About AJKA
Rooted in communities. Committed to sustainable change.
Anchalik Jana Kalyan Anusthan (AJKA) is a grassroots, community-based nonprofit organisation established in 2000 and headquartered in Jharsuguda district, Odisha.
- 2
- States — Odisha & West Bengal
- 26+
- Years of grassroots experience
- 25,000+
- Households covered
- 4
- FPOs formed
- 68
- Dedicated staff
Our story
Two decades of community-led development
For more than two decades, AJKA has worked alongside rural and marginalised communities to improve livelihoods, strengthen access to essential services and create opportunities for inclusive and sustainable development.
Our work is guided by the belief that meaningful development is built through community participation and local ownership. We work with women, children, adolescents, farmers, smallholders, landless families, vulnerable youth and other underserved groups — strengthening their capacities and enabling them to participate actively in their own development.
AJKA follows an integrated and participatory development approach, bringing together sustainable livelihoods and agriculture, natural resource management, ecological conservation, women’s empowerment, education, health and nutrition, climate resilience and renewable energy. Rather than addressing these challenges in isolation, our programmes recognise the connections between people, livelihoods and the natural resources on which rural communities depend.
Over the years, AJKA has built strong grassroots experience by working closely with communities, government institutions, CSR partners and development organisations. Through capacity building, community institutions, convergence and locally relevant interventions, we aim to create solutions that communities can sustain and strengthen over time.
Our vision
To build a just and equitable society where socially, economically and culturally excluded communities — particularly women, children and marginalised groups — can realise their full potential and participate actively in society and community life.
Our mission
To empower marginalised communities — particularly women, children, adolescents, vulnerable youth, landless people and smallholder farmers — by promoting rights, social justice, economic opportunities and community-led development.
What we set out to do
Our objectives
- 01
To implement comprehensive rural development programmes, including access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation, promotion of renewable energy, poverty alleviation, rural technologies, village infrastructure development and watershed management.
- 02
To enhance livelihoods by promoting agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, poultry, dairy farming, goat rearing, mushroom cultivation, floriculture, handicrafts, handlooms and other income-generating activities, especially for marginalised and vulnerable communities.
- 03
To promote sustainable natural resource management and biodiversity conservation through afforestation, tree plantation for carbon sequestration, restoration of wastelands and protection of common property resources.
- 04
To promote climate-smart and technology-based sustainable agriculture practices that increase productivity, improve resilience to climate change and reduce environmental impact.
How we work
Our approach
Community-led
We place communities at the centre of planning, implementation and decision-making.
Inclusive
Our programmes focus on marginalised and vulnerable groups, with particular emphasis on women, children and rural households.
Convergence
We connect communities with existing government schemes, entitlements and services, strengthening access to public resources before introducing additional project support.
Integrated
We connect livelihoods, agriculture, education, health, social development and natural resource management to address interconnected development challenges.
Sustainable
We strengthen local capacities, institutions and resources to create impact that continues beyond individual projects.
Compliance
We maintain statutory registrations, financial accountability and safeguarding standards to ensure our programmes are implemented with transparency, responsibility and institutional integrity.
Where we work
Our presence
From its roots in Lakhanpur Block of Jharsuguda, AJKA has expanded its development interventions across communities in Odisha and West Bengal.
- Jharsuguda
- Sundargarh
- Sambalpur
- Kendrapara
- Purulia
- South 24 Parganas
Our history
26 years, briefly
- 2000
AJKA is founded
Anchalik Jana Kalyan Anusthan begins its journey as a grassroots development organisation committed to improving the lives and livelihoods of underserved communities.
- 2007
First development project
AJKA undertakes its first major project, Reproductive Child Health (RCH), supported by the National Rural Health Mission through the Chief District Medical Officer, Jharsuguda — focusing on maternal, child and adolescent care.
- 2008
First CSR partnership
AJKA enters the CSR space with Vedanta Vidyarthi Vikas Yojana, supported by Vedanta Aluminium Limited, Jharsuguda, strengthening quality education through remedial coaching, career guidance, moral education and co-curricular activities.
- 2016
First women-led FPO
Sankalpa Producer Company Limited, AJKA’s first women-based Farmer Producer Organisation, is established in Lakhanpur Block, Jharsuguda, with support from NABARD Regional Office, Bhubaneswar — focusing on vegetables, pulses and oilseeds.
- 2025-26
Expansion to West Bengal
AJKA expands its geographical footprint to Purulia and South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, with interventions across Balarampur, Patharpratima and Canning in integrated village development, agroforestry and mangrove plantation.
- 2025-26
₹5 crore turnover milestone
AJKA reaches an annual turnover of ₹5 crore in FY 2025-26, marking a significant milestone in its institutional growth and expanding development portfolio.
- Today
26 years of grassroots development
From its beginnings in 2000, AJKA has evolved into a multi-thematic development organisation working across Odisha and West Bengal, with programmes spanning livelihoods, agriculture, natural resources, education, health, women’s empowerment and ecological conservation.
Partner with us
Your CSR investment.
Real impact.
AJKA is an FCRA, 12A, 80G and CSR-1 registered organisation with over 26 years of grassroots experience. We partner with corporates, foundations and government institutions to deliver community-led programmes with transparent reporting, measurable outcomes and field-level accountability.
