The Association for Promoting Social Action or APSA is a rights-based, child-centred, community development organization working in Bangalore and Hyderabad since 1981 towards empowerment of the urban poor, especially with children in distress. With ‘Development Without Exploitation’ as its foundation, APSA has been a pioneer in designing unique programs that combine grassroots level work to address development issues of the urban poor, with sustained lobbying and advocacy with government duty-bearers for policy change at state and national levels. APSA’s work is built on the premise that all people have equal rights irrespective of socio-economic, political or cultural backgrounds; that there is strength in collectivization; and that vulnerable people can become their own change agents with the right information, supportive programs and replicable models which challenge exploitative structures.
APSA has found 3 unique approaches to get people together:
• Working through existing political assembly constituencies:
• Forming collectives:
• Working through Child Friendly Wards:
APSA’s work is divided under the four thematic areas of
• Child Rights and Child Rights Advocacy;
• Gender Advocacy and Empowerment;
• Alcohol, Drugs and Development; and
• Empowerment and Development of Young People.
Although each thematic area has its own specific program, many aspects of APSA’s work such as land and housing rights, awareness programs in communities and medical camps cut across all the thematic areas.