Gramin Seva Sansthan (GSS) was founded in 1990 by a group of professionals led by Pradyumna Mishra, then a young post graduate in social sciences.

Initial years of the organisation were spent in understanding social realities and identifying issues on which the organisation was going to work with. It was revealed that the people of the area suffered from deprivation and health problems.

Thus, activities started in service delivery mode. In 1999-2000 a major change was affected in the organisation’s working and it started working in rights mode also. Awareness generation on the issues being faced by the people was key to this change. Women were a major partner in this changed strategy. Later disaster management was added to this after it was realised that women (along with children) were most affected by disasters, which strike this area every year in the shape of floods.

In the meantime, vision and mission of the organisation have been well articulated. Appropriate changes in infrastructural as well as human resource have been arranged keeping in view growing programmes. Now the organisation has emerged as a prominent organisation working in the field of HIV/AIDS and health.

Villagers through a PRA exercise