CARPED is an action research group, formed by a group of young professionals, engaged in participatory community development.

The group registered as a Society in 1989 with an objective to facilitate better quality of life in all its realms through community mobilisation, participatory governance based on sustainable natural resource management. Thus community participation, education, protection and promotion of environment and social capital are central to the activities of the organisation. Emphasis on children, women and environment are major areas of attention of CARPED’s action research interventions that provide space for the participation and engagement of the stakeholders in analysis and change of the conditions forming the milieu of the people with whom CARPED works. Thus the target women are partners in the interventions and important stakeholders. CARPED emphasizes on making policies people oriented.

CARPED has been active in the areas of preventing displacement of the tribal communities, environment education and legal aid as part of larger networks, during the first five years. CARPED has initiated activities in Kowdipally mandal of Medak since 1994 with focus on woman and child issues and participatory community development based on natural resource management (NRM). Besides, it continued active involvement in networks, campaigns and movements to facilitate people’s development in varied spheres.

CARPED has facilitated state level networks of NGOs comprising more than 200 NGOs engaged in promotion and strengthening of participatory forestry management through Joint Forest Management/ Community Forest Management. Similarly state level network of NGOs engaged on promotion of child rights in Andhra Pradesh. CARPED has also facilitated youth sensitization programmes in the tribal areas of Warangal, Khammam and Adilabad.

CARPED prepared a good number of educational material for child labour turned students at different levels (according to their age and learning levels) and texts for tribal communities. CARPED strengthened its educational programmes by capacity building of (VEC) Village Education Committees, self-help groups and CBOs to protect child rights, literacy for adolescent girls and motivating rural youth to take part in literacy programmes.

CARPED’s understanding of community development is based on the belief that communities and marginalised sections of community would be able to collectively ensure better living conditions if they are organised and educated of the opportunities available to them. CARPED’s basic thrust therefore is on facilitating the communities to be part of the efforts in analysing their situations or informing them of the same so as to enable their involvement in evolving strategies to address the issues. Thus, CARPED’s activities are focussed on action research, information dissemination, mobilisation, advocacy and assistance. Strategic approach to developmental efforts consists of capacity building of self-help groups (Vana Samrakshana Samithis, thrift and credit groups, water users’ associations etc.) and resource mobilisation and management of government sponsored welfare measures.

Besides, it continues participation in networks, campaigns and movements to facilitate peoples’ development especially in the areas of child rights, education, participatory governance and community management of natural resources.