Yowan is a volunteer-based NGO. Yowan's aim is to spread awareness about AIDS and to advocate environmental protection and rural development. Equitable and inclusive growth is the only way to achieve sustainable development and to protect the environment. Yowan believes through rural area development the exodus of people to urban areas can be stopped or slowed. In Yowan's flagship program, “Hariyali Ganga,” Yowan interacted with more than 300,000 farmers in 359 farmer training camps in 19 states across India. In these camps, farmers were trained to use better farming techniques and credit opportunities. Yowan has also been instrumental in spreading awareness about AIDS across the rural population of India which includes many illiterate people in a culture where the type of subject matter surrounding the topic of AIDS is relatively taboo. Yowan volunteers from each local area work with people of their same age group, sex, and economic status in order to allow the people to relate to and accept the help Yowan is giving.