Our Story: The Birth and Growth of ARA :
Satkhira district, located in the south-western part of Bangladesh, is a climate-vulnerable area.
Every year, devastating natural disasters affect this region. In the 1990s, some young people
realized that human-made problems were creating more complexity than natural disasters. The
increase in shrimp farming in this region was encroaching on arable land and increasing soil
salinity. In this situation, people were losing arable land and agricultural production, leading
to their increasing poverty and lack of work.
To address these challenges, in 1996, some young people attempted to organize the local
community and formed a community forum called ARA (Action for Rural Advancement).
Initially, this club started working on increasing agricultural production and raising awareness
about people’s rights. Gradually, ARA expanded its activities and was registered with the
Social Welfare Department in 1999. From then on, the organization began working with full
force, including ensuring safe water, informal primary education, and preventing human rights
violations. Climate change-related activities were also added to their programs.
ARA transformed into a full-fledged non-governmental organization after being registered
with the Department of Youth Development in 2001 and the NGO Affairs Bureau in 2018.
Currently, the organization operates its activities with the support of national and international
donors in various districts, including Satkhira, Khulna, Netrokona, Panchagarh, Habiganj,
Kurigram, Barisal, Bhola, and Jamalpur. During this time, ARA has established an Old Age
Home in Satkhira, which is run as a charitable initiative with the help of donors, local grants,
and its own funds.