Association for Village Advancement (AVA) is a Non Government, Non Trading and Non Political Voluntary Development Organization. In short it is entitled as AVA. Mainly AVA is an abbreviation of Association for Village Advancement. AVA was established in the year 1981 with some energetic and dedicated social workers irrespective of sex, race, caste or creed serving in BAM international a French based Development Organization working in Nagarkanda upazila under Faridpur District. Mr. Jean Louis Leterme, the then Project Director of BAM International and Mrs. Rupali Leterme patronized the struggle sincerely. From the inception of the organization, its volunteer members and workers are rendering their services for the disadvantaged and neglected segment of the country for their development in all spheres of life through motivation, education, individual and collective action by undertaking various group activities, income generating activities and cultural programs. From the very beginning of its inception AVA steped to organize haveless, poor, disadvantaged and powerless (men and women) in the remote rural areas of Faridpur district, where other NGOs were not working. Now a days AVA has been implementing different programs on Institution building, Gender equity, women rights, Human rights, Human resource development, Health education, Education (child, Adolescent, Adult), Justice, Income generating activities, Environment and other development activities all over its working areas in the south west Region of Bangladesh.
AVA initiated to form several Groups, whom then plan and manage their own professional cooperative activities. AVA disseminates and communicates the experiences gained from its field of operation through different primary groups. The Group received support from AVA in the form of training facilities, Group meeting and logistic assistance as needed. AVA organizes the poor into homogeneous groups of 15-30 persons. The group elects Board members. The group members and board members of the group obtain training from AVA on group management, leadership and other training as needed.
The group members assess their needs and find out the causes of their poverty and other situation. AVA makes a partnership relation with the group members. AVA therefore insists that all economic and social action to be undertaken collectively as their own capacity. The groups plan and undertake a series of joint activities (schemes based on traditional or new skills depending upon their available resources).
AVA works with an aim to promote the socio-economic status of the rural poor and disadvantaged people emphasizing the women and children through consciousness rasing, capacity building, institution building & capital formation with the support of credit including growth of savings and imparting self need based problem solving programs. It believes on participatory development frame work and works as a catalyst with the concern people and aspires a judgefull and equitable shareable society, where every individual could be able to live in an atmosphere of peace, justice and harmony i.e. free from exploitation, oppression and starvation, where every individual will get equal and transparent shares of the resources belonging to the society.
AVA also organizes the Villagers into Village Development Committee (VDC) of 25-100 representatives picking up 01 representative from each family of the said village for total development of that village. The VDC elected Board members. The VDC members and board members of the VDC get training from AVA on VDC management, leadership and any other training as needed.
