The origins of AAN are rooted in the historical arsenic pollution tragedy in Toroku, Japan, where mining-related contamination caused long-term health and environmental damage. The struggle of affected communities in Toroku inspired a movement focused on environmental justice, public health, and community solidarity.
In the mid-1990s, as evidence emerged of widespread arsenic contamination in Bangladesh’s groundwater, AAN expanded its focus to South Asia. In 1996, AAN initiated field surveys in Bangladesh to understand the scale of contamination and its social and health impacts. One of the earliest pilot projects was implemented in Samta village, Sharsha Upazila, supported by external funding and community participation.
Following successful pilot initiatives, AAN established permanent operations in Bangladesh, opening offices in Dhaka and Jashore around 2000. Since then, the organization has continuously worked in arsenic-affected regions, refining its technical approaches and strengthening its participatory model.
Over time, AAN’s scope expanded beyond water testing and mitigation to include community training, health awareness, institutional strengthening, and research collaboration, reflecting the complex and multi-dimensional nature of arsenic-related WASH challenges.