What is MYKAPS?

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MYKAPS is an NGO working in the southern districts of Karnataka, South India (namely Mysore, Hassan, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Kodagu) to support the disadvantaged poor, landless, tribals and children.

MYKAPS works with landless agricultural laborers, tribals, small and marginal farmers, women, youth and disadvantaged children in rural and urban areas to help them to form their own organizations and that enables them live with dignity and work sustainably. MYKAPS has projects in areas such as organic farming, sanitation, water management, health and education.

MYKAPS has two absolute core beliefs:

  • Decentralized decision making - MYKAPS believes that local people and institutions have great knowledge and strength to address their problems and that effective solution vary depending on geographical and social factors. Therefore it is not appropriate to try and install uniform solution to specific problems. MYKAPS therefore focuses on trying to help people get together to form their own solutions, with support and guidance from external agencies.

  • Building people's institutions - Rather than solving short term problems using MYKAPS staff, MYKAPS works to build ongoing, persistent groups of local people who will solve their own problems. MYKAPS supports and develops these People's Institutions, but over time their involvement reduces, as people take ownership of their own ongoing issues and problems with the inbuilt strength that they have in them. MYKAPS has experience of over 25 years in the rural development field acquired by MYKAPS from its parent organization namely; MYRADA which worked in this area with support from Plan International, a child focused organization having its Head Quarters at UK, in the past 25 years under a project namely; Myrada/Plan H.D.Kote Project.  This project was closed in December, 2007.   On phasing out of PLAN’s programs from south India. MYRADA’s experience in building peoples institutions has shown that this is a scalable and effective model for continuous growth and development.



    The following pages describe how MYKAPS functions in more detail:
  • Mission - The goals and purpose of MYKAPS
  • History- How MYKAPS has grown and evolved.
  • The people involved in MYKAPS and how it is governed.
  • The governing body members and their background and experience.
  • Geographical areas – The Districts, Taluks and towns covered by MYKAPS.
  • The legal status of MYKAPS.