Organizational Background
Banwasi Vikas Ashram (BVA) is a grassroots, non-profit voluntary organization based in Giridih district of Jharkhand, dedicated to improving the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable, marginalized, and socially excluded communities through community organization, capacity building, education, sustainable livelihoods, and participatory development. Established in 1990, the organization was founded by a group of young social activists inspired by the ideals of the Sampurna Kranti movement, which envisioned an equitable and just society built through people’s participation, collective action, and social transformation.
The organization began its journey by supporting the land rights movement in Chatra district, where its founders mobilized members of the Musahar community to secure ownership of the land they had cultivated for generations. This peaceful movement enabled many landless families to claim their legal rights, reduced exploitation by local landlords, and promoted democratic and non-violent approaches to social justice during a period of growing unrest in the region.
Through its close engagement with rural communities, BVA recognized that poverty, exclusion, and inequality were deeply linked to poor access to quality education, limited livelihood opportunities, weak local institutions, and lack of awareness about rights and government entitlements. This understanding led the organization to gradually expand its work from land rights to a broader community development approach, placing education and community empowerment at the centre of its interventions.
Over the last three decades, Banwasi Vikas Ashram has evolved into a trusted development organization working across multiple thematic areas, including child rights and protection, quality education, women and adolescent empowerment, nutrition, sustainable livelihoods, tribal development, Panchayati Raj strengthening, natural resource management, social security inclusion, and community institution building. The organization has consistently worked with marginalized communities, particularly Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Primitive Tribal Groups (PVTGs), women, children, and economically disadvantaged rural households.
BVA has implemented a wide range of development initiatives in partnership with government departments, national and international development agencies, foundations, and civil society networks. Its programmes have focused on strengthening community institutions, promoting child protection systems, improving access to education and nutrition, supporting livelihood enhancement, increasing access to social protection schemes, and building the capacities of local governance institutions to ensure inclusive and sustainable development.
At present, the organization is actively implementing programmes on child protection, prevention of child marriage, child labour, trafficking and child sexual abuse, early childhood nutrition and education for Birhor PVTG children, livelihood promotion, social security inclusion, and strengthening Gram Panchayats and community-based institutions. BVA continues to work closely with communities, frontline workers, schools, local governance institutions, and government departments to ensure that vulnerable families are able to access their rights, improve their quality of life, and participate meaningfully in local development processes.
With more than three decades of grassroots experience, Banwasi Vikas Ashram has earned the trust of communities and stakeholders through its participatory approach, transparency, and long-term commitment to inclusive development. The organization remains dedicated to building resilient communities where every child, woman, and marginalized family can live with dignity, security, and equal opportunities.
Vision
• To establish an ideal society based on values of liberty, equality, fraternity and Justice;
regardless of caste, religion, class and gender discriminations. A caring and Sharing
Society based for equitable, socially just, educated and democratic Society.
Mission
• To create confidence among rural people in their empowerment to attain self-reliance,
and capacitate them for their well-being through educating them; and also, to initiate
remedial measures quickly and strategically to push people’s aspiration to optimum
level and work for the Integrated Development of the Community