A non-profit organisation specialising in multi-disciplinary, participatory, research based project implementation aimed at addressing issues of sustainability, inequity and poverty. Informing the organization's work are the values of trust, dignity for all, justice, fairness, non-discrimination, unity and learning through practice.

While working collaboratively with other organisations and developing strong and rich professional networks, it strive to build natural resource management competence in civil society, government agencies and private enterprise. AWARD believes this will help provide a foundation for robust and sustainable development policy and practice in South Africa that can stand up to an increasingly complex world.

The main geographical area of focus, although not exclusively limited to, is in the catchments of north-eastern South Africa such as the Olifants River Basin which is a major tributary of the Limpopo River and an international watercourse shared between South Africa and Mozambique.

The emergence and development of The Association for Water and Rural Development (AWARD) coincided with South Africa’s transition to democracy. The organisation’s work began as a response to the need for a multidisciplinary rural research centre that could respond to the problems of rural development within the context of a rapidly changing South Africa. In mid-1993 a series of village water projects were approved, from which point AWARD has been shaped by the context in which it evolved; from the severe drought of 1992 to a staff inputs and ideas – across engineering, social and environmental issues –that required integration in the transition to democracy. By 1996 a programme that integrated the village projects with the Water Information Project  efforts at Wits Rural Facility was launched, and in 1998 AWARD was established as an independent Section 21 Company.

Since then, the organisation has interacted with and influenced institutional changes and in turn contributed and responded to the evolution of change in context, continuing to grow and respond to the challenges of time in innovative and effective ways.

Vision
Is to contribute to a more sustainable world and in particular to a democratic South Africa where the principles of equity and sustainability are upheld and strengthened through building active civil society participation in wise water and biodiversity stewardship, management and governance.

Mission
To develop, test and inform new and appropriate ways of managing water and biodiversity so as to contribute to sustainable futures that promote the dignity of all. We seek to do this through

Research-based, participatory enquiry and implementation.
Communicating and sharing our learning and findings.
Influencing and supporting institutions with responsibility for policy and implementation.
Working with approaches that support the livelihoods of the vulnerable and poor.
Adopting innovative approaches that support transformation in line with the vision.
Adopting systemic approaches in support of catchment-based water resources management and regional biodiversity initiatives.
Adopting a social learning orientation towards capacity development.