PRADAN NGO
Non-Governmental Organizations termed as NGOs, are voluntary, non- profit entities which are working independently from government control. They indulge in the range of activities like social, culture, economic and environmental issues such as education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, child welfare, disaster relief and environmental conservation. Their fundings are raised by donations, grants and voluntary contributions. Their main aim is to help government to achieve developmental goals.
This article describes the Professional Assistance for Development Actions (PRADAN), which is the NGO working to uplift the lives of marginal people in India.
• PRADAN was established in the year 1983 as a public service organization and a non-profit entity. Deep Joshi and Vijay Mahajan are the two young professionals who laid the foundation stone for PRADAN because they strongly believed that even the endemic poverty of rural India could be eradicated.
• This is a non-profit organization that works to improve the lives of rural people in India. It works in order to train and enable professionals with empathy for the poor to work at the grassroots level. Since 1987, PRADAN has collaborated with the government and helped to create initiatives including the National Rural Livelihood Mission, SGSY and IRDP.
• Introduce skills and systems that empower women, families and communities to take control of their own lives, and keep pushing for change that is self-sustaining and sustainable.
Core Roles:
• It is working to enhance the rural life by promoting sustainable agriculture practices, livestock management and non-farm enterprises. It empowers women through self-help groups, capacity building and economic opportunities, allowing them to improve their lives and contribute to their family’s income.
• It helps to build and strengthen community institution, such as self-help group, cooperatives and village councils to promotes collective actions and decision making.
Programmatic Roles:
• It is promoting sustainable agriculture practices that improves crop yield and enhances farmers access to market and credit.
• Works to improve productivity, health and management practices, which help to enhance rural households, income and nutrition.
• Promotes non-farm enterprises, such as handcraft, textile and food processing, to diversify rural households’ income sources. This will reduce homogeneity.
• Conserve and manage natural resources, such as water, soil and forests to promote sustainable livelihood.
History
• Professional assistance for Development Action is a non -governmental organization that was founded in 1983 by a group of professionals who were dedicated to promoting rural development and poverty alleviation in India.
Here a brief History of PRADAN NGO:
Early years (1983-1990)
● It was founded in the year 1983 by Dr. Deep Joshi and Dr. Verghese Kurien, who were committed to promoting rural development and upliftment of the poverty. PRADAN initial focus was on promoting dairy development and rural livelihood in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
● PRADAN partnered with organizations like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and Indian Dairy Corporation to promote dairy Development.
Expansion and Growth (1990-2000)
● PRADAN expanded its operations to other states including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. They included diversification and community building.
Scaling up and Mainstreaming (2000-2010)
● Scaling up
● Partnerships
● Mainstreaming
Current Focus (2010 -present)
● Women’s empowerment
● Sustainable livelihood
● Digital Initiatives.
Today’s PRADAN is one of India’s leading NGO, working in over 7000 villages across 10 states, impacting the lives of over 1.5 million rural households.
Vision:
PRADAN NGO vision is to empower rural communities particularly women to overcome poverty and achieve sustainable livelihood. Hers is break down of PRADAN vision:
Core Vision:
● Poverty Alleviation
● Women’s Empowerment
● Sustainable livelihood
Strategic Vision
● Scalability and Replicability
● Institutional strengthening
● Partnerships and collaborations
Aspirational Vision
● Transforming rural lives
● Creating a poverty free india
● Empowering women as change Agents
Mission
● Their mission is to enable the most marginalized people, especially rural women, to earn a decent living and take change on their own lives.
● We believe that all people, no matter how poor are capable of driving the change they need.
Approach
-Organize: Mobilize women and families into self-help groups within their village, block and district.
-Educate: Introduce ways to earn a decent livelihood such as by raising chickens or irrigating fields and encourage them to believe in themselves.
-Connects: Link them to bank markets to secure their incomes and empower them to access government services and speak up for their rights.
What they work:
➔ Develops economic activity
➔ Promotes self -help group
➔ Improves livelihood
➔ Works with State government
➔ Works with young professionals
Specialists: Agriculture, Natural resource management, Nutrition, Local governance, Gender equality, and Livestock.
• PRADAN NGO has commitment to the rural development, women’s empowerment and community institution building that has made a lasting impact on rural India. As it continues to evolve and grow, it remains dedicated to its mission of transforming rural lives and promoting sustainable livelihood.
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