Founded in 1873 YMCA Trivandrum is a constituent of the Worldwide YMCA Movement. The young Men’s Christian Association had its origin in England in 1844. Within three decades of its formation YMCA came into being in Trivandrum with a predominantly Indian membership. Like the first YMCA in London it was born out of a prayer group which used to meet under the leadership of Miss Mary Bourne, a British national. The statement of purpose of the Association was the same as that of the London YMCA – the spiritual and mental improvement of its members. Its meetings were then held in the chapel of the London Missionary Society at Trivandrum. YMCA Trivandrum has the distinction of being the second YMCA founded in India after the Calcutta YMCA. In 1894 the Association was affiliated to the National Council of YMCAs in India. The YMCA movement has more than 12,000 local units with a membership of nearly 30 million spread over 130 countries under the umbrella of the World Alliance of YMCAs.

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