Empowering Tribal and Rural Communities

a bunch of coffee beans hanging from a tree

Girijana Vikas Swatchanda Seva Samstha (GVSSS) is a registered voluntary organization dedicated to the holistic development of tribal and rural communities in Andhra Pradesh. Established in 2001 in the agency area of G.K. Veedhi, the organization was founded with a mission to uplift marginalized tribal populations through community-driven and sustainable development initiatives.

Over the years, Girijana Vikas has extended its outreach to several tribal mandals — including G.K. Veedhi, Chintapalli, and Koyyuru — as well as semi-urban regions such as Narsipatnam, Golugonda, Kotauratla, Rolugunta, and Makavarapalem, covering numerous remote villages nestled within forested and hilly terrains. These regions are predominantly inhabited by tribal communities facing challenges such as poverty, low literacy, limited healthcare, and inadequate livelihood opportunities.

Our organization works towards holistic rural development, focusing on education, healthcare, sustainable agriculture, women’s empowerment, and environmental conservation. We follow a participatory approach, engaging villagers — especially women and youth — in identifying needs, managing projects, and sustaining outcomes.

True development begins when communities take charge of their own future — when knowledge, participation, and self-reliance replace dependency. At Girijana Vikas, our role is to ignite that spark of empowerment. We believe that people themselves are the architects of change; our responsibility is to guide, support, and strengthen their collective efforts. By nurturing leadership among women, youth, and farmers, we help communities build confidence, sustain livelihoods, and preserve harmony with nature. Every initiative we undertake reflects our commitment to dignity, inclusion, and self-reliance - NV Satyanarayana, Secretary, Girijana Vikas NGO

About Us

Our Mission

Our mission is to foster community-led development of natural resources and to empower women and marginalized groups through inclusive, gender-sensitive approaches. Every initiative we undertake upholds the principles of Productivity, Equity, and Sustainability, ensuring that our programs enhance community well-being, promote fairness, and remain viable for future generations. We aim to enable communities to take charge of their own development and create self-sustaining solutions that improve livelihoods and quality of life.

Our primary goal is to improve the livelihoods and socio-economic status of vulnerable groups — including small and marginal farmers, landless laborers, women, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), Scheduled Tribes, and Scheduled Castes. We aim to achieve this by building strong, self-managed community institutions and providing comprehensive livelihood support services. Ultimately, we envision self-reliant village organizations that lead their own path to development and prosperity.

Goal

Enhanced Livelihood Opportunities: Implement income-generating and skill-development programs for marginalized families to increase income and economic stability.
Sustainable Community Institutions: Strengthen grassroots organizations such as Self-Help Groups, Village Organizations, Farmer Clubs, Cooperatives, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to ensure ownership and sustainability.
Effective Linkages and Support: Establish linkages with banks, government departments, and markets to provide access to finance, technical expertise, and market opportunities.
Improved Agricultural Productivity: Introduce improved farming practices, high-yield varieties, modern techniques, and ensure timely access to inputs and credit.
Climate-Resilient Practices: Promote eco-friendly and climate-resilient agriculture such as organic farming, System of Rice Intensification (SRI), and millet cultivation to protect ecosystems and mitigate climate risks.
Capacity Building: Conduct leadership and capacity-building programs for women and youth, enhancing knowledge, confidence, and governance skills in community organizations.
Natural Resource Management: Encourage conservation and sustainable use of land, water, and forest resources through participatory approaches, including soil and water conservation, afforestation, and securing forest rights for sustainable livelihoods.

Objectives

To achieve our mission and goals, Girijana Vikas focuses on the following key objectives and outcomes:

Our Story & Leadership

The vision of Girijana Vikas was inspired by the grassroots experiences of our founder, Mr. N. V. Satyanarayana, a graduate of Andhra University. In the late 1990s, Mr. Satyanarayana and his peers were deeply influenced by a dedicated Village Development Officer, Mr. Krishna Rao, whose community-focused approach left a lasting impact. Under his mentorship, the team began visiting remote tribal villages to understand the challenges faced by local communities — including lack of basic amenities, illiteracy, health issues, and land insecurity.

Motivated to bring change, the group actively collaborated with government officials and advocated for tribal welfare. With guidance from Mr. Krishna Rao, they realized the need for a structured platform to amplify their impact — leading to the formation and registration of Girijana Vikas Swatchanda Seva Samstha in 2001 as a non-governmental organization.

Our Story & Leadership

Early Initiatives

In the initial years, the organization focused on awareness-building and self-help initiatives:

Organized village meetings on social issues, health, hygiene, and environmental conservation.
Mobilized communities for Shramdaan (voluntary labor) to restore local water bodies and improve infrastructure.
Formed Mahila Sanghams (women’s groups) and youth groups to encourage leadership, literacy, sanitation, and savings.
Set up small libraries in villages like Ramagedda and Derella, promoting learning and awareness.
Facilitated the construction of over 100 household latrines, improving sanitation and public health.

Growth and Expansion

By 2004, Girijana Vikas expanded its work through partnerships with government programs and like-minded organizations. Major initiatives included:

River Basin Conservation, Joint Forest Management (JFM), and Community Forest Management (CFM) — ensuring community participation in forest and watershed conservation.
Education programs to enroll school dropouts and improve literacy.
Healthcare initiatives such as medical camps and Mobile Medical Units for remote hamlets.
Livelihood programs introducing sustainable agriculture, horticulture, and skill-based enterprises.

A major milestone was our advocacy for tribal land rights under the Forest Rights Act, enabling thousands of tribal families to obtain legal ownership of ancestral lands. Another breakthrough was the “Maathota” horticulture initiative, promoting fruit orchards on wastelands to ensure long-term income security. We also organized Micro-Enterprise Development Programs (MEDPs) to train women and youth in income-generating activities like tailoring and leaf-plate making.

Our Commitment

Throughout our journey, Girijana Vikas has remained deeply rooted in the community. Our dedicated team — many from tribal backgrounds — ensures that every program is culturally relevant and community-owned. Villagers are involved at every stage: from planning and implementation to monitoring and evaluation.

We take pride in having transformed many lives and villages, yet we recognize that our mission is ongoing. Guided by our founding values and two decades of experience, we continue to innovate and strive toward self-reliant, empowered tribal communities.

Legal Status and Registrations

Girijana Vikas Swatchanda Seva Samstha is a legally registered, transparent, and compliant non-profit organization. Our registrations include:

Society Registration: Under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (Regd. No. 875/2001).
Income Tax Registration: Recognized under Section 12A of the Income Tax Act; donations are tax-exempt under Section 80G (Certificate No. CIT-2/80G/15/2009-10 dated 17/03/2010).
FCRA Registration: Authorized to receive foreign contributions under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA No. 010350204 dated 06/07/2009).

These registrations affirm our commitment to transparency, accountability, and legal compliance. Donors and partners can trust that all contributions are used responsibly for their intended charitable purposes.

Chief Functionary: Mr. N. V. Satyanarayana, Secretary & Executive Director