The Timbaktu Collective is a registered voluntary organisation. It was initiated in 1990 by a small group of activists with the idea of developing alternative, practical and sustainable models of development in the drought prone district of Anantapur, in Andra Pradesh, India.

With local self governance as the underlying theme, the Collective is developing models that address the rights of the most marginalised rural peoples - women, children, dalits, people with disabilities, the small holder peasants and the landless labour. The models include ecological restoration of waste lands, organic farming and marketing, credit creation, legal aid and counselling for women, child friendly education and spaces, livelihood through animal husbandry and organisation people with disabilities.

As part of its strategy the Collective has formed numerous village based organisations of the rural poor and promoted various producer owned mutually aided business enterprises and revived the Cooperative movement.

While the registered office of the Collective is located in Bangalore, India, the field office is located in Chennekothapalli village of Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Field Office - Chinthavanam