Andhra Pradesh is home to a diverse civil-society ecosystem: grassroots rural development NGOs, women’s rights organisations, child-welfare groups, disaster-resilience networks, and large national NGOs operating strong state programs.
In this blog, we bring 10 NGOs (local as well as national ones operating in Andhra Pradesh) that demonstrably “change and save lives” through rescue & rehabilitation, nutrition, healthcare, livelihoods, disaster resilience, and inclusive education.
Let’s start with our NGO list!
Best NGOs of Andhra Pradesh
For every NGO, we bring their mission, impact, and the challenges they face while working toward a more inclusive and resilient future of Andhra Pradesh. Let’s begin.
1) Prajwala — Prevention & rehabilitation (anti-trafficking)
Mission: Eradicate sex trafficking and rehabilitate survivors through prevention, rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration, and advocacy.
Key AP activity: Though headquartered in Hyderabad, Prajwala’s methods and crisis centre models are used across South India; the NGO runs rescue & rehabilitation centres, crisis-counselling units, and livelihood training for survivors.
Impact highlights: Prajwala reports thousands of rescues and long-running transition centres that keep children of women in prostitution from entering the trade; the site documents large-scale COVID relief and survivor support drives.
Partners/challenges: Works with police and govt agencies for rescues; long-term reintegration and economic independence for survivors remain resource-intensive.
2) Vasavya Mahila Mandali (VMM) — Women & children empowerment (Vijayawada region)
Mission: Comprehensive social, economic, and political development for women and children; build community safety nets and gender-sensitive programs.
Key AP activity: Runs women’s safety networks, gender-sensitisation programs, vocational training, and collaboration projects with local police for violence prevention.
Impact highlights: Longstanding presence in Andhra Pradesh; recognised partner in campaigns for women’s safety and child protection.
Partners/challenges: Strong local networks; scaling livelihood solutions beyond urban pockets and sustained funding for crisis services are common constraints.
3) The Akshaya Patra Foundation — School nutrition (mid-day meals)
Mission: Eliminate classroom hunger and improve school attendance through meal provision.
Key AP activity: Runs multiple centralized kitchens in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, and other locations; feeding tens of thousands of children daily in government and government-aided schools across AP. The organization’s Andhra Pradesh pages list specific kitchen capacities and school coverage.
Impact highlights: Large-scale daily feeding programs contribute directly to nutrition, attendance, and learning outcomes for schoolchildren.
Partners/challenges: Works closely with the School Education Dept/government schemes; logistics and supply-chain costs remain significant.
4) Rural Development Trust (RDT) — Integrated rural development (Anantapur)
Mission: Holistic rural development: healthcare, education, livelihoods, water, and infrastructure, founded by Vicente Ferrer.
Key AP activity: Intensive work in Anantapur and surrounding mandals: rural hospitals, primary healthcare, schools, sports for development (Anantapur Sports Village), and farmer-support programs. RDT runs hospitals and health programmes that serve remote communities.
Impact highlights: RDT’s projects cover thousands of villages in Andhra Pradesh; their rural hospitals and health programmes have been central to local primary care and infectious disease management.
Partners/challenges: Long-term institutional donor relationships; the challenge is replicating models at scale beyond their established districts.
5) Vikasana / VIKASA (local Vikasana organisations) — Livelihoods, education & community development
Mission: Facilitate empowerment and socio-economic improvement among the poor through livelihood programs, education, and participatory development.
Key AP activity: Vikasana works on livelihood promotion, rural empowerment, and education programmes across several districts (includes Vikasana Institute and Vikasana-branded local NGOs); activities include training, farmer support, and community development.
Impact highlights: Community-driven projects that support farmers and youth employment outcomes; active in tribal and rural pockets.
Partners/challenges: Often partners with NABARD and local government; sustaining market linkages and scaling technical training are typical issues.
6) Ekalavya Foundation — Natural resource management, livelihoods & education
Mission: Empower marginalized communities (tribal and smallholder farmers) through natural resource management, education, health, and livelihoods.
Key AP activity: Operates projects across districts (historically both Telangana & Andhra), focusing on farmer clubs, education initiatives, and livelihood supports; reports impacting thousands of farmers and students annually. Ekalavya Foundation+1
Impact highlights: Reported annual reach in the thousands (farmers, students), with programs in water management and sustainable agriculture.
Partners/challenges: Works with community collectives; sustaining finance for long-term natural resource management is complex.
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7) SEEDS (Social Education & Environment Development Society) — Disaster resilience & community development
Mission: Build resilience to disasters and climate shocks for vulnerable communities; long experience in disaster preparedness and response.
Key AP activity: SEEDS started operations in Anantapur (AP) in the 1990s and continues to operate disaster risk-reduction and resilience programs in Andhra Pradesh.
Impact highlights: Known nationally for rapid response and community preparedness; works on early warning, community training, and post-disaster rehabilitation.
Partners/challenges: Works with government/state disaster agencies and donors; scaling localized preparedness across a long coastline is resource-rich.
8) SERUDS (Sai Educational Rural & Urban Development Society) — Women’s development (Kurnool)
Mission: Woman-centred rural development and empowerment in Kurnool and surrounding districts.
Key AP activity: SERUDS runs women’s livelihoods programs, literacy, and community development initiatives focused on the Kurnool region. Their site outlines women’s development programs in Andhra Pradesh.
Impact highlights: Focused interventions for rural women that combine livelihoods training, micro-savings, and local capacity building.
Partners/challenges: Strong local roots; need for scaling market access for micro enterprises is ongoing.
9) Uma Educational & Technical Society (UETS), Kakinada — Disability services & inclusive education
Mission: Inclusive development for persons with disabilities (early intervention, special education, livelihood support).
Key AP activity: Longstanding special-education centre (Uma Manovikas Kendram), hearing/vision screening camps, and COVID-era ration drives; active since 1988 in Kakinada.
Impact highlights: Decades of running special school services and community rehabilitation for children with disabilities in coastal Andhra.
Partners/challenges: Local donor funding and government disability schemes support programs; scaling assistive technologies is a common need.
10) Think Peace — Tribal development & education (Araku Valley and other tribal areas)
Mission: Strengthen tribal communities through integrated development—education, livelihoods, and local leadership.
Key AP activity: Began in tribal hamlets and Araku Valley; works across hundreds of hamlets with child & youth development, community self-sufficiency projects, and education initiatives.
Impact highlights: Longstanding grassroots engagement in tribal regions, with programs focused on school participation and livelihood diversification.
Partners/challenges: Works in remote geographies; education retention and sustainable livelihood linkages are persistent challenges.
RDT’s Rural Hospitals & Anantapur Sports Village
RDT runs rural hospitals and a sports-for-development model (Anantapur Sports Village / Anantapur Sports Academy) that reaches 10,000+ children across 90 centres with ~45% girls participation — an example of health + social inclusion + youth empowerment in one integrated model. These initiatives illustrate how NGOs in AP combine direct services (medical care) with broader social outcomes (education, gender inclusion, youth development).
What makes these Andhra Pradesh NGOs effective
1. Local rootedness + institutional capacity — Many have decades of presence (e.g., RDT, UETS), which builds trust.
2. Partnerships with government & police — NGOs like Prajwala and Vasavya collaborate with law enforcement and state departments to scale rescue, protection, and prevention.
3. Program integration — Health + education + livelihoods delivered together (RDT, Ekalavya, Vikasana) yields more durable outcomes.
4. Disaster & climate resilience — NGOs such as SEEDS and local farmer collectives work on risk reduction (critical for coastal and drought-prone parts of AP).
Common challenges faced by AP NGOs
Sustained funding and donor fatigue for long-term rehabilitation and livelihood programs.
Scaling while maintaining quality — piloting works, but expansion requires systems & monitoring.
Market linkages for small producers/survivors for economic reintegration.
Human resource gaps in remote areas (health professionals, trained social workers).
Practical recommendations (for donors, students, CSR teams)
1. Adopt a district-focused partnership (3–5 year horizon) rather than one-off grants; this helps NGOs scale sustained community change.
2. Fund monitoring & MEL (measurement) so impact can be quantified and scaled.
3. Support market-linkage programs (aggregation, digital marketplaces) for livelihoods initiatives.
4. Invest in psychosocial & livelihood packages (e.g., Prajwala-style rehabilitation + enterprise support) for survivors of trafficking.
5. Collaborate with state schemes (mid-day meal, health insurance reforms) to amplify reach and reduce duplication.
Best Andhra Pradesh NGOs and Nonprofits
We have covered 10 of the most impactful NGOs in Andhra Pradesh,
highlighting their work in education, healthcare, women’s rights, rural livelihoods, and disaster resilience. From Prajwala’s fight against trafficking to RDT’s rural hospitals and Akshaya Patra’s mid-day meals, these organisations show how dedication and collaboration can transform communities.
Supporting these NGOs through volunteering, partnerships, or donations can amplify their impact and ensure more lives are changed for the better. Have you worked with any of these Andhra Pradesh nonprofits? Share your experience in the comments!
Don’t forget to check our recent blogs and NGOs in India:
Discover top NGOs of Himachal Pradesh
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10 NGOs of Jammu and Kashmir saving lives
Sumita Pradhan
Sumita is a curious and creative IPM student at IIM Jammu, passionate about design, storytelling, and building smart, impactful ideas. With a love for research, writing, and communication, she thrives at the intersection of creativity and strategy. Reach out at sumita300606@gmail.com
