About Us
VIKASHDHARA is a non profit voluntary development organisation in Orissa, India. The
organisation has been associated with various issues of development such as livelihood security, natural resource management
(NRM), environment, displacement, child labour & child rights, child education, empowerment of women, community health & disaster
mitigation, etc. since its inception in 1992.
Operational Area of VIKASHDHARA: Western & coastal districts of Orissa viz.; Boudh,
Sundargarh, Cuttack & Khurda
On rural issues, The Organisation is actively involved in community and tribal development. The
Organisation has initiated an meaningful intervention in Harabhanga Block under Boudh district of Orissa is an attempt to
work with tribes, dalits and most deprived sections of the people for their livelihood security, promotion of agriculture,
minimum wage, health and education.
Empowering women through their organisation, conducting group meeting, imparting training
for leadership development and formation of women self-help group (WSHG), Micro-Thrift and Credit for their economical empowerment
are major activities. The organisation is also actively looking to ensure community participation to check the children’s
dropout rate in the area.
VIKASHDHARA has been leading a network of local youth clubs and grass root level NGOs
in the name of “United Action Forum” for Natural Resource Management (NRM)
In response to the community
need after Super Cyclone-1999 in Orissa, VIKASHDHARA intervened in Niali Block of Cuttack District and undertaken relief and
rehabilitation work. It is still continuing its endeavor for developing community based disaster preparedness in the region
along with the development programmes like women and child development and promotion &conservation of water for emergency
irrigation and pisciculture.
Other program and activities:
1. Natural Resource Management (NRM) programmes for livelihood security of tribes in Gondia Block of Dhenkanal
District.
2. Programme for conservation of rain water through traditional
Chuan system for promotion of vegetable cultivation at Kantabad and Bhola village of Bhubaneswar
Block under Khurdha District.
3. Association with Government and Civil Society Organisations on
issues of child labour for last ten years in the State Orissa.
4. Networking and Advocacy on child labour eradication: As a founder member
of Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) Orissa and State Co-convenor of Advocacy
Unit.
5.
Associated with issues of people affected by extraction of coal from Basundhara east coal mines, under Hemagiri block of Sundargarh District of Orissa. The organisation is addressing the issues in three dimensions
like displacement, environmental problem and periphery development. People of 21 villages of Hemagiri block are facing the
livelihood insecurity due to hectic mining activity.
Under
the banner of Orissa Mines Area People’s Action Network (OMAPAN), a state level forum of activists who are working in
different coal mines area. VIKASHDHARA is campaigning and highlighting the above issues for policy changes.
Association with other national level and State
level networks: Orissa Disaster Mitigation Mission (ODMM), Orissa Voluntary Health Association (OVHA), Campaign
Against Child Trafficking (CACT), Association For Security in Orissa (AFFSO), National Campaign for Housing Rights, National
Alliance of Women (NAOW) and Orissa Mines-Area-People's Network (OMAPAN). | 
