Action Aid
Action Aid is an International Development Organization, headquartered in London, working for more than 25 years with some of the poorest communities in more than 30 developing countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Action Aid works towards improving the lives of the communities in the developing world involving tangible benefits such as better education, healthcare and access to essential services such as water. It is dedicated to helping communities overcome poverty and secure lasting improvement in the quality of their lives.

Action Aid in India
Action Aid has been in India for the past twenty-five years. They believe that working with credible organizations is the best way to reach the marginalized and socially deprived sections of society that include women, children and people with disabilities. Action Aid India works primarily in partnership with more than 275 voluntary organizations across the country reaching out to more than 1,69,593 families through rural development projects and to more than 19,422 people with disabilities.

Emphasis in the poverty belt
Action Aid India’s seven Regional Offices are located strategically in different parts of the country. Emphasis is predictably on the poverty heartland – in the States of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh – and, more recently, include neglected areas of the North like Ladakh and the North East.

How does Action Aid help poor communities overcome poverty?
A typical long term Action Aid India supported program works with poorer families in a defined geographical area over a 10 year period. It starts by bringing these families together to discuss and analyse their problems and identify solutions. It then moves on to tackle their social and economic status with emphasis on land and water development activities; savings and credit programs; educational and primary healthcare needs.

On a parallel plane, Action Aid India also supports innovative short trem development initiatives. These include pilot projects, research and documentation, information dissemination, cultural action and other collaborative efforts.

Gender issues are a core area of concern which Action Aid India addresses both within and outside the organization.

Tapping resources wherever possible
Action Aid India believes that communities must themselves participate, sustain and own the programs for their empowerment. It makes comprehensive attempts to tap all Government, Corporate and local resources in the area before making fresh investments.

Expertise for sustainable development
Action Aid India’s approach to poverty is multi-pronged. Apart from financial support, it provides technical, managerial and capacity building skills to NGOs through a variety of inputs.

The Technical Advisory Group and the specialized units based n the Regional Offices provide support for health, education and livelihood interventions. Action Aid India has developed competence in working with people with disabilities, and provides specialist support in Community Based Rehabilitation.

Influencing public policy, attitude and behavior is an integral part of Action Aid India’s work. Through advocacy related efforts, it has substantially strengthened the efforts of its partners and the development world at large.

Action Aid India’s communications initiatives are designed to forge links with the media and focus on development education and information dissemination.

Action Aid India has developed a comprehensive Information Systems technology based package to ensure quality information management.

Capacity building through training of NGOs is a crucial area for quality and sustained development. Recognising this, Action Aid India has set up a full fledged training unit which works in tandem with appropriate resource institutions in different parts of the country.

An eye to the future
Action Aid India’s structure is akin to concentric circles. The centre represents the holding company, while the outer circle constitutes the satellite companies reflecting mutual interdependence.

The satellite companies include Action Enterprise, Books for Change, Partners in Change, Actionpoint and PRAXIS.

Action Enterprise – supports sustainable livelihoods. Sabha is Action Enterprise’s retail wing which houses a diverse range of products from organic products to arts and crafts.

Books for change – is a Publishing, Distribution and Partnership initiative dedicated to publishing for the development sector.

Partners in change – works towards enhancing corporate social responsibility and has involved India’s premier business houses in social change.

Praxis – develops models for participatory development and influences thinking in participatory approaches for poverty eradication.

Actionpoint – taps the potential of new technology to assist quality information dissemination in the social sector.

Action Aid may be contacted at the following address: