Association for Rural Peoples Advancement

Association for Rural Peoples Advancement (ARPA) is the name of the organization. It is Non-Profitable, Non-Government, Voluntary and Social Organization for the service of the poor majority of the rural areas of the country. 

 Association for Rural Peoples Advancement (ARPA) has been working relentlessly to reduce poverty since 2009. The north-western districts of the country are poorer than the other districts. The formal banking sector in our country is developing. But they didn’t provide financial services to the poor. This sector concentrates on large loans to the high-income group, thereby completely excluding the low-income group. The microfinance movement, however, has shown that there is a thriving market among the poor when financial products cater to their specific needs. The poor are quite active group in any economy. Association for Rural Peoples Advancement (ARPA) has shown that their needs can be met while at the same time making the institution profitable as well. Due to this, the people of these areas are socio-economically in bad condition. Illiteracy, Unemployment, Unawareness, Malnutrition and Unhealthy situations are prevailing all over the areas. As a result, the majority of the people live below living standards. Besides, the gender situation is also not good due to social malpractices. The majority of the women section are abused and tortured mentally and physically. On the other side, most of the children are malnourished and sometimes become victims of trafficking and child labor.

By observing and understanding all the above-stated miserable conditions and realities several enthusiastic, energetic and social-minded young men came forward to volunteer their services for the needy people and established an Organization named Association for Rural Peoples Advancement (ARPA) in 2009.

Vision:

Association for Rural Peoples Advancement (ARPA) believes in the service of human beings for their total (Socio-economic, Cultural, Education, Political and Spiritual) development. Therefore, it gives priority to the poor, oppressed, marginalized and deprived group of people in the society for their advancement so as to establish their human dignity, values and social justice in the community of rural Bangladesh.

Mission:

The main mission of the Association for Rural Peoples Advancement (ARPA) is to form an organization of the poor, disabled, landless, marginalized and indigenous men and women in order to integrate them in the process of socio-economic development ventures for their self-sufficiency and authentic development. 

 Objective:

i)    To eradicate poverty through undertaking different types of development and welfare activities. 

ii) To organize poor, marginalized and indigenous people into small groups for developing organizations at grassroots levels. 

iii) To promote savings accumulation and micro-credit support for socio-economic development through undertaking small enterprises. 

iv) To create employment opportunities through undertaking small enterprises and market development. 

v) To promote primary health and hygiene education for better health and nutritional conditions including supply of safe drinking water and sanitary latrines. 

vi) To promote child and adult education for awareness raising and to eradicate illiteracy and numeric. 

vii) To promote gender development programs for establishing gender equity. 

viii) To establish human rights and dignity by promoting legal awareness and support in case of need. 

ix) To ensure food security through increasing agricultural products for livelihood development. 

x)     To promote environmental awareness for controlling environmental pollution and Climate changes for eco-social security. 

xi)    To standby for the victims of natural and man-made calamities through disaster management programs.