The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) movement began in London in 1844 during the Industrial Revolution when the agricultural community was getting more involved in the industries and the youth were moving into the cities.
A leading member of the YMCA in Sri Lanka, Christopher Bartholemewsz says, “A young man by the name of George Williams who was working in a drapery store in London saw the need for a safe environment for the youth who were living in shanties.
He tried to remove the youth from these surroundings and give them a better life. This was the genesis for the YMCA which is now a worldwide movement. You can find YMCAs practically anywhere today.”
The first YMCA in Sri Lanka was formed in Colombo in June 1882 and will be celebrating 135 years in June this year. The YMCA conducts many programs for the youth based on the principles of George Williams.
The President of the YMCA, Vijith Peiris says, “The main aim was to give underprivileged youth the opportunity to put their talents into use and to give something back to society.
They also provide a safe environment for youth to grow in a balanced way and learn new skills. Despite the name, the YMCA has Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims.
Religion or community is not a barrier for the YMCA.” The same principle is followed by YMCAs worldwide. There are 38 YMCAs in Sri Lanka which are connected to National Council of YMCAs that is in turn affiliated to the world alliance of YMCAs.
The central idea of having a YMCA in Sri Lanka was to empower youth and with this aim in mind, they have introduced a public library and a model Parliament. Prominent individuals such as Dr. Anandatissa De Alwis and K.N. Choksy have been members of the YMCA. The YMCA also provides hostel accommodation to foreign as well as local visitors. It has a number of well-appointed rooms.
In fact, YMCA hostels (generally referred to as ‘The Y’) have become a very affordable way to stay in many countries from the USA to Singapore. They are always located in prime locations, giving a major advantage to travellers. The rooms are well maintained and all amenities are provided to travellers.
For example, the Colombo YMCA is located in the heart of Colombo Fort and is easily accessible by public transport. Likewise, the Singapore YMCA is located very close to the famous Orchard Road and in Manhattan, New York, the well known Vanderbilt YMCA is on 47th Street.
Bartholomewsz says, “One of the advantages of being a member of the YMCA is that its membership card is recognized by all the international YMCAs. This is a major plus point wherever you go in the world.”
The YMCA is also a place to gather and talk with your friends over lunch and tea. You do not have to be a member to walk in and enjoy these facilities. However, members and their family members can enjoy many other recreational facilities.
Vijith Peiris says, “One of the main focuses of the YMCA is developing our youth movement. We have a Saturday program for age group between 18 and 30 and we want to build on that. We want to develop the youth area for youth with different skills such as IT, photography and music, and teach them to work in a team. We also teach them leadership skills through event planning.”
The YMCA is closely associated with the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) which also has a hostel in Colombo and they collaborate on many programs.