Association for Rural Cooperation (ARCO) is a non-profit making NGO working for the deprived and most disadvantaged poor communities, especially Adibashi and Dalit communities of plain land. It started its interventions with emergency response to the extreme affected people of Joypurhat, Naogaon, Bagura, Natore, Rajshahi districts of Bangladesh during September 1995. It appeared by some young and energetic activists through a general meeting in February 1996, where they undertook long-term development initiatives with a mandate to develop a society free from hunger and poverty, where the people's rights are heighted. It was registered under Department of Social Welfare on 23 June 1997 to reach its mandate. Then it was registered under NGO affairs bureau on 8 Nov 1999 as per development needs.
ARCO was established as a voluntary organization by some young and energetic activists. The successful voluntary interventions tracked it towards undertaking the development activities for the most vulnerable, deprived, and marginal people, especially Adibashi and Dalits people. Now it has been working with the communities, which especially focus on leadership development, advocacy for services, rights and entitlements from government and non-government institutions, linkage building with service providers & market actors, livelihood promotion for increasing regular income, value chain of bull fattening and native chickens, technical, vocational, and educational training with job placement of young women and men, transfer improved agro-technology for climate change adaptation, food security and nutrition promotion, gender development, peace and conflict management, disaster risks reduction, and resilience building through community & local government initiatives, entrepreneurship development, micro-finance and house building. Its ultimate goal is to improve the socio-economic status and social inclusion of the most vulnerable, deprived, and marginal communities, especially Adibahsi and Dalits communities at rural and urban settings.
ARCO believes that each person is capable to intervene something but is hindered by surroundings in an unfavorable environment. ARCO develops their invention power by eliminating those surrounding barriers.
2 February 1996 — established through a general meeting by some young and energetic social activists.
ARCO is registered with Social Welfare, NGOAB, and Micro Credit Regulatory Authority.
| Sl. No. | Departments | Registration No. | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Department of Social Welfare | Naogaon-366 | 23/06/1997 |
| 2. | NGO Affairs Bureau | 1443 | 08/11/1999 |
| 3. | Micro Credit Regulatory Authority | 00984-01198-00193 | 25/3/2008 |
| 4. | National Board of Revenue | 738747361654 | 28/03/2019 |