This program stands on the values of Unity and Well Being with an overall goal to foster an atmosphere of community, solidarity and ownership among the people.
Encourages local communities
To recognise issues and organize themselves to find solutions and implement them collectively.
Provides a setting
Discussion between groups that traditionally would have limited possibility for interaction.
Enables the communities
To access various schemes and projects of the government, Auroville, and other organisations.
Our Impacts
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Intercaste Exchanges / year
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Health Camps / Year
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Government Linkage Events
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Volunteers Trained in Disaster Preparedness by the Govt
Exchange Program
An initiative towards social justice and solidarity between the communities we serve. We facilitate positive interaction between people from different caste groups in the villages, to bring a sense of respect, unity and better understanding of each other.
We achieve this by providing an opportunity for different social groups to visit each other in a common setting.
Community-Based Organizations
We promote, nurture and support local organisations in our bio-region such as:
Udhayam Women’s Federation
As a registered social organisation, the Udhayam Women’s Federation counts around 5000 women in 300+ women’s groups. It is an active forum that supports the planning, execution and monitoring of all projects of AVAG related to women.
PAALAM Network
This network consists of youths, both men and women, from the villages around Auroville who are trained in development initiatives and approaches. They benefit from both, the expertises and experience of Auroville and other organisations.
Auroville Bioregional Sports and Cultural Association (ABSCA)
Initiated with the support of Auroville Sports Association, ABSCA promotes community solidarity and harmony through sports and culture in the Auroville bioregion.
Micro Projects and Work Camps
Work camps and micro projects aim at improving small physical infrastructure problems in rural communities and inculcating shared responsibility and ownership within the communities we serve.
People identify a common problem that needs to be addressed, collectively find a solution to solve it, collect resources from different sources and take responsibility to fix the issue. Usually communities contribute up to 50% of the resources needed for the projects in the form of cash, in-kind, or labor.
Often these initiatives provide opportunities for different caste and gender groups to collaborate and work together. They also play a key role for the underprivileged to improve their infrastructure and are important for the women’s groups to get recognised by their respective communities.
Events and Community Celebrations
Apart from raising awareness, Our community celebrations aim at promoting organisational and leadership skills of the participants and providing space to showcase their talents. They encourage people to go beyond their limitations and gain confidence to follow their dreams.
Coordinated by AVAG with the help of other community-based organizations, these events promote cooperation and solidarity. At the end of each event, there is always a great sense of fulfillment and togetherness among the communities.
We celebrate events such as the Women’s Solidarity Festival, Harvest Festival, International Women’s Day, International Children’s Day, Water Festival, Appreciation of Young Talents as well as various youth’s festivals and sports days.
Health, Service and Awareness Camps
Organised with the support of various community stakeholders, these camps are an effective way to benefit a large group of people, especially the most marginalised such as the poor, elders, women and children. Villages are put in contact with different services and facilities which would otherwise be quite difficult for common people to access. In collaboration with the government, special events like nutrition week, Ayurveda Day, Breastfeeding week are held to raise awareness among the public.
Women’s Health Camps
This camp helps women get screened for a variety of diseases including vaginal and breast cancers.
Eye Camps
This camp helps elders get screened for eye diseases, get glasses free of cost or at a nominal price, and receive cataract surgery at the appropriate time.
Veterinary Camps
This camp greatly benefits farmers as they provide a variety of livestock assistance.
Legal Camps
This camp is very valuable for common people as it provides them with accessible legal aid.
Emergency Response
Aimed at prevention, education, relief and rehabilitation, this initiative promotes community responsibility and encourages people to be supportive to each other, particularly towards the most vulnerable. From the COVID-19 pandemic, to the 2004 tsunami, the 2011 cyclone or the heavy rain in 2015, we see our responses to emergencies as a support for people to help and connect with one another.
AVAG is a nodal organisation for disaster management for Vanur block and works with the District Disaster Management Department in Villupuram. Volunteers are selected from our bioregion and trained in disaster preparedness and management.
Exposure Trips
Exposure Trips are organised to: promote social and cultural exchange between Auroville and the bioregion, improve skills and knowledge by learning alternative and best practices and further linkages to access support and collaboration.
Participants visit environmental, cultural, educational, and historical importance in other parts of Tamil Nadu, as well as Auroville units focused on renewable energies, organic farming, herbal kitchen gardens, healing and alternative technologies.
Visits to other institutions like Kisan Vignan Kendra, Farmer Producer Organisations, and organisations serving for the safety and rights of women, children, farmers and the vulnerable leave people feeling inspired to build a better future for themselves, as well as introduce them to other groups who live in similar conditions.
