United Artists’ Association (UAA) is a development organisation devoted for empowerment of the poor. It provides support and strengthens people’s organisations, NGOs and CBOs in their respective area of operation. UAA was established in the year 1964 by a group of like-minded youth to help the people affected by natural calamities and to further efforts in establishing and maintaining educational institutions. Since then it has been working with downtrodden sections of society with focus on women and children. UAA is headquartered at Ganjam in Ganjam district of Orissa. Welfare activities were initiated as early as 1964. The youth leaders of Ganjam village came together to implement a Government drinking water supply scheme. In the year 1965, several youth clubs came together to work under a common platform and raised funds through cultural programmes & drama to be used for welfare, emergency relief and establishment of library and educational institutions. Thus the organisation derived its name –UNITED ARTISTS’ ASSOCIATION. Voluntarism was corner stone of the organisation. Up to the year 1977 UAA worked exclusively with its own funds. In 1978, the first government funded Balwadi and Crèche programme was taken up. To achieve the set objectives various activites were taken up which included community organisation, education, health and sanitation, protection of environment, training, social forestry, disaster preparedness, livelihood and application of appropriate technology. UAA has adopted a ‘bottom-up’ strategy to ensure the involvement of the community in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programme.