Vinod Kumar Prajapati –Secretary/ Chief Funtionary
Vinod Kumar Prajapati serves as the Secretary and Chief Functionary of Swabhiman Samiti, providing overall leadership in organisational management, strategic planning, programme implementation, partnerships, compliance, and institutional strengthening. Since the organisation’s establishment in 2004, he has played a key role in building Swabhiman Samiti into a community-rooted institution committed to dignity, inclusion, and sustainable development.
With more than 22 years of grassroots development experience, Vinod has worked extensively with rural communities, women, adolescent girls, farmers, and marginalized populations across eastern Uttar Pradesh. His expertise spans community development, livelihoods, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), adolescent empowerment, disaster response, governance, and social inclusion initiatives.
His development journey began through direct engagement with vulnerable Musahar communities, where he witnessed systemic exclusion and unequal access to public services and opportunities. These experiences shaped his belief that lasting change requires community participation, local leadership, and accountable systems.
Before strengthening Swabhiman Samiti, he worked with organisations including ActionAid India and Sahayog, where he served in leadership and coordination roles including Cluster Coordinator, State Fellow, Campaign Fellow, District Coordinator, Mentor, Supervisor, and Project Director across programmes focused on community mobilisation, social justice, health, and rural development.
His key areas of expertise include:
• Strategic leadership and organisational development
• Programme design, implementation, and management
• Livelihoods and agriculture-based development
• Disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response
• Stakeholder engagement and partnership management
• Monitoring, reporting, and compliance systems
• Community mobilisation and systems strengthening
Under his leadership, Swabhiman Samiti has expanded community-based programmes across education, health and wellbeing, gender equality, sustainable livelihoods, and local governance while strengthening institutional systems and strategic partnerships.
In recognition of his contribution to grassroots leadership and community development, Vinod Kumar Prajapati received the Swayam Award (2016) for outstanding social leadership and grassroots impact.
