Background of the Organization

Gram Jyoti was started its intervention in the year 1998 when a team of social activists felt the need to have a platform to work for the poor and downtrodden. The members practiced the ideology of Gandhiji’s concept of rural reconstruction and development, SARVODAYA and ANTYODAYA in which real development and upliftment lies in the hands of community. The organization initially started its developmental work with drop out and irregular children through organizing 10 NFE centres in Chandan block of Banka district in Bihar. The organization moved at its slow pace to makes it roots firm in the community gradually.

It built rapport and trust among the community members. The team members who were dedicated volunteers wanted to develop indigenous resources for food security and lead towards an improved quality of life of the rural, economically backward, excluded people of Santhal Pargana region and its neighboring districts of undivided Bihar. In the year 2001 it’s started Livelihood Promotion Program in Mohanpur block of Deoghar district through water conservation work by building check dam & land development supported by CAPART, GAA, BBADF, PACS/DFID and NABARD. After the evaluation of irrigation development projects though it was found a grand success but at the same time it was also found that addressing only Livelihood issue unable to achieved the desired development as illness related to health, water and sanitation played a major part of expenses of the income for doctor’s treatment and medicine which make them in state of penury. Then onwards the organization has given emphasis to work on Health, Water Sanitation and Hygiene issues supported by WaterAid India/JSCF TSC/NBA/SBM, FINISH Society, UNDP and ITDA.

During this process Gram Jyoti realized to empower deprived, vulnerable and excluded members of the communities for their sustainable development through ensuring entitlement of rights & responsibilities. The organization is committed for the holistic development of its target area population taping resources from various Govt. Departments and other agencies within the country and abroad. Gradually, the development of the children, adolescents and women has taken as a major focus group for intervention i.e. awareness generation of rural women, condensed course education of the school dropout children, crèche centers for the working mothers in the farm sector and computer literacy of the SHG women members supported by Central Social Welfare Board, New Delhi and Childline India Foundation. Today, the organization is having 16 years of rich experience consider itself a learner in the development sector and also open to learn from others for the benefit of target area population.