Auroville Village Action Group (AVAG), founded in 1983, is an NGO committed to grass roots community building with the villages surrounding Auroville- a pioneering social experiment that aims to realize human unity located in rural Tamil Nadu, India (www.auroville.org). Rather than addressing isolated development challenges, AVAG places the complex web of relationships between human beings- their behaviors, traditions and prejudices- at the foundation of its programmes and work with villagers. Therefore, an integrated and multifaceted educational programme that promotes solidarity, cooperation and illuminates issues of gender and caste discrimination- which underlie the traditional social and economic structures of the villages- is central to all AVAG activities. Through an expanding network of women’s and men’s Self Help Groups (SHG) and children’s night schools, AVAG offers a wide range of successful programmes and initiatives to meet the complex needs of villagers. The component programmes offered by AVAG include: micro-financing and micro-projects; capacity building trainings and seminars for villagers; psychological and physical health initiatives; global warming and environmental degradation awareness; livelihood trainings and social enterprise development; expansion of legal access for women and children confronted with human rights abuses; and caste integration exchange programmes. AVAG has been a partner in the creation of Women’s and Men’s Federations, an important step in codifying political power in the villagers’ hands while transferring decision making and administrative duties directly to beneficiaries. By offering comprehensive support, AVAG has realized the inherent power of human beings for self-empowerment, provided the proper resources to build a healthy life.
Comments