Arpan

Arpan is located in a little place called Bedapata, which falls under the Gopiakud post office area. We are in the Kujang region of the Jagatsinghpur district in Orissa. Jagabandhu Ojha is our project coordinator and he has been the one running things here for quite some time. It is a very local operation, rooted deeply in this specific part of the state. We don't have a big city office with glass walls or air conditioning. Our setup is much more modest, right in the heart of the community where people live. It is a practical workspace where we manage our different projects throughout the year. Most of the time, our staff is out in the field rather than sitting behind desks. When we actually are in the office, it is usually just to catch up on the paperwork or talk to the locals who stop by to see us. Being in a rural area means we pretty much know everyone who lives around here. There is no real need for formal introductions or long corporate meetings. We just sit on the porch or in the main room and discuss what needs to happen next. The roads can be a bit rough when you are getting out here, especially after it rains, but we are all used to it by now. We don't have a big staff, just a few people who care. That's enough for us.