Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India)

Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India) is a non-denominational, non-government development organization. AKRSP(I) works as a catalyst for the betterment of rural communities by providing direct support to local communities. AKRSP(I) is active in over 2400 villages of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. It has impacted lives of over 1.5 million people from marginalised sections of society. Over 80% of the households impacted by AKRSP(I)'s work belong to marginalised communities like tribals, dalits, and minorities. Over 60% of beneficiaries are women who form a core group for program interventions. AKRSP(I) has pioneered various participatory development approaches in the country and has won various national and international accolades for this. The backbone of AKRSP(I)'s work is the empowerment of rural communities, particularly in underprivileged communities and for women - through collectivization as well as promotion of individual enterprises. Building self-reliant people's institutions for financial inclusion, livelihoods enhancement and improved rural governance is the heart of the organization's approach.