The YMCA Integrated Indigenous Peoples development Programme, Vythiri, a project of the National council of YMCAs of India, was initiated in the year 1992 by the YMCA Southwest India Region, as an expression of YMCA's solidarity with the marginalized indigenous people of Vythiri Taluk in Kerala , India . The program was envisioned as a mean to accomplish and engage in the visionary task of YMCA in building just, participatory and sustainable communities through awareness creation by working with them. It is gratifying to note that within this span of 14 years, the project could achieve the status of a foremost service organization in the tribal development work in the state of Kerala. During these years our primary concern was to relate meaningfully with the sufferings and struggles of our less privileged brethren who are in the lower most strata of the social system.

The major areas of concern under project were the following:

The basic inferred principle in promoting the indigenous culture of the people was the realization that any developmental initiative must be rooted in the culture and traditions of the people. With this in view, workshops/seminars on traditional indigenous culture and culture festivals are arranged regularly.

Another area of our concern was to provide health awareness and medical assistance to the needy people. Regular health awareness seminars and monthly medical camps have been arranged with the support voluntary agencies and health department.