Registered as a society in 1995, the Visionaries of Creative Action for Liberation & Progress (VICALP) is a grass-root based NGO working in Gajapati and Kandhamal districts as direct operational districts. Besides this, VICALP covers Ganjam, Rayagada & Puri districts of South Orissa through campaigning and networking activities. The organization was founded by and is staffed with members/workers who are basically from tribal and dalit villages/communities in the area of engagement. After over a decade of experience working for various people’s organisations, local/Indian NGOs and international NGOs in the region, VICALP's team came together in 1995 to utilise this experience in the interest of adivasis, dalits and poor communities through a process of close cooperation and village based action. While processes of critical education and mobilization began in the early 1990s, tangible initiatives to address food, livelihood, material and rights concerns commenced in 1997 with international and national partnerships including: HELP (Canada, 1995-current), Christian Aid (UK), Centre for World Solidarity-CWS (Secunderabad, 2000-current) the People’s Rural Education Movement (PREM, Berhampur), Partenership for Transparency Fund (PTF) Washington through Public Affairs Centre(PAC- Bangalore, 2009-current), and Sri Dorabjibhai Tata Trust (SDTT- Mumbai, 2009-current)..