AAK was established in 1968 as a Registered Society  in Allahabad in 1968. The initial years were devoted towards undertaking research on problems facing the rural India. However, AAK decided that direct developmental interventions were also necessary and focussed its energy towards building capacities of people, preparing them to play a more active role in the management of public resources and institutions as well as in local government. This institutional commitment was adopted since the early 1990s and continues to this day. The initial focus was the tribal area of South Mirzapur and other contiguous areas, AAK has also worked in  the city of its birth, Allahabad, by initiating work with the urban homeless and the rickshaw pullers, among the most vulnerable sections of urban society.

AAK works with the community to enable them to exercise their rights on issues such as health and education, have access and control over natural resources, land rights and livelihoods as well as working to facilitate the provision on welfare and development schemes of the government. AAK believes that focussed attention on children, especially the girl child is essential to transform society. AAK work in the city of Allahabad has focussed on  issues of the urban homeless and migrant families including  those of cycle rickshaws drivers. In rural Mirzapur and Sonebhadra districts, the work has been  around issues of land rights, education, health, children with disability, organising self help groups, livelihoods, community organising, and  supporting local self-governance. AAK has also worked in the Chitrangi block of Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh in the recent past.

 While focusing on working with the community at the grassroots level,in both rural and urban areas, AAK also looks at linkages between the local, meso and and macro level processes affecting hunger, poverty and rights of people. AAK thus seeks to understand the impact of global, national and regional processes on local communities. It recognises that globalization and climate change processes have an influence as much as local power dynamics in shaping local conditions and links up with national level advocacy campaigns.

AAK is a registered Society with registration with the Income Tax authorities under Section 12 A and 80 C of the Income Tax Act. AAK is also registered under FCRA allowing it to receive foreign contributions.

AAK is accredited under desirable norms by Credibility Alliance which is a consortium of voluntary organisations committed towards enhancing accountability and transparency in the voluntary sector through good governance. Accreditation is given only when a comprehensive assessment is done by CA, and a VO is found to be following norms of accountability, transparency and good governance