In a significant stride towards empowering the youth of Andhra Pradesh, the Government of Andhra Pradesh and UNICEF have formally launched three transformative initiatives—Youth for Social Impact (YFSI), YouthHub, and Passport to Earning (P2E)—under a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed recently in the presence of Mr Nara Lokesh, Minister for Human Resource Development, Electronics & IT.

The launch was marked by the presence of distinguished UNICEF representatives: Zelalem Birhanu Taffesse, Chief of UNICEF Field Office for Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana; Murali Krishna M, Adolescent and Youth Development Officer; Manasa Priya Vasudevan, Adolescent and Youth Development Specialist at UNICEF India; and Ravi Thejha Bale, Digital, AI, and Strategy Consultant from UNICEF’s Office of Innovation in Stockholm.

These flagship initiatives are aligned with Andhra Pradesh’s visionary “One Entrepreneur, One Family” mission and the broader Swarna Andhra 2047 roadmap, reinforcing a shared commitment to fostering innovation, inclusion, and sustainable livelihoods for youth across the state.

Youth for Social Impact (YFSI) aims to build a generation of job creators by equipping over 2,00,000 youth from Polytechnic, Degree, and Engineering institutions with entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills, using UNICEF’s global UPSHIFT framework.

YouthHub introduces a multilingual digital platform, integrated with Andhra Pradesh’s Naipunyam portal, to connect marginalized youth to job and skilling opportunities and Volunteering opportunities ensuring no young person is left behind in the digital economy.

Passport to Earning (P2E) offers free, globally competitive digital and professional skill training for youth aged 15–29, preparing them to navigate and lead in a rapidly evolving workforce landscape.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Zelalem Birhanu Taffesse and Ms. Manasa Priya Vasudevan commended the leadership and vision of the Government of AP, noting: “UNICEF is pleased to collaborate with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to accelerate progress towards a future where every young person is equipped to thrive and contribute to sustainable development.”