In ' '' 1983 ' '' , AVAG was founded by Bhavana Dee Decew " to act as a bridge between Auroville and immediate neighbours . " At that time , a few programs with children and women were started in the villages surrounding Auroville . Gradually , professional social workers joined and turned AVAG into an official developmental project . With OXFAM India 's help starting ' '' 1991 ' '' , AVAG expanded its scope in terms of working areas and adjointed activities and field staff could be recruited and trained . The '' ' Commonwealth Human Ecology Council ' '' ( CHEC ) of the '' ' Overseas Development Agency ' '' ( ODA ) - UK , later called the Department for International Development ( DfID ) , also supported AVAG so that its work expanded further . Thanks to the DfID 's funding , the '' ' Women 's Federation ' '' and the '' ' men 's groups ' '' could also be established in ' '' 1999 ' '' . When the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami hit Tamil Nadu , AVAG experienced a major financial and labor crisis . Many activities had to be reduced or shut down but it was sustained with the help of the women and men SHGs and the leaders of the villages . ACDC also supported AVAG 's work in the tsunami hit areas . ACDC continued to support AVAG until ' '' 2009 ' '' . In ' '' 2010 ' '' , the social enterprise initiative got started with the assistance of the '' ' Sustainable Enterprise Development in the Auroville Bioregion ' '' ( SEDAB ) , scheduled to run until the middle of ' '' 2016 ' '' . The BMZ project set up a revolving fund with the German government 's support , mainly for enabling the distribution of grants to poor girls for obtaining a better education . '' ' Currently ' '' , AVAG is working on setting up education programs for adolescent girls and boys and marketing its products more . Also , '' ' flood relief ' '' after the hundred-year 2015 South Indian floods in the Villupuram district is still going on
2015 South Indian floods
2015 South Indian floods
Auroville Village Action Group