Home A Brief Note Programs Target Groups Donations Contact Information


In 1989, ANTODAYA was formed and registered as a non-profit organization in India as a result of a group of dedicated people who had previously committed themselves to interact with the inhabitants of Thuamul Rampur Block in Kalahandi.

Thuamul Rampur Block is one of the most backward blocks in the Orissa State — As per sources from the “Planning and Coordination Department, Government of Orissa (GoO), it ranks third from the bottom in all development indicators. It comes under tribal sub-plan which focused on starvation deaths, child selling, etc.

Sri R.B. Pattanaik, who was then the Collector of Kalahandi, advised the group to explore possibilities for initiating community development work in either Lanjigarth or Thuamul Rampur Blocks. As Lanjigarth Block already had the presence of some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the group opted to explore possibilities in the Thuamul Rampur Block where no NGOs existed at that time.

The initial strategy was to gain experience by living with the Tribals and to address such issues which have the greatest impact on their very living conditions.

Kalahandi is a district with several deficiencies in services and infrastructures. Especially in the Thuamul Rampur Block where people are deprived of basic services such as health care and education facilities. Thuamul Rampur is in an area of difficult terrain and therefore prevents the community from access to the few facilities that are available.

The people of Thuamul Rampur are more exposed to malarial attacks, malnutrition, and hazardous conditions. The skewed land distribution compels the rural poor to face food scarcity for approximately four to five months per year which in turn manifolds the difficulties.

Keeping all of this in view, ANTODAYA has been working in the area since its inception and is attempting to build a society where there is “NO HUNGER, DISCRIMINATION, INJUSTICE (ARISING OUT OF INERTIA), AND DISEASES. ANTODAYA believes that it is possible and can be realized through group action and participation, which leads to:

  • The emergence of strong village level organizations;
  • Critical thinking of a situation;
  • Having access to development opportunities where they exist and asserting for them where they do not;
  • Encouraging the marginalized section for their greater involvement in a development process, which is sustainable, socially acceptable, economically viable, and technically feasible; and
  • The collaboration/building of partnerships with like minded institutions, groups and individuals.

ANTODAYA has extensive experience in working with the rural poor of Thuamul Rampur and perceives that an ISOLATED approach will fall short in answering the needs of the people. ANTODAYA believes that an INTEGRATED approach towards the people’s development, with the people’s participation, is required in the following areas:

  • People empowerment, especially women;
  • Community health and nutrition development;
  • Natural resource management; and
  • Entrepreneurship development.

ANTODAYA aims to facilitate the people’s initiatives on these issues to eradicate the high incidence of poverty and under-development which stands as follows:

  • 11% literacy among Male and 9% among Female;
  • Less facilities of education at the village level;
  • Inadequate health service facilities at the village level;
  • Malaria endemic zone;
  • No drinking water facilities in most of the villages;
  • 67% of households are landless;
  • The agricultural wage rate among the males and females is 3.2 Kg of paddy per day;
  • No efforts are made by the Government to provide work for the people during the lean seasons;
  • The interest rate charged by the moneylenders is 50% for a period of three to five months’ credit and the formal credit institutions system is weak; and
  • The incidences of land mortgage and distress sales are prevalent.

ANTODAYA has so far adhered to these principles and has successfully managed the following projects with the support of various Resource Agencies:

SL No. Name of Project No. of Households Amount of Involvement Year Started Year Completed Funding Source
1 Com. Development 560 5,00,000 1992 1996 DBLC, Netherlands
2 S.ED. & H.A. 560 4,70,000 1992 1994 OXFAM (l)
3 Com. Dev (Koksara) 4 GPs 1,40,000 1992 1993 SCLF, Switzerland
4SSS Com. Dev (Kalampur) 800 4,20,000 1994 1997
5 Sustainable Devt. 350 5,40,000 1993 1996 BILANCE
6 Veg. Cultivation 31 96,000 1994 1994 RGVN
7 Com. Dev 785 Yrly.20 1996 Continuing Action Aid
8 Food Sec & Nutr. Dev. 450 Yrly. 12 lakhs 1996 Continuing Cord Aid, Netherlands
9 Drinking Water 600 16,00,000 1998 2000 Save the Children (UK)
10 Feas. of Watershed 96 1,04,000 1996 1997 ICCO, Canada
11 Million Well 41 5,41,200 1991 1993 DRDA, KLD
12 Land Dev 36 36,000 1992 1992 DRDA, KLD
13 Land Dev 66 96,000 1996 Continuing CAPART


ANTODAYA Team
ANTODAYA Chairman with Leprosy Patients and LEPRA Medical Team


Home ~ A Brief Note ~ Programs ~ Target Groups ~ Donations ~ Contact Info