work itself, and the greatest achievement of Prayasam has been the starting of Ontrack, Grassroot HR Management Institute, for its young partners.
Another central pillar of Prayasam’s work has been to experiment with traditional, popular, and latest technology in communication media that best helps children and youth to effectively communicate their messages for changing mindsets and raising aspiration levels, both in communities and in the wider society. So, in partnership with media giant Adobe Foundation, Prayasam launched the first-ever Visual Basics and Grassroots Film Studio for Community Youth, in Asia, last year.

We thus call upon you to be with us, to enhance their creative endeavours and motivate the Young Changemakers to continue exploring the power of visual media, to make a meaningful impact by improving the social environment, both in underdeveloped communities and the world at large.

Piyali Mazumdar,
Director,
Salt Lake City Prayasam

20/08/2026

Annual Activity Report, Editorial: 2014-15

Karolyn Wong
Former Programming & Production Coordinator at Independent Television Service in San Francisco, California

A social entrepreneur is someone who has a great idea for a better society, pushes through the fear of failure, takes risks to test those ideas, gathers feedback, navigates challenges, and has the passion to never give up. I have come to experience this in my short time with founder Amlan Ganguly and the Prayasam team.

In 2014, I was working for Independent Television Service (ITVS), a nonprofit in San Francisco, California that is charged with creating more representation for historically marginalized communities on public television. ITVS commissioned the film about Prayasam, “The Revolutionary Optimists,” in 2013, and I was so inspired by the work of Prayasam's youth leaders that it eventually helped me to take a risk, quit my job, and come and intern with Prayasam. I have interned with Prayasam from April until August of 2015, and I am even more inspired by their conviction, dedication, and innovation in real life. As an intern, I feel like I have also been a student of Prayasam’s OnTrack Human Resource Management Institute. I am asked, “What skills and passions do you have and how do you want to grow them?” Then I’m told, “Ok, go and teach these classes or give a speech to this school”; things which I might have never done before, and are very scary, but Prayasam provides that space to take risks and rapidly experiment with innovative ideas that you are passionate about through direct experience.

Prayasam’s core innovative idea has been child participation for the past 19 years, and it continues to be a leading global social enterprise - rapidly testing innovative methods and technology to help achieve child rights and solve the most challenging development issues. But if any of you have a favorite dish by your mother, you know that she can tell you the recipe, but there’s just that special something that cannot be replicated and is pure magic when you taste it. Similarly with Prayasam, you’ll have to experience that special something that they have for yourself, and add your own unique perspective to the sweet home-cooked dish that is Prayasam.

19/08/2026

Annual Activity Report, Editorial: 2013-14

In the very short time that I have spent at Pryasam, I have come across the dynamic individuals who form the heart and soul of the organisation. Their immense dedication, hard work, and positivity have propelled their communities onto the path of a better life. These young minds house an innate thirst for growth and learning, and they are blessed with the courage to overcome obstacles in order to achieve their goals. They are independent, self-aware, and self-assured individuals. They not only do for themselves, but they do even more for their communities.

According to estimates by the World Bank, 68% of India’s population lives on less than US $2 a day. We share our land with over half a billion people who lead their lives without the basic human necessities. They live in unhealthy environments without proper sanitation, and their lives are characterized by an unacceptable standard of living. But even in the darkest depths of society, some radiate hope by constantly battling these mammoth statistics. Their determination and willpower prove that numbers are just collective figures that cannot summarise one’s strength of will. Their dedication is nothing short of inspirational, and their developed minds are the agents of change. To quote Vince Lombardi, “Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal”. This issue of the Annual Activity Report salutes those individuals who are constantly striving to provide a better life for those around them.

Sinjini Mitra, B.Tech (Electronics and Communications Engineering), NIIT University

18/08/2026

Annual Activity Report, Editorial: 2012-13

By 2030, almost 70 per cent of India’s population will be working age. The youth population is growing faster than the population as a whole.

That means that the children, quite literally, are India’s future—and the future is very near. But the children working through Prayasam aren’t waiting until 2030 to start the work that needs to be done to make their world a better place. They aren’t waiting for their didis and dadas, their mothers and fathers, or their government. They are doing it themselves, because the India of tomorrow is the India that they need to see today.

From the short time that I have spent as an intern with Prayasam, I have many times been overwhelmed at how driven these young people are to change their surroundings, how good their spirits are as they patiently clean up the literal and figurative mess left to them by the generations before them. Through art, technology and optimism, they are fighting against traditions and stereotypes that have been deeply rooted in their communities, traditions that keep them from reaching their potential and leading healthy, fulfilled lives.

And all the while they are growing up, struggling to find the answers that all children face: Who am I? What are my strengths, my weaknesses? Am I good enough—for my friends, my family, myself? Their personal development has become intertwined with the development of their surroundings. They don’t want to just outgrow their communities and leave them behind. They want their communities to grow with them. From my point of view, it is an amazingly selfless commitment.

Prayasam has a remarkable team of Child Advisors who have been very busy in the last year. Through their presence in documentaries, their tours overseas, and their globally recognised talents, they are showing everyone the power of India’s youth. But while they are excellent examples of what a child can accomplish, they cannot represent every individual working towards change in these communities. Each has their own journey. Within this activity report, we want to showcase many such journeys, from the personal to the publicised.

Cayle Sullivan
The Florida State University, Dept. Of English

17/08/2026

30 years of impact, told through the eyes of those who lived it!
Every year, WE publish our Annual Activity Report (AAR), featuring an editorial by our officials or interns to independently gauge our development. Starting August 17th, we are sharing these powerful reflections daily for 13 days.

Discover our journey of youth empowerment, community growth, and ultimate resilience. You will read how we navigated the COVID pandemic—refusing to terminate any staff, providing full salaries to our homebound team, and prioritizing humanity over output.
Follow our page daily to witness this incredible 30-year milestone!

16/08/2026

Intercultural Solidarity and Global-Local Civic Engagement:
Prayasam envisions a generation of globally connected, locally rooted youth leaders who actively link neighborhood advocacy with broader international solidarity networks. Reflecting the cross-cultural unity celebrated at World Youth Day and the global citizenship ideals embedded in modern Indian independence, Prayasam’s mission is to bridge the gap between underrepresented urban youth and global development platforms. By facilitating youth-led exchanges, international film showcases, and policy dialogues, Prayasam empowers grassroots youth to represent their communities on world stages. This dual focus ensures that local action contributes to global goals, positioning young leaders not only as local neighborhood guardians, but as active participants in building a more interconnected, equitable, and democratic world.

Photo: Annual Activity Report 2016-17, Cover

15/08/2026

Building Inclusive Youth-Led Enterprises for Economic Independence:
Prayasam envisions a society where socioeconomic barriers are dismantled by converting youth talent into sustainable, self-driven economic ventures. Drawing inspiration from World Youth Day's call to build a fairer global society and India’s goal of economic self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat), Prayasam’s mission is to mentor marginalized youth to transition from grassroots volunteers into social entrepreneurs. Through its youth hubs and enterprise incubators, the organization supports young adults in building ventures across creative industries, media production, and local services. This framework redefines youth leadership by establishing economic autonomy as a key pillar of freedom, proving that young leaders can generate sustainable livelihoods while simultaneously addressing community issues.

Photo: Annual Activity Report 2014-15, Cover.

14/08/2026

Grassroots Leadership in Public Health and Social Well-being:
Prayasam envisions healthier, equitable informal settlements led by empowered young citizens who proactively manage community well-being. Aligned with World Youth Day's spirit of compassionate service and the national vision of a self-sufficient India free from systemic vulnerabilities, Prayasam’s mission focuses on training youth as frontline change agents in public health, sanitation, and hygiene advocacy. The organization deploys youth-led inspection and awareness teams that directly address environmental health risks at the slum level. By positioning youth as the first responders and primary educators in their own habitats, Prayasam fosters a strong sense of civic duty, ensuring that national independence translates into tangible improvements in survival, safety, and human dignity for all citizens.

Photo: Annual Activity Report 2008-09, Cover.

Address

CG 65 Salt Lake City, Sector 2
Kolkata
700091

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 6:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 6:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 6:30pm
Thursday	9am - 6:30pm
Friday	9am - 6:30pm
Saturday	9am - 6:30pm

Telephone

+913340045956

Website

http://prayasam.org/

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