Genesis

PACE (Participatory Action for Community Empowerment) is a voluntary development organisation deeply committed for a people centred development with the mission of empowering the dalits, women, and poor and marginalized, children and old aged community people. PACE is a non-profit, non-governmental civil society organisation, which believes in participatory approaches and practices participatory methodologies for empowering the community. Over the years PACE has developed its own distinctive identity, which is closely related to the needs of the area where it operates.

PACE was founded by a group of young and dynamic citizens who had a deep social concern and commitment for social change processes. We believed that when given an opportunity the poor men and women could rise on the occasion to help themselves much more effectively than any outside program. We also believe that mobilising the community; educating them and sharing right information would give them an advantage in their social lives.

PACE strives to educate, organise and empower the rural poor to promote people centred development as a liberating force aimed at social justice, economic growth and self-reliance.

Vision

We envisage a society free from all kind of exploitation and injustice and where no one remains hungry, unemployed, illiterate and exploited. 

Mission

To educate, organise and empower the rural poor (especially the dalits and the poor) who would in future act like catalyst in promoting gender equality, justice, socio-economic growth and self-reliance.

Strategy

The organizational strategy of PACE has the following four major components, which are as follows:

• Nature of Intervention

1. Community organizing and strengthening the group for influencing policies in favour of the most poor and marginalized.
2. Promote innovative ideas, which would stimulate change within the civil society.
3. Empowerment of the powerless especially women, dalits and the marginalized.
4. Promoting Gender equality at all levels.
5. Capacity building of individuals and groups for empowering them.

• Target Group

Women, Men, youths and children of poor and backward communities, disabled persons. Sick and old persons who need support for survival.

• Geographical Area

Central and Eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh. (Currently Operational in four blocks of Sitapur, one block in Lakhimpur , 20 slums of Lucknow city )

• Relationship with the community

PACE plays a supporting role, which is of a catalyst. In a nutshell it plays a role of facilitator. The organisation has this distinctive strategy to empower the weaker section and Dalit to ensure full people’s participation in the development processes and to facilitate their access to the processes. In conformity with this, the programmes are need based and sustainable, technically and economically feasible and socially viable.

The motivation and initiative comes from the people and their perspective. The strategy is such that the people are actively involved in programme planning and implementation. The transparency and high level of work culture is maintained for time bound qualitative and quantitative achievements.

Goal & Objectives

PACE, established formally registered as a voluntary organisation in the end of year 2000 with the vision to enable poor communities to improve their social- political and economic conditions through implementation of projects in a participatory manner.

The Main and Long Term Objectives

1. To empower the community to sustain project activities in a systematic manner, where they would initiate a process of participatory and people centred development.
2. To empower the community and encouraging them to become active citizen leaders for improving and strengthening the local self-governance.
3. To facilitate a process of social conscious and social responsibility among general masses so that they would influence the political and social dimensions for their benefit.
4. To create innovative models of sustainable development projects than can be replicated in India and abroad.
5. To facilitate a process of empowerment among the poor people so that they acquire greater dignity and self respect within individual and community.
6. To help the community  especially the dalits to get motivated to build a network among themselves hence building their peoples organizations at the grass roots.
7. Strengthening the Panchayati Raj Institutions through Capacity Building of elected representatives and other stakeholders.
8. Promotion of Micro Credit and reconstruction rural economy by initiating Income Generation Activities, suitable alternative strategies for the benefiting the rural poor.
9. Protection of environment from degradation, reservation of bio-diversity, conservation of forest resources, pollution control and natural disaster preparedness through peoples participation.
10. To promote children development through providing a better and conducive environment where they are able to complete education and live a holistic life.
11. To improve the health status of the community through encouraging the community to participate in spreading awareness about health and hygiene and also awareness building about several dreaded diseases like Cancer, HIV AIDS, blindness and any other form of disability and for adoption small family norms in the region.
12. To improve the educational status of the region though removal of illiteracy, action for school dropout children through non-formal education, provision of formal schooling for deprived children and skill development through technical/vocational education.
13. To strengthen the Urban Governance mechanism through building the capacities and perspectives of urban elected representatives.
14. Establish better social cohesion through encouraging different religious leaders and community people for peace and social harmony.

Our Core Values

1. Putting the last first. Work for the poor and the marginalized
2. Participation is a process, which leads to empowerment of the poor and the marginalized.
3. Promote value based Education of Children especially the under-privileged and marginalized.
4. Put Women’s and Children at the centre of all developmental initiatives.
5. Maintain transparencies and accountability in all programmes.
6. Efficient and effective work by all staff, which would achieve professional standards of performance.
7. Developing a very clear understanding of all projects, roles and responsibilities is an important prerequisite. 
8. Teamwork and commitment in any job assigned.
9. Completing the job assigned well within the speculated time period.
10. Regularly upgrading the skills and knowledge and always strive for excellence.
11. Fight of the right of the poor.
12. Promote People centred development initiatives and ensure people’s participation especially women and child.

Physical Resources

The organization has few physical resources. It has a residence cum office at Lucknow and a full-fledged project office at Sidhauli, Sitapur. For mobility we have 3 motorcycles field work.  PACE also has few other infrastructures, which are mentioned below.