PR Newswire | 23 Mar, 2015
BHUBANESHWAR, India: In an international ranking published by Global_Geneva, Gram Vikas has been ranked 2nd in the list of Best NGOs in India and 24th in the entire world. This yearly ranking by Global_Geneva - an international non-profit organisation, based the list on several principles including ideas, values, and models that challenge normal approaches to policy, the market, and NGO activity.
Gram Vikas (www.gramvikas.org ), the Indian non-profit organisation that works with rural and tribal communities, was selected for this prestigious honour from among over 2000 such organisations. Being an independent ranking editor, Global_Geneva's ranking process is grounded in public access to NGOs information and data based on three critical areas - impact, innovation, and sustainability. In its successful journey so far, Gram Vikas has also leveraged and built mutually beneficial partnerships with international development agencies, corporates, and other like-minded partner organisations.
This recognition is another feather in the cap of Gram Vikas, which has been awarded the 1st prize by the Bihar Innovation Forum in 2014, highlighting the innovative work in providing access to entitlements and services for the rural poor and marginalised. Over the years, Gram Vikas has also been a recipient of several other honours and awards such as the STARS Impact Award in the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) category in 2013, and the Kyoto World Water Grand Prize at the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico in 2006, and the United Nations World Habitat Award given by the Building and Social Housing Foundation (BSHF), United Kingdom in 2003. Commenting on Gram Vikas' increasing recognition, Shubhasis Pattnaik, Executive Director of Gram Vikas, said that he was truly humbled by the acknowledgement Gram Vikas has received globally but believes that it will spur the Gram Vikas team further in their goal of bettering the lives of the rural poor and marginalised.
Such a ranking system can go a long way in bringing together funding agencies, including international, government, and private companies that continue to search for worthy partners for their CSR initiatives; and worthy NGOs such as Gram Vikas, that work on a holistic development model and impact people at the grassroots. This ranking survey makes it easier for funding agencies and governments to intelligently choose their partners on social impact initiatives and effectively manage fund deployment.
Working tirelessly in rural-communities for over 36 years to promote processes that are sustainable, socially inclusive and gender equitable, the aim of Gram Vikas has always been to enable critical masses of the poor and marginalised, to achieve a dignified quality of life. To this end, Gram Vikas works with communities as partners to address the needs of education, health, safe drinking water, sanitation, livelihoods and renewable energy. In order to achieve these goals, Gram Vikas continues to look for funding, governmental, and international agencies as partners in these areas of social impact and grassroots influence.
With social inclusion at the core of its values, Gram Vikas has already impacted more than 1,200 villages covering over 75,000 families and 400,000 individuals. Gram Vikas is currently also facilitating one of the largest Rural Disaster Resilient Housing project in the world in its role as the socio technical partner to OSDMA (Odisha State Disaster Management Authority). The programme aims to build disaster resilient houses and community facilities for the benefit of over 22,000 people who were affected by Cyclone Phailin.
Gram Vikas was set up in Odisha in the early 1970s through student volunteers to help victims of a devastating cyclone. Ever since then, the organisation has been engaged in path-breaking work in the fields of education and awareness, secure sources of income, and improving health and living conditions of tribal communities. Today, with a team of over 450 full-time staff members and thousands of volunteers, Gram Vikas' interventions are raising critical consciousness and energising whole villages.
About Gram Vikas:
Gram Vikas is a rural development non-profit organisation working towards sustainable improvement in the quality of life of poor and marginalised people. It has been actively involved in the development of rural communities since 1979. With a team of around 450 full-time staff and thousands of volunteers in the villages, Gram Vikas' interventions are directed at raising critical consciousness and energising whole villages.
Media Contact:
Vandana Rajkhowa
E-mail: vandana@obliquepyramid.com
Tel: +91-9899799167
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