YAVARD is a non- profit making secular organization registered under the society registration Act. 1860. It is particularly a developmental organization with a primary focus on enabling their marginalized communities to strategies their developmental process. It was back in 1992, when YAVARD started its journey consisting of few enterprising youth of the locality led by Mr. Ajay Mahanta (Presently President of the Organization) in a loose
shape. However it got registered only in 93-94 under the Society Registration Act 1860 (Registration No: SGD 1256-64/93-94) and Foreign Contribution Regulation Act in the year 1998-99(Registration No: 1050700037)
YAVARD is in operation in more than 95 villages in 8 GPs in Lahunipara Block and 22 villages of Koida Block of Sundargarh district of Orissa. After successful intervention at Lahunipara it has extended its geographical area of work to Koida block of Sundergarh district and 32
village of Barkot and 31 village of Tileibani block of Deogarh district. After an in depth study and critical analysis of the situation in a very participatory manner with the people, the organization formulated its intervention strategy thrusting upon liberalization of the underprivileged and marginalized sections of the society with an integrated development approach. Since inception we have been striving to address the basic issues of people/society and have been successful in wining over the confidence of people.
Our focus has been more on facilitating organization building process of the people at grass –root level. In the operational areas, our activities are mostly directed towards facilitating the empowerment of poor and marginalized tribal and other backward sections of the society through issue based campaigns, developing alternative leadership from among the poor and enabling them to participate in the mainstream development. Towards this end, the
organization has taken sincere efforts in initiating dialogues, organizing issue focused discussion meetings, organizing training programs and workshops
on various socio-economic issues, panchayati raj, marketing of minor forest produces by the SHGs, govt. welfare schemes, spreading awareness on different local and national issues. Mobilizing tribal women and organizing them on socio economic and political issues has become the focus of the organization. Village level women organizations have been formed and the women are now actively involved in the development process. The organization has facilitated self-help initiative of the tribal women and as a result hundreds of women SHGs have been formed in Lahunipara, Koira, Barkot block and they are being managed by themselves.
