Participants from the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, the embassies of the UK, Finland and Switzerland, and MSFP at the World Environment Day 2014 plantation

About YONSED

Who We Are

Youth Network for Social & Environmental Development is a national non-governmental organization, nepal founded in 2005 and based in Kathmandu. Registered with the Social Welfare Council (SWC No. 22144), we work at the intersection of environmental conservation and social development — powered by youth.

Established 2005
SWC No. 22144
Kathmandu, Nepal

Our Vision

Enhance eco-friendly development of the nation.

Our Mission

Contribute in environmental conservation and social development activities at community and policy level by motivating, mobilizing, and empowering youth.

Our Objectives

What we set out to do

01
Environmental Advocacy
Enhance environmental advocacy and awareness at both local and policy level.
02
Youth Empowerment
Unite youth and students, strengthening them with environmental skills for sustainable consumption and management of natural resources.
03
Green Livelihoods
Promote green entrepreneurship to improve local livelihoods.
04
Ecotourism & Biodiversity
Contribute to ecotourism development and biodiversity conservation.
05
Scientific Approach
Explore and promote scientific and modern environmental tools and techniques.

What We Believe

Our values

The principles that shape how we work, drawn directly from our mission and governance practice.

01
Youth Empowerment
We motivate, mobilize, and equip young people to lead environmental and social action in their own communities.
02
Environmental Stewardship
Every program traces back to our founding purpose: an eco-friendly, sustainably managed Nepal.
03
Community Partnership
We work alongside municipalities, communities, and government bodies rather than apart from them.
04
Transparency & Accountability
Our accounts are externally audited every year, with income and expenditure reported openly to our General Assembly.
05
Science-Based Action
We favor modern, evidence-based environmental tools and techniques over guesswork.

Our Journey

Two decades of milestones

Major initiatives executed since our founding in 2005.

2005
YONSED Established
Founded in Kathmandu with a mandate to advance environmental conservation and social development through youth.
2007–2018
ENVIRON VISION I, II & III
A national environmental advocacy project delivered in cooperation with UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme.
2008–2011
Ecotourism Potential Study
Planning study on tourism and ecotourism potential sites of Dang and Pyuthan, with related District Development Committees and the Nepal Tourism Board.
2009–Present
Smriti Brichhya Launched
A youth-led nature conservation and tree-plantation campaign, active across 14 municipalities with EFLGP/MoFALD and the Multi Stakeholder Forestry Programme.
2011
Youth in Environ Profession & Rasuwa Field Study
Launched the YEP training initiative with Starbucks Foundation and International Youth Foundation, and completed a water-spring GPS database and climate-change case study with WWF Nepal in Langtang National Park, Rasuwa.
2015–2016
Post-Earthquake School Infrastructure
Supported eco-friendly school infrastructure development in earthquake-affected Gorkha district with local VDCs and CHAY YA, Austria.
Ongoing
Community-Based Waste Management
Active waste management project across five municipalities in Dhanusha and Saptari, with local governments and the Environment Friendly Local Governance Project.

Governance

How YONSED is organized

The Board is overall responsible for plans, policy, and project development. The Executive Committee implements those decisions through staff, and reports back through regular monitoring and evaluation.

Governance Structure

General Assembly
Board Committee
guided by an Advisor
Executive Committee
Coordinators as members, Prime Coordinator as Member Secretary, Chairperson as Secretary
Prime Coordinator

Operating Units

Research Unit
Coordinator and supporting staff leading research and field studies.
Capacity Building Unit
Coordinator and supporting staff running training and skill-building programs.
Information & Communication Unit
Coordinator and supporting staff managing outreach and communication.
Account
Accountant managing income, expenditure, and financial reporting.

Board Committee

Guided by experienced professionals

Our Board Committee brings together specialists in environmental science, GIS, and rural development.