Welcome to
Prayasam
Have you ever come across a platform where your job profile is defined not by your academic degree, but by your practical skills, passion, and creativity? At Prayasam, we believe in empowering individuals to pursue what they love — be it storytelling, dance, music, theatre, filmmaking, painting, body movement, creative writing, journalism, or any other form of self-expression. Salt Lake City Prayasam is a nonprofit organization that serves as a platform for youth to develop their talents across diverse disciplines. Here, young people are encouraged to hone their skills and channel them into meaningful community impact. Our mission is simple yet powerful: to create a space where youth are self-empowered, take ownership of their communities, and lead lifestyle changes from within. Inspired by the belief that “only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches,” Prayasam follows a bottom-up approach. Our work is youth-driven — the young people we mentor are the decision-makers, leaders, and architects of change within the organization. Over the last 29 years, Prayasam has nurtured youth from marginalized communities — especially those often overlooked or labeled as “slum youth.” Today, these same individuals serve as our Directors, Programme Officers, and Project Associates. Their lived experiences have shaped our approach and given rise to a family of professionals whose work is both enriching and transformative. We began in the slum communities of Dakshindari, and have steadily expanded our reach across West Bengal and beyond. Many of the young changemakers we mentored have gone on to launch their own youth-led enterprises, now applying for for-profit registration and generating sustainable income — not just for themselves, but for other marginalized youth. Alongside this, we have built strong partnerships with government institutions — from pre-primary to higher secondary schools, registered madrasas, and colleges — realizing that academic spaces are crucial to shaping young minds. Through our Youth Hubs, we provide structured mentorship, soft skill development, and life skills training to prepare students for real-world challenges and employment opportunities. Our journey began with city-wide events advocating for child rights. From there, we evolved into conducting long-term projects with UNICEF, national and international institutions, and corporate partners. This led to direct collaborations with both central and state governments. Throughout, we have identified and absorbed passionate youth into fields like food, fashion, and digital media, helping them build self-sustaining ventures.Today, these youth-led enterprises are flourishing:
* Manish manages our Digital Media Studio
* Sangeeta leads the Upcycle Centre
* Atesh runs the Community Commercial Kitchen
The Revolutionary Optimists
Directed by: Nicole Newnham & Maren Grainger-Monsen
Runtime: ~90 minutes
Premiered at: Hot Docs Film Festival, featured on PBS Independent Lens
Summary of the Film
"The Revolutionary Optimists" tells the inspiring story of four children in Kolkata’s slums who, under the mentorship of Amlan Ganguly, become leaders of change in their own neighborhoods. Unlike many aid-based models, Amlan’s approach through Prayasam focuses on empowerment rather than charity.
About Amlan Ganguly
Amlan Ganguly is a former lawyer who gave up his legal career to start Prayasam in 1996. His goal was to shift the paradigm from “beneficiaries” to “stakeholders”, helping children become architects of their own future.
He believes that youth, when equipped with the right tools and confidence, can address some of the most pressing issues in their communities—such as public health, sanitation, education, and gender equity.
Our Partners
