Who we are.
YDLC exists on one conviction: young people don’t need to be rescued — they need the skills to lead, the trust to act, and a real voice in the decisions that shape their lives and communities.
Why we started here.
Nearly every leadership pipeline still treats young people as a future investment instead of a present asset — waiting until college, or a first job, to start building real leadership skill.
YDLC was founded in 2026 to close that gap now. We’re starting with youth across the United States, with programs and partnerships designed to extend into other countries as we grow. Our approach is grounded in helping young people think critically and creatively about the world — and discover their own role in changing it.
Six principles behind the work.
These guide how YDLC operates — they are checkable, not decorative.
Youth agency
Young people as present assets, not future investments.
Inclusion
Opportunity open to anyone who shows up and commits.
Dignity
Every participant treated with respect.
Learning
Practical skills that can be used immediately.
Participation
A real voice in the work that shapes communities.
Accountability
Publishing what we know — and what we don’t yet.
How YDLC works.
Three commitments that shape how we build and deliver programs.
We don’t gatekeep leadership.
No GPA cutoff, no polished-essay requirement. If you show up and commit to the program, we train you.
Mentors are peers with more mileage.
Every mentor relationship runs both directions — mentors report what they learn too, and we ask both sides for feedback each term.
We publish what we don’t know yet.
Our founding-year goals are public on our Impact page. Our first-year results will be published there too — whatever they show.
Four pillars every programme sits under.
Each confirmed founding programme sits under one of these four pillars. The full portfolio is being finalized.
Education
STEM access, career-aligned curricula, and scholarships for low-income students.
Research & innovation
Digital learning tools and after-school programming for under-resourced schools.
Leadership
Public speaking, team building, and mentorship — the core Leadership Academy curriculum.
Community development
Local partnerships, service projects, and policy engagement on issues affecting youth.
Where we work
YDLC is starting with youth across the United States, with programs and partnerships designed to extend into other countries as we grow. We will only claim geographic reach where programs have actually been delivered.
Who we serve
Young people, the educators and families around them, and the institutions and communities that shape the conditions in which they lead. Our programs are open to young people ready to commit — no arbitrary gates.
To equip young people with the knowledge, leadership skills, mentorship, and opportunities they need to become ethical, innovative, and self-reliant leaders who create lasting change in their communities and beyond.
A world where every young person has the opportunity to lead with purpose, innovate with confidence, and contribute meaningfully to a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future.
Who’s building YDLC.
Sammir Thapa
FounderStrategic vision and leadership, grounded in years of direct youth mentorship in his own community.
Pratish Shrestha
Board ChairStrategic leadership and governance, with a background in technology and digital innovation.
Hari Dulal
TreasurerFinancial governance and compliance, with a background in law.
How we got here.
Early 2026 — The idea
Sammir Thapa begins outlining YDLC after years of informal youth mentorship, in conversation with the young people it’s designed to serve.
Mid 2026 — Founding programs designed
Eight founding programs are scoped across four focus areas, with input from prospective mentors and applicants.
Fall 2026 — Cohort 01 opens
Applications open for our first Leadership Academy and Entrepreneurship cohorts.
Fall 2027 — First annual report
We publish our first full-year results against the goals on our Impact page.
How we stay accountable.
YDLC is building toward transparent governance and published results.
Explore our work.
See the eight founding programs, or find the way you want to help build this.