SBI Foundation opens applications for 11th youth for India fellowship programme

NEW DELHI: SBI Foundation, the CSR arm of State Bank Group, is inviting applications for the 11th edition of the Youth for India Fellowship programme that intends to select 100 graduates or working professionals.

The fellowship, instituted in 2011, provides a framework for educated urban youth -- professionals or fresh graduates -- to join hands and foster change with rural communities and NGOs at the grassroots across 17 Indian states, SBI Foundation said in a statement.

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The programme, inspired by US 'PeaceCorps', works on 12 thematic areas such as health, rural livelihood, food security, environmental protection, education, water, technology, women's empowerment, self-governance, social entrepreneurship, traditional craft and alternate energy.

During the fellowship programme, these selected persons work on one of these 12 areas as per their interest, it said. The 13-month long fellowship provides an active framework for the youth to come up with sustainable development solutions for rural development and capacity building in multiple ways, said SBI Foundation managing director and CEO Sanjay Prakash said.

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Over the last 10 years, Youth for India has seen active participation from hundreds of Indian youth including from Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), it said, adding, the programme has impacted over 1,00,000 beneficiaries through the fellows' interventions ranging across the 12 different thematic areas. These interventions were carried out in more than 200 villages across 20 states in India.