PRADAN currently works with the rural poor in seven States across India: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.  We have also explored the North Eastern States and eastern Maharashtra, in the process identifying areas of massive poverty where future development work can be implemented.  PRADAN’s work reaches out to over 1.5 million poor families across 400 to 600 Blocks in some 100 Districts.

In these poverty pockets, PRADAN has initiated development programmes that have paved the way for vast areas of economic vibrancy, creating wealth in the hands of the poor and enhancing the well-being of marginalised families.  Over the years, PRADAN’s development programmes have managed to create significant impact over large communities while generating greater visibility for the organisation.  We have built and facilitated relationships among a variety of actors in the area – among them, PRIs, NGOs, Government, Industry, Resource Institutions, and Media – all of whom possess complementary strengths and competencies.  PRADAN has adopted a remarkably outward-looking perspective, leading to policies and strategies that facilitate reliable and long-term partnerships with these external stakeholders.  Moreover, PRADAN extends support to other NGOs and similar grassroots organisations, in order to deliver on the various development tasks more efficiently and effectively.

A large pool of development professionals lives and works in these remote areas, helping to catalyse rural community and economic development.  A majority of the professionals engage with the community, helping them broaden their horizons.  They have an influential role in various sectors, create space for issues relevant to the underprivileged and broaden the horizons of the conventional and mainstream view of community development.  Mainstream policy for addressing issues related to the poor’s well-being draws substantially from the experiences and learnings derived through grassroots work.  PRADAN remains committed to delivering conscious efforts to institutionalise strategies and approaches to development.

The poor rural families PRADAN works with have developed an enhanced sense of well-being, in one or more of the following areas:

• Reduced vulnerability with reference to various aspects of their lives, including enhanced food security and increased bargaining power in economic and socio-political relationships;
• Access to sustainable sources of additional incomes;
• Access to basic amenities, such as better housing, education for children, and roads and other infrastructure in the village;
• Claim on rights and entitlements related to employment, land, resources, economic institutions and opportunities, government schemes, and other services; and,
• Improved status of individuals not only within the family but with respect to society in general, in the aspects of gender, caste, and class, among others.