YAFE is the official name of our organization. Before, YAFE was just an acronym of a very long name of our organization. Until we have decided to make the four-letter word YAFE to be our official name. YAFE is a Hebrew name which means Beauty or Beautiful. Our decision to shorten our name is part of strategic move to evolve our mission towards a better organization that caters to addressing the social issues in different approaches.

From 2001 to 2008, our focus was to use arts as the platform for environmental advocacies. In 2009, however, we have created new programs and activities. From mere advocacies through arts, we are now using arts as a platform for poverty alleviation. We recognize that art is lived and concrete and more than a tool for advocacy, art can help people in their eco-livelihood.

In 2001, Laiden, together with her bestfriend and high school friend Jackie Lou, started to teach art workshops to indigent communities in Laguna province. A one Saturday activity became a regular commitment, and Laiden was able to invite more volunteers to commit their Saturdays in teaching arts. From five volunteers, they become 10, then 25 and the group of volunteers increased over time. It was just a loose group then.

In 2003, this group of volunteers name themselves as Young Artists Fellowship for the Environment (YAFE). In 2004, the group became Young Artists Fellowship for the Environment, Inc., an official recognition of SEC in legalizing our status as a non-profit organization. YAFE aimed to use arts as a platform for environmental advocacies. It conducted enviro-art workshops, mural painting sessions, fora, symposia and series of environmental educations. It hosted several national events, and partnered with several international development organizations.

In 2009, Young Artists Fellowship for the Environment underwent a re-organization. We reviewed our mission and vision and restructure our activities to be in line with the changing times. From a long name Young Artists Fellowship for the Environment, the group is now officially known as YAFE, Inc.

We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following people during the early stage of YAFE: James, Leigh, Teruch, Arnel, and Kuya Rasty (who still an active supporter of YAFE).