Page Content

India

India, the world’s largest democracy, combines a sophisticated industrial economy with a high prevalence of subsistence farming. Nearly three quarters of the population lives in villages, but increasingly people are migrating to cities in search of work.

In recent years, millions of Indian people have suffered from a series of disasters, including storms and floods in the state of Orissa and an earthquake and religious violence in Gujarat.

ActionAid in India
ActionAid India was our first country programme, established in 1972, and is now the largest.

Through a network of over 300 local organisations and community groups we work to improve the status of poor and marginalised people – mainly Dalits ('untouchables'), tribal people, women, children, homeless and disabled people.

We lobby the government, international institutions and the media on food, education, health and women's rights. We also work with local partner organisations to help them improve poor people's lives.

We provide emergency relief immediately after disasters, and help communities prepare for future emergencies and devise long-term solutions to the problems that cause them.

Radhamani Mundari lives in a remote tribal village in Orissa. Since an ActionAid partner brought the concept of people's plans (Lok Yojana) to her community, she has learned to read and has represented her village in meetings with government officials.

"Life was a struggle to get two meals a day until we saw a light flickering far away. This light came in the shape of Lok Yojana.

“We learned how to develop our own community plans - and how we could work together to get the Panchayat (local government) to accept these plans…. At first, it was very strange for women to be asked to the meetings... I feel much more confident now and you can see the difference in other young and old women of the villages.”

photo : ©Liba Taylor/ ActionAid

Fact file

1 child in 10 dies before the age of 5.

India map