YEL was founded in 2000 by Regina Frey and other people who are active in environmental protection in Medan. Like the PanEco Foundation, the Indonesian organisation focuses on nature conservation and environmental education and is managed by a dedicated Indonesian team.

Based on YEL’s main activity in the implementation of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme SOCP, the involvement of the organisation has been extended to the areas of environmental education and also the promotion of ecotourism and ecological agriculture. During the tsunami disaster, the organisation also provided important humanitarian aid thanks to its local connections.