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From the Grassroots

Up one level

Read stories of people's hope, courage and despair from urban and rural South Asia.

Grassroots Innovations
Ensuring food for every child: Sunday stopped being the usual Sunday in Odisha's Silva Gram Panchayat in Nuapada district ever since Sabita Pradhan, an anganwadi worker, stood up for the rights of children. She had a simple question: "Where will the children of poor families eat on Sundays?"
Providing dignity to untouchables: Campaign for Dignity, an ActionAid supported campaign in Madhya Pradesh, is working towards motivating the local females trapped in the practice of manual scavenging.
Tibetan women protect their habitat: A Tibetan NGO is helping to build women's rights on local environment issues and strengthening restoration and clean up programmes to protect Tibetan plateau's wilting habitat.
What drives farmers to kill themselves?: Successive crop losses, mounting debts and rising health and medical expenses lead yet another farmer to commit suicide. Here is the story of Dayasagar Sahu from one of India’s most backward districts, Bargarh (also, home to Maoists, or a violent internal conflict against the Indian state) in the state of Orissa along India’s eastern coast.
Eat, play, learn: Sixty-days camps for tribal children in India's western state of Rajasthan offer education, food and sanitation to impoverished kids.
All in a day's catch: A livelihood project of six self-help groups in the eastern Indian state of Orissa has helped hundreds of women earn more by cultivating crabs for export.
Immunisation push results in polio free India: Extensive vaccination drives and support from initially hostile Muslim clerics have helped to eradicate polio even from the worst affected city in India's eastern state of Uttar Pradesh.
Lighting up on solar power: An offshoot organisation of Grameen Bank is providing inexpensive solar lighting for Bangladesh’s villages with no electricity.
Save the Indian 'anganwadi': World’s largest community based Indian child development scheme is crumbling in the western state of Rajasthan with low enrolment of children and mothers, scarce infrastructure and non qualified staff.
Birth pangs in India's Sunderbans: Expectant mothers living in inaccessible island villages across the East Indian state of West Bengal are finally able to access community health centres for institutional deliveries.
Water plants bring prosperity to Bangladeshi women: Poor women are trained to produce paper from water hyacinths and make them into Christmas decorations to be sold in the West.
Prawns bring profits for Bangladeshi farmers: Rice farmers in flood-prone Bangladesh are finding solution to their climate problems by breeding crabs in their waterlogged fields thereby boosting their incomes.
Women turn waste into wealth: Women Self Help Groups in southern Indian state of Kerala are turning trash into cash to make Kovalam district a ‘zero-waste area’, with help from a local NGO.
Green expedition of brave women: A group of women pedaled through the East Indian coastline from Kolkata to Kanyakumari spreading feminism and environmental awareness.
Nepal's forestry sparks growth: Amidst political instability, Nepal’s Godavari community forestry group has helped the local people to earn their livelihoods while conserving forests.
Assamese tea-growers brew fresh profits: The small tea growers' community in the northeast Indian state of Assam is making a significant contribution to the state’s economy through their business.
Friends unite to educate girls: An educational trust founded by nine friends who graduated from a leading Indian institute in 1969 helps in providing free education and vocational training to over a hundred girls by sponsoring three Rajasthan-based schools.
Breaking HIV/AIDS taboos through folk art: A team of artists is spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS using folk theatre across 156 villages in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu and breaking myths about the disease to eliminate discrimination.
Banking on Trust: Tara Devi's story
Promising Profits: Ram Milan's story
Pakistan's poverty driven suicides: Poverty and unemployment in Pakistan are making the poor commit suicides as witnessed in the recent death of a young father from Sindh who self-immolated himself outside the parliament in Islamabad.
India: Wives of political prisoners fight back: Emotional trauma, health problems and poor financial conditions do not stop women in West Bengal from fighting for the release of their husbands and other political prisoners who refused to surrender their ideals before an unjust system.
Midwives saving countless lives in Afghanistan: Amidst all odds, newly trained midwives are providing basic healthcare to over 20,000 mothers and children every month across five districts in Afghanistan. The country faces highest number of maternal deaths in the world.
Women, water and sanitation: Mula Devi is on her mission to raise mass awareness about water and sanitation among women in Bundelkhand region of central India, making toilets an absolute necessity from a needless luxury.
Three women and the plough: Lokur, Teiland and Bhagwati are among India's 'farmer scientists' honoured for their innovative agricultural practices and local business models.
Sweet scent of success in Srinagar: With the global market in medicinal and aromatic plants expanding rapidly and climate change making it unprofitable to grow traditional crops, lavender cultivation is offering a viable alternative to Kashmiri farmers in north India.
Mainstreaming education for the differently-abled: Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has established the Education and Training Institute for Children with Different Abilities (ETC) to empower them to live with dignity ensuring their integration in the mainstream through various integrative rehabilitation measures.
India: Women fighting misfortunes of water shortage: Breaking traditional barriers, poor women from the marginalised section of the Bargwan village of Uttar Pradesh have started voicing their opinions about prevalent water shortage problem to ensure women’s first right to water in the region.
Nepal: Conserving nature through religion: World Wildlife Fund has joined hands with Buddhist Lumbini Development Trust of Nepal and planted 108,000 tree saplings at Sacred Garden of Lumbini promoting harmony between humans, wildlife and nature to help Nepal adapt climate changes.
'Mothers' nurturing the lives of India's homeless kids: An NGO has started the first SOS Children’s Village in Faridabad of northern India to provide a natural family environment and security to orphaned and abandoned kids who were in dire need of love and care.
India: Village girls discover the playground: A German Hockey Village Project is teaching hockey and English to little girls and boys in the remote Indian village of Garh Himmat Singh in Rajasthan to give them a better life.
Nepal: Government follows farmers lead on seed-banks: As the impacts of climate change make farming in Nepal even harder, women farmers left short-handed by the migration of their husbands and sons are reverting to local crop varieties and setting up cooperative seed banks.
A sweet change for salt workers: A social enterprise called SABRAS is empowering salt workers in the western Indian state of Gujarat by giving them a share in their company and offering fair prices for their produce to protect them from middlemen. The company also provides cost effective and environment friendly solar pumps to improve the efficiency of the salt producing process.
India: In this village, women map their lives: Women in semi-arid Bundelkhand region in east India, have organised themselves into Self Help Groups through an NGO to prepare maps of their neighbourhood. These maps help local women locate water bodies in their vicinity and lobby for their rights for water.
Enterprising growth benefits locals: A non-profit in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu is helping local herb gatherers and cultivators earn more for their produce. By grouping them into a corporate structure, the initiative has opened access to local markets and business deals with large companies.
Woman leads sanitation programme in Indian slums: A woman health officer has motivated the sweeper community of Kalyani township near Kolkata to shun open defecation and start using toilets. These sweepers now use theatre to spread awareness and motivate fellow-sweepers to maintain good hygiene and sanitation.
Technology labs solve problems in rural India: A rural technology lab set up by SELCO in a remote village along India’s west coast is providing innovative low cost solutions to common problems faced by villagers. SELCO, a social enterprise, is the brainchild of 2011 Magsaysay award winner Harish Hande.
Nepal creates earthquake awareness through schoolchildren: Thousands of school children in Nepal are benefiting from an earthquake awareness program organised by the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS). Students in this earthquake-prone country receive training in first aid, triage, light search and rescue and basic disaster management planning.
Nepal: Water management secures farmers' livelihoods: By implementing her training in water harvesting, storage and conservation, a Nepali farmer's success is inspiring others to take up water management techniques, thus improving food security and reducing reliance on food aid.
Transforming lives through 'special skills': A social entrepreneurship initiative called 'Rangsutra' has helped many poor households to increase their savings. Thousands of traditional artisans across India constitute its main producers and shareholders, of which 70% include women.
India: Saving girls with song, drama and chromosomes: Using games, skits and attractively coloured props, community workers in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh are educating people against gender based discrimination and blaming women for giving birth to girls.
Green homes welcome Pak flood victims: Architects of the voluntary Heritage Foundation are building weather-resilient eco-friendly homes for flood victims in Sindh province. Use of local workforce to construct these inexpensive houses has created jobs, revived the local economy and encouraged people to adopt a greener lifestyle.
Women deliver good health in a Maoist country: In the Maoist belt of India's eastern state Orissa, where doctors fear to venture, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) serve a community deprived of healthcare. Fearless and dedicated, these severely underpaid women work within limited funds and facilities to save the lives of many.
Microcredit makes Bangladeshi women self-reliant: Around 10 million women in Bangladesh have started cottage enterprises through micro credit offered by Village Education Resource Centre (VERC). The NGO aims to rescue women from poverty by providing them ample opportunities to explore new skills.
Tuning in to 'our own voice': A community radio initiative in the East Indian state of Bihar enables locals to voice their problems and raises awareness on issues of mother and child health. The initiative is launched by UNICEF and a local NGO in technical collaboration with OneWorld Foundation India.
Education, shelter for North Indian street kids: Shachi Singh has rescued many children caught in menial jobs at Lucknow railway station and rehabilitated them through Ehsaas, the NGO she founded. Her relentless efforts have turned the station free of child labour and sensitised police against atrocities on these street kids.
Afghan girls at the forefront of education: Reopening of Kabul’s school brings hope for girls who experienced dire standards of education under Taliban rule. The government, international aid agencies, students, teachers and parents have joined hands to rebuild quality education.
Fighting tuberculosis in urban Indian slums: Operation Asha is treating Tuberculosis in urban slum areas through the use of local counsellors to spread awareness and technologies to observe patients on a regular basis. The operation aims to eradicate the disease and its fear among poor patients and their families.
Microfinance empowers women in Bangladesh: A local NGO helps women in remote villages of Bangladesh to raise their own funds for microfinance. Struggling with chronic poverty the programme has empowered hundreds of women to start their own enterprises.
Campaign alerts young minds against abuse: Government schools across the South Indian city of Chennai are using wall-hangings and posters to spread awareness regarding child abuse. The campaign is a joint effort of the state government, a local advocacy group and UNICEF to curb child abuse in schools and elsewhere.
India: Tribal 'seed mothers' confront climate insecurity: In the eastern state of Orissa, women are advocating traditional farming methods using locally cultured seed varieties and bio fertilizers. These women are spreading awareness regarding the resilience of these seeds against drought and water-logging.
Film promotes new farming technique among Indian farmers: The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is gaining popularity in the eastern state of Bihar. Developed in Madagascar, this new rice cultivation process is being promoted through a film to end farmers' worries of irrigation, better yields and soil health.
India: 'Barefoot' women light up remote villages: The Barefoot College in rural Rajasthan is training local women to become solar engineers. By lighting up rural homes, these semi-literate women are earning decent money and a strong social status for themselves.
India: Women reclaim neighbourhood: Women in a resettlement colony near the Indian capital have learned to manage their water, sanitation and waste. Trained by NGO Jagori, they are now seeking to make their community a safer and secure space.
Sapped of life: India’s tribal leaf gatherers: For the tribal women of Orissa, plucking leaves off the tendu shrub is a way of life. Laborious and long hours spent on the job barely give the impoverished community enough to survive.
India's nomad children find a school of hope: In the foothills of the Shivaliks in India's Uttarakhand state,a school realises the dream of education for its marginalised nomad children. Run by a local NGO, the school provides vocational training to create livelihoods.
Towards greener pastures: In a small hamlet in the South Indian state of Kerela, a web professional epitomises energy saving, green lifestyle in the lap of nature. His Low-impact Farmstay Experiment (LiFE) saves energy while reducing global carbon footprint.
India: Community radio to strengthen grassroot voices in Andhra: Cheeded village in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has effectively implemented many development programmes through community efforts. In recognition, the village has been awarded a community radio-station to raise awareness on rural schemes and discuss issues like micro-credit or animal husbandry.
Healthy, hygienic schools for Afghan kids: Access to safe drinking water and good sanitation is a major challenge in remote Afghanistan. UNICEF and the Government of Finland have set up water pumps and hygienic toilets in schools to ensure health of the children.
India: Newborn care units fight infant mortality in Bihar: A neonatal care model has helped reduce infant mortality in the Indian state of Bihar. These sick new born care units operate round the clock to save the lives of over 90,000 babies born with complications each year.
Women rising: From ploughing the land to working the law: Land leased out to women for agriculture in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has transformed their capacities and participation. The experience has numerous lessons for transformative policy and practice on land rights in the country.
Pakistan: NGO revives education in Swat: As quake, flood and Taliban take turns to destroy Swat province in Pakistan, a local NGO restores the hope of education for children by building low-cost and fastrack schools in the Valley.
Child reporters for social change in rural India: Children have taken up reporting in Chhiattisgarh to fight issues ranging from child labour to gender based discrimination. As a part of UNICEF’s Child Reporter’s initiative, a local newspaper gives voice to these children to raise awareness on good and bad social practices around them.
Safer schools for Myanmar's children after cyclone Nargis: Plan Asia, an organisation for child rights, is building schools in Laputta township of Myanmar which was devastated by cyclone Nargis in 2008. Disaster drills are conducted in these new schools strong enough to survive any new catastrophe.
India: Children spread awareness through slum maps: Children from slums of Indian city of Kolkata have been engaged in a unique exercise of chalking out a map of their slum pinpointing every small detail. The map provides data on the availability of clean drinking water, health facilities and polio immnunisation.
India: Fighting malaria in rural Orissa: DFID India and Orissa government fight malaria in rural Orissa through trained community health workers who raise awareness against the disease, provide early diagnosis and distribute mosquito nets to the poor.
India: Adolescent girls resist child marriage in the North-east: Girls in the state of Assam are increasingly becoming aware of the ills of early marriage through adolescent girls clubs. These clubs, run jointly by UNICEF and the local administration, spread awareness on the rights to gender-equality, education and economic independence.
Bleak lives in the pits: Child labourers of Jharkhand: The mines of Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district in India increasingly employ children as labourers depriving them of their basic rights to life and education. Driven by poverty, these children grapple with health hazards, sexual harassment and sometimes even death in the poorly administered mines.
Community initiative to rejuvenate drought-hit farms: After seven years of government inaction, residents of Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh, India undertook a community initiative to dig six kilometres of channels to bring water from government canals to their farms. The area had suffered a severe drought in 2003 and shattered the prospects of good crop yield and soared forced migration rate.
Child marriage in Bangladesh: Empowering young girls to make informed choices: The Family Planning Association of Bangladesh is helping young girls in rural areas to make informed choices about their future. FPAB works in madrasah schools across the country and provides counseling, support and information to adolescent girls and their families about the perils of child marriage and early pregnancy.
Women in blue deliver justice in rural Nepal: Groups of women in Nepal are filling the gaps in its weak judicial system through a UNICEF run programme which trains these women to fight legal cases of domestic violence and child abuse. These groups are actively disposing cases in 23 districts of Nepal where the Sate has minimal presence.
By the people, for the people: Through regular ‘mohalla sabhas’ or neighbourhood meetings, citizens in Trilokpuri ward in India’s capital, New Delhi, are taking action against the inefficiency of local leaders and bureaucrats. By holding local officials accountable for their poor performance, the sabhas offer a democratic platform to residents to voice their concerns and take a lead in the development of their areas.
A tech savvy lunch for India's children: The Akshaya Patra Foundation's automated kitchens are doling out mid-day meals to over a million school children each day in India. Working in partnership with the government in eight states, the NGO's innovative lunch model has been noted for its quality, time and cost management.
Electrifying rural Bihar:The 'best from waste' route: A sustainable route to rural electrification has been taken by the entrepreneurs of Bihar who paved the way for alternative development in rural India. Husk Power System uses the waste material of rice husk to light up the off grid villages at a low cost and in an environment friendly way.
Sari squad on a mission to protect wild life sanctuary in Bangladesh: Chunati Wildlife Reserve has got its guardians in a group of local women who patrol the forest, donning their green saris, seeking out illicit tree fellers and poachers who are damaging the wildlife and the century-old trees. The enthusiastic endeavour of the local women are proving beneficial as the Reserve, once heavily damaged by logging and farming, is observed to obtain a new lease of life.
India: Community guides empower young girls of Maharashtra: An agriculture research institute in southern India is responding real-time to the knowledge needs of farmers by training women to interact virtually with scientists and seek solutions. This agro-advisory system has helped local residents battle a severe drought which struck the region a couple of years back.
India: No brides for men without toilets at home: The "No Toilet, No Bride" campaign is involving young Indian women to bring the much-needed social change and improve sanitation facilities, especially in rural and semi-urban areas. Women across the country are putting forth the condition of installing a toilet before they say yes to a man for marriage.
Young tribal girl fights harassment, wins National Bravery Award: Teenaged Sunita was living a life of trauma and seclusion after the ‘moral panchayat’ in her village punished her for falling in love by publicly stripping her and making her parade in the village. But she faught back. The culprits were behind the bars and Sunita won the National Bravery Award for her exemplary grit.
Assam’s Kishori clubs give a voice to young girls: The Kishori (female adolescent) clubs in the tea gardens of the Indian state of Assam are platforms for young teenage girls to raise awareness on important issues related to them. These clubs, formed by Bharatia Cha Parishad along with UNICEF, have given a voice to these girls and have inspired many to think beyond the boundaries.
India: Baby friendly initiative to promote exclusive breastfeeding: The Baby Friendly Community Health Initiative promotes exclusive breastfeeding among pregnant and lactating mothers in the Lalitpur district in Uttar Pradesh, India through counseling and practical illustrations. The project aims to reach every child under two and is showing significant progress which is reflected in the notable improvements child health indicators.
From plight to progress: Vidarbha sets example for farm success: Places like Yavatmal and Buldana in the Vidarbha region of Maharahtra have been infamous for farmer suicides owing to a severe farm crisis a couple of years back. A unique participatory approach to micro-irrigation funded by a German bank has brought water to farms, revived them and has placed the villagers on the path of prosperity.
Vijaywada becomes first Indian city to guarantee water for all: Vijayawada has become India’s first city to ensure universal access to treated water, a distinction yet to be achieved by metropolitan cities. Concerted efforts to use water rationally, cut waste, and provide connections at moderate rates at the consumer’s doorstep has also earned Vijayawada Municipal Corporationa a National Urban Water Awards for 2009-10.
India: Young village girl inspires peers to join school: When all of Lalita’s classmates dropped out of the village government school of Sherpur village in Madhya Pradesh, her parents kept aside their dilemma observing Lalita’s unflinching dedication to her studies and hard work to excel in education. Her perseverance well reflected in her report cards, also inspired other girls of the village to go to school.
A one woman mission to educate children: A semi-literate woman from rural Orissa is on a mission to educate every single child her life can touch. Rendering her services for free, ever since 1964, she has born the mantle of an honoraray teacher at the village school.
Post-floods, Pakistan springs to life through community efforts: Joop Koopman of Concern Worldwide narrates the stories of struggle and hope in his mission to aid flood affected locals of Pakistan through community-partnership programmes. The water, sanitation and hygiene programme have helped the locals in more ways than one.
Fashionably conscious: Japanese consumers help support cotton farmers in India: The Peace by Peace Cotton Project in Orissa implemented by Chetna Organic in partnership with Felissimo Corporation, Japan is strengthening the fair trade and organic movement by helping farmers go back to nature to grow better, trade better, and profit better.
Combating gender based violence with youthful, interactive posters: Delhi based women’s resource and training centre, Jagori has come up with interactive graphic-novel-style posters and campaign material to generate awareness on issues of gender-based violence. These posters proclaim gender violence is unacceptable and non-negotiable.
India: Sex workers get their voices heard through community radio: Snehalaya, an NGO in Ahmednagar district in the Indian state of Maharashtra has set up the first community radio station in the country dedicated exclusively for sex workers. The station will have 14 hours of programming every day and is expected to take the issues related to sex workers into the public sphere.
Girls in Bihar pedalling their way to education, empowerment: The Indian state of Bihar, previously notorious for high drop-out rates among girls, now sees confident young girls smartly dressed in uniforms riding to schools on their shining new bicycles, thanks to Chief Minister's Bicycle Scheme. With transportation costs drastically reduced, parents are no longer reluctant to send their girls to school.
India: Villages join hands to clean-up polluted Yamuna: People from 73 villages in Mathura district in northern India have come together in the region’s biggest public initiative to clean up the Yamuna river and make its water potable. A super body called Yamuna Mitra Panchayat will oversee the clean-up efforts and ensure that river is not misused.
Micro health insurance ensures care for all: Yeshasvini is a successful example of how a micro health insurance scheme can cut across social strata to provide access to health care even for the poorest of people.
Kushal Kishori Pariyojna: Awakening the spirit within: A JICA sponsored initiative is enabling women to take the control of their lives and in the process is ushering an era of gender equality in a traditionally conservative community.
Greenhouses bringing home profitable yields: For years, hyper-competitive markets and lack of awareness in adopting modern farm methods made agriculture barely sustainable for small farmers in and around the Kalimpong in West Bengal. But now, innovations like localised greenhouses, systematic farming methods and easier access to markets has ushered in an era of growth, productivity and profits.
Solar home systems light up rural Bangladesh: A simple plug-and-play technology, the solar home system is providing an excellent off-grid electricity solution for rural Bangladesh. Harnessing solar energy, these systems can be purchased against micro-loans which can be repaid in easy installments.
India: Marginal farmers pedal their way to prosperity: Treadle pump, simple and cheap micro-irrigation tool developed by International Development Enterprises, India (IDEI), is revolutionising agricultural practices of marginal and landless farmers. The lightweight portable pump uses foot power to lift water from underground and can pump out almost 5,000 litres of water in an hour.
Bangladesh: Community-based approach to eradicate acute under-five malnutrition: NGO Médecins Sans Frontières has initiated a pilot programme in Bangladesh to drastically reduce acute malnutrition among children under the age of five. Health promoters visit homes to identify severely malnourished children and offer cooking demonstrations emphasizing on food hygiene to mothers.
Brigade of tough women overturn powerplay in Bihar: For scores of women in the Indian state of Bihar who silently bear atrocities like domestic violence and sexual harassment, the Mahila Brigade is a boon. It is a self-mobilised group that empowers women to fight for their rights.
UP village empowers HIV+ women to fight her case: Tuksar village in UP didn’t outcast Praveen Devi for the misfortune of contracting HIV+. Rather the village set a unique example of empowering her by electing to the block level so that she can battle the hospital whose negligence caused her disease.
Motorcycle pump to irrigate farmland, revive agriculture: A poor farmer from Jalgaon, Maharashtra has developed a motorcycle run water pump which does not need electricity to operate.
Young women ready for social change: Adolescent girls and young women from Chamoli district, Uttarakhand had never before been so confident and aware of their rights. A joint initiative of Mamta Samajik Sanstha (Mamta), Dehradun and Japanese NGO Terra People ACT Kanagawa (TPAK) with support from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), has breathed a new life into them.
From kitchen to clinic: India's pioneering HIV/AIDS centre: Eco-Kitchen, initially funded by the Y.R Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YR CARE), supplies meals to be sold by women at road-side kiosks throughout Chennai. These women, affected by HIV or victims of exploitation, are now leading an honourable life, thanks to Eco-Kitchen.
MGNREGA: making way for womens' empowerment: Unique features of the MGREGA seem to have made it a woman friendly initiative, with more women than men enrolling in the scheme across India.
HIV positive women run eatery, live with zeal: In a small town in Tamil Nadu, India, a duo of HIV positive women successfully run an eatery. The example has helped generate awareness for the disease besides gaining social acceptance of people with HIV/AIDS in the region.
A silent agricultural revolution: An innovative agro-horticultural programme, JICA Regional Horticulture Promotion Project at Dr.Graham's Homes in historically agrarian Kalimpong, is encouraging the return of many local residents to their farming roots. One key factor behind this movement is the transformation of agriculture from an activity that barely ensured sustenance to a potentially profitable one.
Spreading the light of education in Pushkar: Mara Sandri, an Italian from Dominican Republic, runs a foundation Fior Di Loto in Pushkar through which she has been successful in educating girls, providing medical assistance to villagers, and a monthly stipend to senior citizens and widows in the area.
Nepal's new initiative welcomes children to school: Nepal government’s Welcome to School initiative, supported by UNICEF aims to bring children previously deprived of education to schools. The scheme, rolled out in all 75 districts of the country, targets disadvantaged communities to increase enrolment of children, provide quality education and create awareness among family members about the need for education.
Rural women provide indigenous solutions for employment: A group of colleges and training centers are drawing rural women from across India and the world. The centers equip uneducated and semi literate women with vocational training which they use within their villages and in the process have transformed indigenous livelihoods.
ASHAs deliver hope for mothers, newborns: In Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh, northern India, the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) have been prime mover in ensuring healthy mothers and newborns. A new campaign partnered by policy makers, UNICEF India and the indigenous communities has tapped the immense potential of ASHAs and has transformed healthcare for women and infants.
India: Rural women work to counter open defecation: Rural women in Himachal Pradesh have come together to counter open defecation in the state. Slowly bringing about a change in the general mindset, they have achieved 92 per cent success rate. The state now aims to be totally devoid of open defecation by the year end.
メディアによるNGO連携事業紹介
Helping farmers help themselves: Farmers in a group of four villages in Mulshi Taluka, near Pune, are setting a successful example in working a participatory approach to planning the development of their village. Supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and ICA India, these farmers have initiated a cooperative movement that has bestowed water, milk and money to their village.
Polio immunisation powered by community workers: A small town in Uttar Pradesh, India has managed to battle polio through relentless efforts by community health workers. Under a programme run by UNICEF, these workers immunise more than 98% of the under-five children during each vaccination camp.
All up to fight child mortality: In the Kamaalganj block of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, women like Saira Begum are working to improve the health of the infants through programmes run by UNICEF and the state government. The result is better immunisation levels and reduction in polio incidence.
Securing lives and livelihoods: A multi-touch approach for healthy, self-reliant village communities: By equipping rural communities in Allahabad, India, with tools of education, information and awareness, Japanese NGO: Asian Sustainable Holistic Approach (ASHA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are transforming lives.
Pregnancy and childbirth support in Pakistan: Pregnant women face immense risk during childbirth in the makeshift camps of flood-hit Pakistan. A programme run by the government, in collaboration with UNICEF, provides essential care to women during pregnancy and ensures safe childbirth in these camps.
Hassle free loans for farmers: Micrograam is an online platform to raise credit for farmers from retail investors. Operating from Bangalore, India, it provides hassle free loans at low interest rates to encourage agriculture in rural hinterland.
The khaki-clad take charge of development in village: In Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, Eastern India, men in khaki do more than just policing. These policemen, along with a young doctor couple, actively engage in community service to solve the problems of health, employment and infrastructure of the village. The results are overwhelming.
How Eco-San works: Working of the eco-san/dry toilets
SHGs gearing to make Kovalam a model panchayat: Leadership training with a blend of engineering, community management and environment innovation has united the people and members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in Kovalam panchayat near Chennai towards initiatives that would make their panchayat a role model.
Hospital on wheels for Uttarakhand villages: In the rural hinterland of Uttarakhand, India, a mobile hospital van is making a huge difference to the health and well being of the locals who earlier had limited access to health facilities. The Arogya Rath not only provides medical services but also spreads awareness regarding health and reproductive issues.
Elevated handpumps are saviours for villagers fighting floods: In Bahraich district of northern Uttar Pradesh, India, hand pumps fitted on a raised platform were the only source of drinking water to the 400,000-odd people during floods. This concept of a young IAS officer serves as a model for other flood prone districts of the states.
Singhbhum: Ekjut promises health for women, children: An NGO which works in the remote tribal areas of Jharkhand, is making a huge difference in the way new and expectant mothers, and their infants are taken care of. The result is a massive decline in maternal and child mortality in these otherwise “inaccessible” areas.
RTI rescues Rajasthan women from hunger, deprivation: In Vijaypura village, marginalised women, especially widows, have used the RTI tool to procure food grains under PDS and are living a healthy life. The movement, instigated by a young RTI activist, boasts of achieving the millennium goal of reducing hunger by half in the region.
Online social investments to knock out poverty: India’s first online social-lending platform, Rang De, procures credit for low-income grassroots entrepreneurs through its website. The scheme allows lenders to choose their borrowers based on the business plans they offer.
Microfinance transforms the face of Western Rajasthan: Six districts of Western Rajasthan are engaged in a novel venture which provides micro-credit to self help groups of local women. This initiative empowers these groups to efficiently regulate credit flow and reduce poverty and unemployment.
'Nukkad Natak' - street plays for AIDS awareness: A theatre group in the state of Uttar Pradesh in eastern India performs street plays based on social issues. The troupe, in partnership with the special AIDS awareness train, currently focuses on sensitising local people about HIV/AIDS.
Care with compassion and commitment: The Ananda Hospital at Sirsia village of Kushinagar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, has successfully raised awareness on public health and hygiene among the people. Supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the charitable hospital provides efficient primary health care services to the rural poor.
Sri Lanka - a role model for best maternity practices: Unlike many Asian countries, Sri Lanka boasts of excellent health indicators including the practice of breastfeeding among women. Professor Priyani Soysa from Colombo has revolutionised the health system through institutional and behavioural interventions, which have ensured that Lankan children are raised hale and hearty.
New infant care model saves lives: Infant care in the remote areas of India's eastern state, Jharkhand has been revisited under the Reproductive and Child Health Programme. The latest approach trains health workers in villages to focus on prevention, treatment and management of malnutrition, and minor childhood diseases.
Women wage battle to win over poverty, oppression: Suffering from extreme poverty and male oppression, the women of Darkali village in Madhya Pradesh, India, are now able to feed their families through employment under the MGNREGS. The wages obtained under the Scheme help them augment the family resource base.
Protect, promote and regenerate through local initiatives: At a time when increasing demands of rapidly expanding population have resulted in creation of wastelands due to desertification and soil erosion, a silent revolution is taking place in the Srikakulam district of northeastern Andhra Pradesh. Seven hamlets are engaged in developing micro watershed areas to conserve, nature and promote sustainable rural development
Solar lanterns spread light of hope: TERI, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) along with other corporate partners unveiled their innovative solar lanterns at a conference held in Delhi.The lanterns are designed to provide off-grid lighting solutions for villages.
Bhutanese maids get help at hand: The Bhutan association of women entrepreneurs recently proposed a project to the labour ministry that it would recruit groups of women and train them in services expected of domestic helpers. This would bring them a sense of security and empower them to run the business themselves.
India's women architects of eco-friendly home: Chitra Vishwanath, Anupama Kundoo, Shimul Javeri Kadri are few names who have brought revolution at home by designing and building eco-friendly residential structures. Their creations are comfortable, reduce emissions, and cost effective.
Bangladeshi students unite to save rare tree: Discovered on the Dhaka University campus in 1970s, the Talipalm tree that carries great medicinal values is now on the verge of extinction. Students across the campus are therefore battling to save the last living plant of the tree.
Torch bearers of the northeast peace mission: The recent economic blockade in Manipur saw women play key role in keeping families afloat even as they attempt to forge peace. Individual activists along with a number of women organisations took active part in resolving the conflict and ensuring normalcy in the valley.
Four women usher hope in conflict valley: With an episode of tragic history of violence and conflict, Kashmiris are long anticipating for peace and justice. In such a scenario, four women, each of whom in their different ways are working to make a difference in the region.
A silver lining for the old: Helplines addressing needs of the elderly have been established by many NGOs in India. They provide assistance on issues ranging from health care and security to social and financial needs, bringing bring a fresh breathe of life to the elderly population suffering from neglect, depression and loneliness.
India's poor set eyes on green cremations: Green cremation emerges as an alternative to elaborate and costly death rituals in India. Traditional cremation undertakers, state and international cooperation programmes are pushing it as an option to reduce the country’s carbon footprint and avoid expensive cremations.
Technical assistance empowers women sericulturists: More women are expressing interest in silkworm rearing with the Department of Sericulture in India extending support to the farmers in terms of subsidies and technical wisdom. This has resulted in the empowerment of marginalised women who now earn a monthly profit of over Rs. 25,000.
Bridge over troubled water: Hundreds of students across villages in Bangladesh have to wade through the muddy water of a dying river to attend classes. To end their woes, district administrators have made arrangements for a bridge to help them commute to school.
Gold Award for Indian manufactured solar lamps: D Light Design India has won the prestigious Ashden award for developing a solar lamp that saves the developing world from health and pollution problems associated with the use of kerosene lighting. They take home £40,000 ($61,000) Gold Award, and loads of appreciation for lighting many lives.
A world of literature for the visually challenged: Visually impaired Nepalis have been deprived of reading materials for years, simply because there was nothing available in Braille. However, the establishment of a Braille library is providing them access to a plethora of books on diverse topics that also serves the dual purpose of entertaining and empowering.
For Peace, from Kerala to Manipur: 17 activists participated in the Hind Swaraj Peace March from May 8-23, 2010 to express solidarity with the non-violent struggles across the country. During their journey, they propagated Gandhian principles of peace and non-violence, and enacted plays depicting Irom Sharmila protests against violence in her state.
India's solar-powered zoo keeps animals comfortable: The first in the country, Lucknow's Prince of Wales Zoological Garden is using solar energy to create a congenial environment for the animals. Renu Singh, the driving force behind the path breaking initiative is developing a micro-climate and also plans to launch a state-level solar hospital at the zoo.
Opening a whole new world of wildlife to children: Two environmentalists on their mission to save the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, few kilometers from Pune, Maharashtra found that enriching unexposed tribal children about the eco-system and extinction could be the best way to safeguard wildlife. Today these children carry a legacy of love and protective attitude for their verdant home.
Himachal up against hydropower projects: Locals are opposing hydropower projects in parts of Himachal Pradesh for destroying mountain biodiversity that is affecting livelihoods. Thousands of trees have been axed down increasing risk of landslides, and the river Satluj and other water channels have been turned into dump sites for projects debris.
A novel plan to create forest: The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has announced a plan to rejuvenate degraded forests by providing land for plantation and payment to the beneficiaries. To be taken up under the Poor People's Participation programme, it will offer additional source of income to about 1.5 crore people living in villages adjoining forests.
RTI becomes the tool to fight climate change: India’s Right to Information Act has appeared as an excellent tool to combat climate change for many activists. According to them, many bodies involved in climate change policy making process initially failed to answer these applications but are now delivering information that shows big gap in the country's knowledge and planning on climate issues.
Holistic herbal healing for rural women: Shodhini network which focuses on health care to meet women’s special needs has done remarkable work in improving the health of rural women and boosting their self esteem. Differing from the patriarchal systems of medicine, the network gives importance to local wisdom and holistic approach for treatment.
Crusader for family planning gets awarded: Pano Hembram, a non matriculate Santhal girl sensitises women in seventeen remote villages of Seraikela-Kharsawan on importance of small families. Recently, her contribution in the field of reproductive health got recognized by CII Woman Exemplar Award 2010.
Agartala switches to CNG-run pyres and vehicles: Capital of the northeastern state of Tripura, Agartala is all set to become India’s first green city, with CNG-run pyres and transport. By 2013, the state plans to cover the entire city with piped natural gas (PNG) making it cost-effective and eco-friendly.
Caste panchayats defying the law of land: A recent landmark judgment in an honour killing case sent shock waves among caste panchayat leaders, as it reminded them that they were not above the Constitution. In Haryana, the number of cases in which the khap panchayats have defied law has increased manifold.
Lighting up lives of rural girls with education: A residential school in Uttar Pradesh, in north India meant for girls from the marginalised and low income families is helping them out of poverty and providing them an opportunity to be educated. One hundred solar-powered SUNNAN lamps, donated by IKEA Social Initiative, enable them to study even when lights are out.
Tiny tots campaign for eye donation: Slum children presented a musical dance in story–telling form at India’s national capital to raise awareness on eye donation. Their enthralling performance convinced many to donate their eyes and in return made each child feel like a star.
Mango farmers switch to organic farming: With increasing input costs and degrading quality of Alphonso, many mango farmers in a south-western district in Maharashtra are switching to organic farming for greater benefits. The cultivators however seek the government to offer compensation for survival during these transition years.
Learning to adopt good sanitation practices: The support of District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) and UNICEF has led to the introduction of toilets in a majority of schools in villages across Orissa with an aim to sensitise children on adopting hygienic practices. The students further convince their families and communities of the benefits of toilets.
Dalit farm women offer tips to Vidharba: Women farmers of an Andhra Pradesh village are providing sustainable farming techniques to peasants in the neighbouring Vidarbha region, infamous for farmer suicides. These women are enriching locals with alternate farming ideas and also offering good agricultural practices through special schools.
Subsidised electricity for rural households: The first in India, Kabbigere Gram Panchayat sells power to the state power grid at a very nominal rate that is also environment friendly. Locals associated with a self-run biomass power plant, initiated under a joint UN-Karnataka Government project have benefited economically, and experience more greenery in their area.
A farmer finds his key to prosperity: A local farmer from the hinterlands of south India has set an example for others, by refuting the old perception that farming is unprofitable, and instead employing multi-cropping methods and agricultural integration on his 2.1 acres of land. It has earned him a huge profit as well as an award.
Nepal nunnery introduces kung-fu to empower nuns: The introduction of kung fu in the Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery outside Kathmandu has been more than welcome by the nuns. The practice of kung fu has helped them increase their concentration, gain strength and boost confidence.
Teenage kids stage protest for education: Young children of a colony, in Delhi’s Ferozeshah Kotla launched a protest on Wednesday, demanding a chance to study in a good school. The local protest raises a national issue of lack of availability of quality education to the masses.
Women spearhead flood management in eastern India: Having lost everything to the floods in 2000, the women in villages of Bengal decided to take rehabilitation efforts into their own hands and formed almost 500 self help groups. With training from various organisations, they have been successful in devising ways to minimise dangers of future flooding.
India's massive religious congregation goes green: In Kumbh mela, this year spiritual leaders are propagating a green and sustainable lifestyle. From promoting organic foods, organising cleanliness drives and propagating the ills of building dams on rivers, leaders of various religious camps are going all out advocating environment protection.
Majuli to become an eco-sensitive zone: Asia’s largest river island is soon expected to be declared as an eco-sensitive zone. Union Minister for Forests and Environment has asked the state government to send a detailed proposal and assured that they would take steps to conserve the region’s bio-diversity and its culture.
And then there was light...: A whole lot of energy initiatives taken across the rural parts of Maharashtra are bringing about remarkable changes in the lives of marginalised villagers
Nepalese surgeon 'god of sight' to poor: Dr. Sanduk Ruit runs a mobile eye camp that provides free service to poor in a remote mountain village in Nepal. The simple surgical technique is attracting doctors across the world who train under him and then go on to teach others repeating the cycle.
India: Eight year old uses RTI for garbage removal: Aishwarya, a student of class III in a north Indian school filed the RTI, for the removal of a garbage disposal site in front of her school. The letter was forwarded to the local Municipal Corporation and the dumping has stopped.
Bihar's karate kid in UNFPA Calendar: A 19-year-old girl, Asma Parveen, brought fame to her family and village by being chosen for the prestigious UNFPA calendar this year. Her determination to study tilted the balance in her favour, as well as making her the first girl in her community to attain the brown belt in karate.
Coastal communities protest nuclear plant in India: A 10,000 megawatt nuclear power plant proposed in a remote village in India's commercial capital, Mumbai has instituted a people's movement for endangering ecology as well as their livelihoods. While administrators claim of procuring rights over land and expected environmental clearances, locals refuse to abandon their ancestral homes and farms.
Women Journos focus on 'paid news': In the annual meet of Network for Women in Media, India, 120 women journalists participated. Focusing on the issue of ‘paid news’, experts dealt with issues such as constructive intervention from media, situation of women journalists in print and visual media, gender sensitivity and outlook of region media etc.
Lankan women writers breaking barriers: Young writers from Sri Lanka, free from stereotypical ideas and philosophies, display diverse writing skills reflecting their unique perspectives in style and language. While getting a work published often requires more than mere creative craft, most writers are finding new ways to carry their own visions and values.
Solar lamps bring promise of a new life: The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalays in the northen Indian state are providing opportunities to girls like Divya, who come from a poor family, to realise their dreams. To enable the girls to study after sunset, a Swedish company with the help of UNICEF is providing solar lamps.
Changing the rules: Woman sarpanch leads the way: Enraged by the men’s opposition to women invading the village chaupal, 42-year-old Sunita Devi in the hinterlands of a north Indian state, Haryana broke stiff rules to become the village sarpanch. She is now working with other women in spreading awareness on sex determination tests and leading by example.
UNICEF launches campaign against child marriage: Children like Anwara Khatun from the Sunderban area of West Bengal, India have been creating a silent revolution in the state against child marriage by asserting their rights. UNICEF along with the state government has launched a movement against child marriage with an effort to secure children's future.
Widow's struggle for justice: Widows in India are deprived of their ownership rights of property, which makes them more vulnerable and it contravenes the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women as well as the Indian Constitution. Diverse personal laws and the cultural non-acceptance of widowhood further aggravate their condition.
Children of sex workers denied a fair chance: A large number of children of sex workers drop out of secondary education embarrassed by their family situation or because of lack of funds in the famous City of Joy, Kolkata. For girls, there is the added pressure to follow their mother's footsteps to earn a living.
Villagers go online to marry without dowry: Under a joint collaborative between the panchayat and a women’s right NGO, a website has been launched in a village in south India that exclusively promotes dowry-free marriages. It also serves as a window to form interactive online communities on issues ranging from marriage customs to gender justice.
Women key beneficiaries of microfinance ventures: Microfinance initiatives across the world are making a shift in their approaches from providing loans or credit to encouraging ‘savings’. While women like Sumitra from India have taken benefits out of such schemes, emphasis is given on providing women with leadership roles in future.
Magic lamps for power-starved homes: Winner of the best electronics product in energy at the India Semiconductor Association's annual conference, the Egg Lamp is about to transform Indian homes. The light-weight solar-cum-mobile charging lamp expected in the first half of March will bring in health and social benefits.
India: Healers of the coast: Local women engaged with self help groups are bringing sustainable changes in the Gulf of Mannar, a narrow strip of land on the southern coast of India. Non-fishing activities are enhancing incomes and local resources are being used in ecologically sensitive ways.
Clean water for families in Bangladesh: Large rainwater tanks installed in a village in the southern coastal area of Bangladesh under a joint support programme are helping people access safe water closer to home. With few drinking water sources and approaching dry season, villagers ensure that tank water is used only for drinking and cooking.
Social entrepreneurs of rural India: Representatives from the developing countries of Asia-Pacific region and Africa are attending the ongoing 10th Commonwealth India Small Business Competitiveness Development Programme in Jaipur. An insight into the successes of women’s self-help groups in livelihood generation activities has left the delegation highly impressed.
A witch tag to women for property: Almost every other day, a woman is branded a witch or victimised for witch-hunting in the hinterlands of India. The frequency of such assaults and the dismal conviction rate, despite the existence of the Prevention of Witch Practices Act, has terrified victims into a silent acceptance of the cruelty.
School that breaks the barriers of stigma: A unique education centre operated by a network of 65,000 commercial sex workers in the east Indian state of West Bengal offers free vocational training to children of sex workers, besides offering a safe and comfortable shelter. A special peer educator programme also helps children learn about HIV/AIDS.
Encouraging sustainable practices in India's river basin: Tribal women of a catchment area in central India are mobilising villagers to improve soil depth and increase water recharge. The Man River basin faces a serious problem of over extraction of groundwater due to the mismanagement of dam irrigation that is also increasing social inequities.
India: First tribal village to get revenue status: 60 yrs after independence, tribals of a forest reserve area in north India get the rights over their land enabling them to use forests produce. The Forest Rights Act 2006 has been instrumental in providing community ownership of forests that was denied to them for over 100 years.
Helpline for north-eastern people: A support centre and helpline service run by a crusading lawyer at the national capital is providing assistance to men and women of the North Eastern community subjected to acute harassment and discrimination. It offers appropriate legal assistance to ensure the victims get justice.
Tribal youth leads in protecting biodiversity: An eco-mutiny carried by a youth in India’s north-east has inspired many people to join a non-violent protest against illegal mining in the Garo hills. Recipient of the Young Naturalist Award, he has helped locals set up conservation reserves, besides building pressure to formulate a mining policy.
A stage set to fight trafficking: Many women folk artistes not only sell their talent for a pittance, but also end up imposing themselves on others for a living. A unique initiative by an anti-trafficking NGO is helping these women earn self-respect by showcasing their talents in formal settings, attended by art lovers in good numbers.
Vanishing watersheds increasing climate risks: Lack of understanding of traditional water systems and political will is affecting livelihoods in the hinterlands of a north Indian state. Unless steps are taken to revive the earthen wells, villagers will continue to suffer inordinately from severe droughts and forest fires.
Tribal farmer offers lessons in literacy: To ensure that every child in the hinterlands of a western Indian district and the surrounding areas get an education, an illiterate tribal farmer stretched his meagre resources, providing free food and shelter, so that villagers would send their children to schools.
Silk for all seasons: Unpredictable rain patterns and persistent droughts with its damaging effect on seed and cocoon production is compelling muga cultivators in India’s north east to opt for alternative livelihoods. An experiment by a local couple however resulted in a healthy, sustainable and disease-free silk that resists extreme weather.
Defying pressures to marry young: Although Asu Kanwar from Rajasthan in western India received a bravery award for opposing child marriage, she continues to fight the harmful social practices. UNICEF along with EU is supporting girls like her with educational and skill training to help them to carve a niche.
Kids paper opens up new horizons: ‘Mukta Akash,’ published by young reporters of Dibrugarh spotlight issues affecting children such as school dropout, child marriage, corporal punishment and hygiene. Part of a UNICEF initiative, it aims to uphold and promote children’s right under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Rural Indian women stand to be counted: A few gutsy and spirited female chiefs in the hinterlands of western India are initiating transformation and advancement in their communities in a myriad ways.
Promoting sanitation during floods: For many women in India’s north east, floods bring additional worries as it makes defecation problematic. Even after the introduction of the low-cost toilets, villagers feel the practice of open defection will continue unless government formulates effective sanitation programmes.
Made in India: Hansiba, the first rural artisan of SEWA India has been instrumental in creating hand-made products that are both eco-friendly and fashionable. Her works have not only inspired many women artisans, but also brought international fame to the traditional embroidery works.
Healthy feeding practices to tackle malnutrition in India: UNICEF’s positive deviance programme is enabling sustained behavioural change among parents in a poverty-stricken village in eastern India. The initiative encourages mothers to cook more nutritious meals and use existing solutions to improve feeding practices.
Mobile library for children in remote India: A unique mobile library Boi Gari engaging local children in eastern India is generating literacy in rural areas. Children traveling into different localities not only read out stories to the poor kids, but also teach them how to read.
Empowering Sunderbans with rice husk: After years of waiting, 11 remote villages in the Sunderbans delta on the Indian side can finally look forward to getting electricity in the new year. Interestingly the electricity will be generated from rice husk.
A new twist to social audits in India: Bihar figures at the lowest rung of almost all development indices in India, and sends a large number of migrant workers to other states. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act holds a special promise for the rural poor here, but the state has fared poorly in the implementation of the scheme.
Witch tag only on dalits and minorities in Nepal: In Nepal’s Lalitpur district, a 46-year old dalit woman was mercilessly beaten up for being a ‘witch’. Activists say it is a shame that people, particularly women from dalit and minority communities, are tortured and treated with such disdain that they are forced to eat their own excreta.
In the wings: Indian heroines of 2009: Far from the arch lights of the media, Women’s Feature Service takes a look at some lesser known women who have turned the societal tide against them. They have shown through their extraordinary courage that they were the true newsmakers of 2009 – and also an inspiration for the coming times.
The sun shines on the future: Rampura in northern India’s Jhansi district is an envy of its neighbouring villages. The reason is that it is perhaps the only village in the entire state that has round-the-clock power supply, thanks to the solar power.
Managing money in Bangladesh slums: In Bangladesh, SafeSave has been lending small amounts of money to poor women in rural villages who want to set up small businesses. Started 13 years ago by a former British aid worker, it has played a crucial role in lifting people out of poverty.
India: Anganwadi workers make a difference in rural Rajasthan: Poverty, ignorance and a patriarchal mindset often leave women in rural India in despair and apathy. By becoming Anganwadi workers, three women in Rajasthan's Churu district make a fresh start towards self-reliance and knowledge.
Women in India rally together to fight injustice: A 40-year old woman in India’s northern state fought valiantly to seek justice for her 10-year old raped child. She has now become an epitome of courage and is now proactively involved in fighting the cases of violence against women.
Contaminated drinking water plagues Indian village: In an unnerving finding, fluoride content in water is resulting in severe deformities and skeletal disorders among villagers in an east Indian state. Even with an increased number of the physically challenged, the villagers continue with the same due to absence of any alternate water source and ineffective administration.
Geographical Indication certificate for Benarsi saris: The Indian government has granted Geographical Indication (GI) certificate to the weavers of Varanasi. Henceforth only those saris will be considered ‘Benarsi’, which are produced in Varanasi, Azamgarh, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Mirzapur and Sant Ravi Dass Nagar.
Sherpas running a hospital in the high Himalayas: A local Sherpa, who received his medical degree thanks to a grant provided by Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation, is helping to build a strong health system in Nepal’s Himalayan region. The hospital, besides conducting minor surgeries and basic tests, is also providing family planning services to the locals.
Saying no to child marriage: For centuries, in parts of rural Rajasthan in India, child brides were stifled within the walls of patriarchy. However, young girls and their mothers are now raising their voices loud enough to be heard beyond the courtyard.
Info-ladies make life easier in Bangladesh: A revolutionary idea is bringing relief to millions of poor Bangladeshis entangled in a multitude of problems. Taking the aid of ICTs, the info-ladies are bringing crucial information to the doorsteps of people.
Girls resist child marriage in parts of India: In a gradual yet emerging trend, many girls are drawing inspiration from each other to stand up to oppose child marriage. Regardless of their poor backgrounds, these girls are displaying a tough resolve to express their desire to live healthy and complete their education first.
Green electricity for Indian villages: A simple and strictly local power generation system using rice husk in Bihar has proved that rural Indian communities are willing and able to pay for reliable electricity. This has kept the costs down, which is essential for their venture to be financially sustainable.
Tribals in India adopt terrific toilet training: Tribals in central India have adopted hygienic practices. For the first time ever, villagers own a house with its very own toilet, which is no mean achievement for the country, where 60% homes do not have toilet facilities.
Revival of old practice comes handy in times of drought: By reviving an old farm practice of pata, women in this western Indian district are ensuring food security in times of drought by growing vegetables, fruits, sorghum and pigeon peas. Traditionally, pata signifies a woman’s space in agriculture, which had lost its significance after Green Revolution and commercialisation.
Taking libraries to villages in India: Beginning with one school in 2000, Pune-based entrepreneur and activist Pradeep Lokhande has set up libraries in 100 rural schools of Maharashtra in western India to inculcate reading habit in children. The initiative has helped young students acquire a better understanding of things and confidence.
Modified solar lamp connects Indian village: In a remote south-west village without electricity, a modified solar lamp is helping to dispel darkness and facilitate communication. A tiny plug point to the lamp's base allows charging of mobile batteries and even television viewing.
Local eco-teens lead biofuel pilot project: Two teenagers in southern India learnt about sustainable agriculture from a group working with the rural poor. They then convinced a plant biotechnology company to collaborate with them on their project to cultivate jatropha to help the farmers augment their income and protect the environment.
Nepali girls get 'hands on' on new tech: New innovations in Nepal have provided an incentive for poor rural girls to enroll in schools and pursue higher education. Initiatives like One Laptop Per Child and installing computer labs in public schools are helping more girls to get familiar with new technology.
India: Highlighting climate change impact on grassroots: At a recent public hearing held in Jaipur, people from all over India came together to share their experiences and speak of how their lives and livelihoods, traditions and culture are being impacted by climate change. It was organised by Oxfam India in collaboration with CECOEDECON.
Women crusaders 'on the prowl' for timber mafia: A group of tribal women in eastern India has helped restore the neighbourhood forests. Carrying traditional weapons and humming folk warnings, these women go on routine patrolling to track timber mafia engaged in illegal felling of trees.
From Mumbai's margins to Copenhagen: Angry slum dwellers in India’s commercial capital asked several questions regarding climate change and its causers during a public hearing organised by Oxfam. There is a need to listen to the voices of people who are facing the vagaries of changing climate in their day-to-day lives.
India's hills are alive to climate change: At a public hearing held recently in Rishikesh, ordinary people from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand talked about how climate change was impacting their daily lives. A similar national hearing will be organised in India’s national capital early next week.
Money growth policy for Indian villages: A plantation drive being carried out in the districts of an eastern Indian state is helping villagers get employment through nurturing tree saplings. Engaging rural households with social forestry has brought them relief during failed monsoons.
Educating and empowering the girl child: Patriarchal mindset in a western Indian state that denied women equal access to education is now changing with the development of residential schools for girls. Established under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, these schools have acted as a catalyst for social change by providing quality education.
Microfinance for solar power: Unique microfinance schemes are lighting the lives of South Asian villagers. In a region where millions go without electricity, the use of solar-powered devices such as solar cookers and lanterns will go a long way in promoting the use of renewable energy while bringing down carbon emissions.
Indian women farmers coping with climate change: At a recent public hearing, Indian women farmers voiced their helplessness in dealing with the ramifications of global warming. While men are increasingly migrating to towns in search of employment, women are left to struggle against erratic weather patterns, rising temperatures and decreasing groundwater levels to support their families.
Songs from the koel's flute: A storybook written and illustrated by the children of tribal communities in eastern India reflects their imaginative potential and proximity to nature. As part of a literacy project, it has provided them a chance to think independently through creative learning.
A 'boat of hope' for islanders in India: Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research, in partnership with UNICEF, has introduced a boat ‘Akha’ to bring healthcare to the remote islanders of northeast India. The medical ship with a 10-member crew will contribute towards better maternal and childcare, as well as support community-based school initiatives.
'Earthy goods' for rural India: A corporate executive set up a social enterprise ‘Earthy Goods’ to help rural women in Himachal Pradesh find employment and boost their working capital. In three years time the community enterprise has not only empowered villagers but also created a market for eco-friendly products.
Women hand pump mechanics on the move: A UNICEF initiative is training poor and marginalised women of eastern Indian state of Jharkhand in repairing and maintaining hand pumps in the villages. Not only has it helped them to earn self-confidence and economic independence but also contributed in management of clean drinking water in households.
Biogas brings green revolution to rural Nepal: Households in rural Nepal are installing biogas plants to avoid health risk and combat climate change. In addition, these plants are helping villagers augment their domestic income and promote forest conservation.
Gemi Diriya empowering Sri Lanka's rural communities: World Bank’s rural development programme has helped communities across three southern provinces in Sri Lanka to encourage savings and start their own small businesses. By facilitating income-generation activities among unemployed youth and women the project has helped in their empowerment.
India's model village: A small village in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya has become the envy of its neighbours and visitors are thronging it to find the reasons. Experts say Mawlynnong's effective local governance system and the matrilineal society have played a huge role in its development.
A sisterhood built on water: Decades ago four young women went to Gujarat, a state in western India, to infuse a new life in the government’s welfare schemes but failed in their attempt. They did not give up hopes and continued to engage with local communities to help them solve their water problems.
Nepal's dalits get a brand new life: Dalit community in Nepal was particularly susceptible to various kinds of diseases because their houses did not have stoves and toilets. All that is now changing with the untiring effort from a Member of Parliament, who also happens to be a gay, writes Sudeshna Sarkar.
Quest for change in a Muslim ghetto: Mehbullahpur locality in the city of Lucknow in northern India has a population of about 50,000, comprising largely poor Muslims. Shakila Begum, with her team of 10 volunteers, is trying to bring change in their lives.
Out of school girls find hope in residential schools: Residential Bridge Course, an innovative educational programme running in central India has provided many school dropout girls a chance to rediscover themselves. Using play methods for teaching, the UNICEF-Uttar Pradesh government led initiative also helps them learn leadership and life skills.
Village pumps out clean water using solar power: A solar water pumping system has drastically changed lives of people in eastern Indian state of Jharkhand. The eco-friendly model has not only helped villagers grow vegetables and augment income but also revived the community way of life.
School reaches doorstep of drop-outs in India: Yellow buses – equipped with TV screen, books, puzzles and toys – are reaching out to children of migrant workers in India's capital. This DFID funded government project has been successful in getting dropouts back in school.
Microfinance in India empowering women: Using microfinance, women in southern India are running viable businesses and contributing to family income. Hundreds of thousands of women are opening up grocery shops, engaging in poultry and livestock, pappad or pickle making, pottery, vegetable vending, bangle or trinket shops, and beauty parlours.
Post earthquake, village learns to build safer homes: Last week’s Lok Awaas Yatra, a journey to experience sustainable habitat initiatives across rural India, visited Malumbra village in western Indian state of Maharshtra. Ravaged by an earthquake in 1993, the local communities have constructed houses keeping in mind needs for safety and sanitation.
HIV-positive women get user rights to till land: In southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, 20 HIV positive women are toiling the land in the hope of promising dividends. Suzlon Foundation, a multinational company, under its corporate social responsibility initiative, has given the user rights to till 46 acres of land to these women.
Herbal therapy for dead trees in India: Using traditional knowledge inherited from their forefathers, members of a tribe in north India have helped in rejuvenating almost 70% of dead trees of a long abandoned forest. Applying a mixture of herbal paste to the stubs has done wonders in the woods.
India's first tribal university faces government apathy: One year after India’s first central tribal university began, it continues to be mired in bureaucratic delays and local politics. Launched to promote education and research among tribal communities, it is facing financial crunch and lack of infrastructure.
Lankan farmers begin afresh with flood-resistant rice: Lying inundated for years, the abandoned paddy fields in south-western Sri Lanka are being recultivated. A UNDP initiative has introduced new technologies to help farmers clear choked canals and grow flood-resistant rice varieties in the region.
Delhi's resettlement colony demands better governance: A public hearing organised by Jagori at a resettlement colony in India’s national capital last week revealed the failure of local agencies in ensuring clean and safe environment. The meeting concluded with the decision to send a delegation of youths and women to meet authorities for claiming their rights.
Poor elderly eke out living under government scheme: With 90 million people above the age of 60, India has the second largest population of elderly people in the world. In the absence of adequate social security, the government’s rural employment guarantee law is helping them to earn their living, even though it involves hard labour.
Rainwater harvesting in Pakistani district: An innovative project by a local NGO, in association with WFP and the Sindh government in Pakistan, is helping people cope with the drought related problems in Tharparker district. The rainwater harvesting has been taken in a big way in this district that receives below normal rains.
Fishermen in southern India in dire straits: The stranglehold of moneylenders is tightening on fishermen in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. With fast depleting catch due to reckless pollution, it has become difficult for them to repay their debts and make a living.
Van panchayats script a success story: Van panchayats in India’s hilly state of Uttarakhand present a perfect example of government and citizens coming together for the management of natural resources. These autonomous local institutions have helped in preventing forest fires, illegal felling of trees and poaching, without compromising on the community's needs for timber and fodder.
Tree project takes root in Afghanistan: A tree-planting project launched by an all-women local council in central Afghanistan is helping to build a green environment. With support from WFP, local women have planted around 2,500 saplings.
Young scribes spread awareness in eastern India: An initiative by UNICEF has helped children in Koraput district of Orissa don the mantle of young reporters. Under the programme, more than 1,800 children have been trained to produce a bi-monthly newspaper highlighting issues like lack of safe water, child marriages, and hurdles in attending school.
Villagers build road to get brides: A Bihar village in eastern India finds it tough to find brides due to poor connectivity. Frustrated by the local administration's apathy and broken promises to build a road, the residents have decided to take the matter in their own hands.
Women in India coming out of the closet: Thousands of girls across Maharashtra in western India are escaping the oppression of their homes and gaining new confidence. They are attending meetings of the Adolescent Girls’ Group, which imparts professional training and equips them with basic knowledge about gender, health and nutrition.
Cooperatives help rural women reap profits from poultry: Women in Jharkhand no more go to bigger cities in search of livelihood. Helped by Pradan, a nongovernmental organisation, these rural women in eastern India formed self-help groups to start poultry business. Today they are enjoying improvement in their standards of living.
Indian women empower themselves against all odds: Empowerment of women is a regularly discussed subject among NGOs, bureaucrats, funding agencies and policymakers. Touring across Maharashtra in western India, OneWorld South Asia correspondent finds cases of true empowerment wherein women have struggled against the biggest odds to find their own feet and voice.
Indian villagers tap traditional ways of water storage: Rural communities in two Indian states have turned to ancient models of drought mitigation and water conservation. NGOs, have helped them form watershed associations and repair old tanks and other irrigation systems to cope with changing climate.
Wind power puts Pakistan island back on track: Coping with severe power crisis, an island in Pakistan has installed wind turbines to run homes and businesses with support from local charities. The country has the potential to generate 50,000 MW using wind power, mostly in southern Sindh province.
Mizoram villagers brave dam waters in protest: A small village in Mizoram, a northeastern state in India, is facing threat of submergence from a newly built dam. The local tribals are refusing to leave their village, and demanding adequate compensation package for the loss of their livelihood and property.
Smart card for healthy living in India: A smart card launched by the government of India provides quality health facilities to people in rural areas, who lack access to basic healthcare. The cashless scheme offers more choices to the poor and saves them from falling prey to corrupt practices of officials.
Poor women turn company directors: In a unique step towards self-empowerment, a group of marginalised women in a western Indian city has set up a company to manufacture plastic bags. The objective is to provide livelihood opportunities to other poor women and not profit generation for the owners.
Empowered women of Rajasthan: Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan has been spearheading a social movement in India for close to two decades now. Ita Mehrotra traverses the villages of Rajasthan to find how women have been playing a pivotal role in every struggle – be it the fight for governance accountability or the effective implementation of employment guarantee law.
Dying orange orchards of Bhutan: For years, orange orchards of Manitar have provided the Bhutanese farmers more than just a livelihood option. But due to the sharp fall in the yield caused by climate change, farmers are abandoning their old profession and venturing into more lucrative businesses.
Online service brings 'peace of mind' to rural India: A unique public-private enterprise has democratised information services in a south Indian state, providing easy access to digitalised records from birth certificates to pension documents. The initiative is not only bringing e-governance on the doorsteps of millions of rural poor but also empowering them with language and IT skills.
Indian villagers protest for clean and healthy environment: Unscientific dumping of waste in a remote village in western India has brought enormous suffering to the local inhabitants. An increased spate of skin infections and epidemics led villagers to protest against administrative negligence and forced the latter to take immediate remedial measures.
Women demand political commitment to fight HIV/AIDS: At a conclave held before the Lok Sabha elections in India, HIV positive women and activists urged for more political will and commitment from leaders of the country. Raising the demand for land, subsidised rations and pension funds, the victims sought more laws to ameliorate their conditions.
Epilepsy patients in India look for life partners online: In western India, Sanvedana Foundation has started an online portal to help those suffering from epilepsy find life partners. For past five years, the organisation has been providing patients consultancy and guidance in treatment and management of the disease.
Bringing prosperity in Dalit land: As part of its corporate social responsibility, a pharmaceutical company has come forward to promote self-employment among dalit villagers in western Indian state of Rajasthan. Women’s self-help groups are manufacturing ready-made garments and other items to augment family income.
A contraceptive revolution in India: An Indian couple is steadfastly engaged in bringing winds of change in rural Bihar by motivating people to the benefits of a small family. With the help of thousands of volunteers, they are reaching out to married couples who want to control their family size but do not know how.
Afghan refugees sewing up a new life in Iran: A UNHCR funded project has trained thousands of Afghani women in Iran in tailoring, language and computers. Learning to become self-sufficient, these women refugees are now encouraging their daughters to get educated.
Indian NGO brings a positive change through education: A local NGO in Manipur in northeast India is supporting education of HIV+ children with financial and material assistance from altruistic individuals. There are many such children in the state who remain deprived of school education due to the poor economic conditions of their parents.
Zero farming helps Indian farmer restore soil fertility: Disheartened with drop in yield, a farmer in south India took to ‘zero farming’ to fix the natural balance of the soil. The use of the technique has not only increased food productivity but also transformed the field into a mini-forest, which helps in preserving the natural habitat.
Creating new spaces for social outcasts in India: In a small but significant departure from tradition, dalit women, sex workers and transgenders are being engaged in managing restaurants and coffee shops in India. Considered as untouchable and social outcasts, these groups are now presented with opportunities to try out new professions.
Women's group douses tribal flare-ups in northeast India: In Assam, a conflict-ridden northeastern state of India, women and children are facing the wrath of militant outfits and security forces alike. An apex women’s body of the Karbi tribe is working towards their empowerment and is also taking up peace-building initiatives as one of its activities.
The making of a model village in India: From a village where everyone lived in poverty, Hiware Bazaar in western India today has emerged as a model of rural sustainability through people’s participation. It shows how the right kind of efforts can bring about miracles and attract people back in its fold who had left it for lack of opportunities.
Helping people start off small business in Sri Lanka: In Galle district of Sri Lanka, a local NGO is helping people to come out of the vicious cycle of poverty. Thousands of people have started income-generating projects with assistance from Gemidiriya Community Development and Livelihood Improvement Project.
Justice delivery from a feminist perspective: Nari Adalats or informal women’s courts in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, have been playing an important role in dispensing justice to women. It began 12 years ago as an innovative experiment for providing social justice at the grassroots level.
Women in India rein in drunken men: In a Haryana village in northern India, four-year long struggle led by some gutsy women has brought an end to consumption of liquor in public places. In the process, these women have also ushered in a revolution for caste and gender equality in a hierarchal and male-dominated society.
A model for neonatal care: The sick and newborn care unit at a hospital in western India is proving to be a lifesaver for infants. The state-of-the-art facility provides free of cost treatment to those below poverty line and is being replicated across the state to reduce the infant mortality rate.
Tribal women in India fight liquor demons: In tribal dominated area of central India, women from Bhil tribe came together to fight the liquor mafias. Alcoholism was making men in the community abdicate their responsibilities towards their families and indulge in domestic violence.
Radio gives voice to marginalised women: Deccan Development Society’s community radio has transformed lives of several rural women in southern India. While disseminating local knowledge on farming, medicine and health through radio programmes, these poor dalits also feel empowered on hearing their own voices.
Mothers in India seek justice for their children: In north India’s Azamgarh district, Muslim women have come together to fight for the rights of their sons who, they allege, have been falsely branded as terrorists. In an atmosphere where men folk are too terrified to speak up, these illiterate women are countering an attempt to malign their community.
Saving the free souls of rural India: Bauls, a group of mystic singers from West Bengal in India, who, for generations carried social messages in their songs, are facing threats from the growing urbanisation and consumerism. A new book shares some interesting anecdotes of their lives and culture.
Story of a sweatshop buster in Bangladesh: Kalpona Akter has emerged as one of the leading labour activists in Bangladesh, fighting for the rights of workers in the country’s six billion dollar garment industry. Of the 2.2 million workers, 85% are women who work in pitiable conditions without any job security and other benefits.
Eco-friendly toilets in rural India: A village in South India has set an example for small towns by building ‘Ecosan’ toilets that use ash in flushing to turn faeces into manure. These toilets have helped in maintaining ecological sanitation and prevented a nearby river from polluting.
Coping with India's rural doctor shortage: To tide over acute dearth of doctors in remote areas, Andhra Pradesh in southern India has launched a mobile health programme. Vans equipped with basic medical tools and skilled paramedics visit rural parts of the state to provide instant relief to patients.
No toilet, no bride: A blog comment on an international news website highlights the need for indoor toilets in hinterlands of north India. There have been instances when prospective brides have refused to marry until their in-laws have arranged for proper sanitation facilities at home.
New technology capable of feeding more hungry stomachs: At a time when global food crisis threatens India, System of Rice Intensification (SRI) has proved to be a boon for the country’s paddy farmers. Using less water, seeds and chemical inputs, this technology has increased rice production manifold in several regions across India.
Innovating to make life easier for the disabled: Vikram Dubal in western India creates a wide range of products to help the physically challenged and distributes them free as part of his social commitment. He has made calendars in Braille, goggles that beep when faced with obstruction, canes that warn against electrical signals and many more.
Urban poor reclaim public spaces to plant trees: Residents of Madanpur Khadar, a resettlement colony in south Delhi, came together last week to plant trees on the occasion of Earth Day. Guided by officials from the horticulture department and civil society representatives, the youth learnt to plant saplings and protect the environment.
Bangladeshi girls undergo training in life skills: Several NGOs in Bangladesh are engaging adolescent girls in educative and occupational programmes to help them gain financial independence. By learning skills of risk-management, hygiene, communication and decision-making, these girls have equipped themselves to avoid early marriages.
Self-help groups in Assam fail to deliver: A scheme run by the Tea board of India offering training in plucking and pooling tea leaves found only a few takers in Assam. Failure of SHGs to make use of opportunity and the diversion of subsidies for other uses made the board incur a heavy loss.
Applying traditional wisdom for drought proofing: A rocky catchment area in India’s southern state of Kerala was making it hard for paddy farmers to cultivate. By reviving an old practice of water harvesting – digging small ponds called kokkarnis – they can now grow rain-fed crops even during dry spells.
Rajasthan village girls get a SURE chance to learn: Society to Uplift Rural Economy (SURE) has been organising residential camps in western India to educate village girls. Over 1,000 girls have benefited even while the challenge remains to convince parents to let their daughters continue schooling.
Saving the street vendors of 'Incredible India': Millions of street vendors in India are without any rights and treated as a nuisance. Yet this vast body of people provides invaluable services in cities and adds to their earnings.
Rural women become harbingers of change: Many of them had to drop out of school owing to domestic pressures and social taboos. Not only these women from central India have attempted to study further but they also have motivated local girls to pursue their education.
Spinning money through weaving: For hundreds of tribal women residing near Indo-Bhutan border, weaving has created new livelihood opportunities in the conflict-ridden region. Flourishing trade and growing market for their products have helped these Bodo women improve their lives.
ART access missing in rural India: A visit to two health centres in rural India reveals that the government's anti- retroviral treatment is inaccessible to the poor. In the absence of good quality surveillance for high risk groups, a major part of the HIV affected population remains untreated.
Indian women farmers beating climate change: With the help of a local NGO, a collective of dalit women in India’s southern state is able to grow as many as 19 varieties of crops on arid and degraded land. This dry land agriculture is worth emulating when climate change is posing a serious threat to food security.
Keepers of nature: Two young women from the Agatti Island in Lakshadweep received the 2008 Earth Heroes 'Young Naturalist' award for conserving the vulnerable giant clam. Through their efforts, these young environmentalists have brought the benefits and knowledge of science to the island’s fishing community.
Indian meal starter celebrates golden jubilee: The story of Lijjat in India is a perfect example of how a sustainable business can be built, providing large-scale employment to illiterate but skilled rural women. Lijjat that makes crispy wafers known as papads is celebrating fifty years of its successful journey.
Rooted to earth: In the age of concrete housing, Vasant Futane, an organic farmer from western India, has dedicated his life towards promoting mud houses. As the construction industry gets a fillip due to growing urbanisation, this self-trained architect feels the need to revive traditional building skills for conservation of nature.
Harnessing the solar potential of Sri Lanka: A Sri Lankan university professor has made it his life's mission to promote solar power and tap this renewable energy source for development. In addition to installing solar pumps to draw water, he has sensitised local people towards environmental conservation.
Schools as hubs of social transformation: A silent change is coming in the lives of Meo Muslim girls of Rajasthan, a state in western India. These girl students are now using their knowledge and confidence to demand better facilities like roads, toilets and more teachers for the villages.
Harbingers of change: The villagers of Karnwadi in Maharashtra in western India were living in penury until a group of IT professionals ushered in change. Their efforts at promoting sanitation and environment conservation earned the village the Nirmal Gram Puraskar in 2008 for being one of the cleanest in the state.
Deformed hands script success stories: Once shunned by society, they now prove their mettle with machines to earn a decent living. Leprosy-cured patients in western India have set up their own cooperative trust named Minoo Mehta Apangoddhar Sahkari Audyogik Utpadak Sanstha to manufacture auto parts, and be economically self-reliant.
SHGs promote iodised salt in western India: International experts from the Network for Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency recently visited Rajasthan to step up efforts for controlling malnutrition in the country. They appreciated a local project in the region which ensures the supply of quality iodised salt through self-help groups.
Road to China brings prosperity: A road running up to the border with china has transformed the lives of residents of Lohit valley in Arunachal Pradesh, a state in north-east India. The link has not only boosted trade and tourism, bringing economic benefits to the local people, but also improved communication networks in this once remote region.
Demystifying science through toys: Arvind Gupta, based in western India, is a qualified engineer who quit a lucrative MNC job to make toys out of scrap to help students understand the basic concepts of science. He also translates books and uploads them for free downloads on his website.
Barefoot healthcare providers of Kerala: Thousands of volunteers in southern Indian state of Kerala provide palliative care to poor chronically ill patients within the confines of their homes. K.M. Basheer, the man behind this medical movement, is a farmer with a modest educational background.
A home away from home: The concept of mobile creches for children of construction workers has begun to yield rich dividends in Pune, a city in western India. Catering to more than a thousand underprivileged children, these day-care centres provide an informal learning atmosphere to meet their emotional and social development needs.
Managing traditional waterways: In Himachal Pradesh, a hilly northern Indian state, local women have come to the rescue of traditional waterways known locally as kuhls. These 18th century water channels, which bring water for drinking and irrigation from melted snow and rain to the plains, have been polluted due to rapid urbanisation.
A fillip for the silk industry in north-east India: Traditional silk growers of Assam in north-east India have benefited from the state government’s cluster plantation scheme. Rural households are provided financial assistance, equipment and training to carry out the production process, thus generating more profit and employment.
Eco-friendly gardening in Sri Lanka: Four years after the devastating tsunami, communities in southern Sri Lanka’s resettlement villages have learnt to create sustainable sanitation systems. Helped by the Red Cross Society, they are using composting and gardening techniques to help purify wastewater in their households.
Villagers in northern India fight off financial insecurity: Residents of a village in northern India have managed to counter adverse effects of the on-going economic slowdown by forming self-help groups. Micro-credit has not only helped the rural populace improve their earnings but also brought social cohesion and women empowerment.
Lighting up rural lives: Barefoot College is a unique school in western India teaching villagers skills to manage energy systems that suits their needs. The college imparts training to people from across the country and abroad in making solar cookers and panels.
Pesticide-free farming ushers change in southern India: A region where indebtedness was driving farmer suicides, is now witnessing rise in income and better quality of life for its people. Around 3,000 villages in southern India have benefited by giving up the use chemical pesticides and practising organic farming.
Pesticide-free farming ushers change in southern India: A region where indebtedness was driving farmer suicides, is now witnessing rise in income and better quality of life for its people. Around 3,000 villages in southern India have benefited by giving up the use chemical pesticides and practising organic farming.
Tough catch for Chilika's fishermen: Illegal shrimp trade in Chilika Lake and exploitation at the hands of corrupt officials had driven the fishing community in eastern India to starvation. To protect their livelihoods, 61-year-old Maghi Mantri set up self-help groups by mobilising local village women on issues of food security and unemployment.
Magazine for urban poor fighting survival: Slum Jagatthu, published from India’s tech hub, is perhaps the only mouthpiece of slum dwellers in the country. Having spread awareness about importance of education, sanitation and various government welfare schemes unfailingly for past eight years, it now faces an uncertain future due to lack of funds.
Implementing NREGA in letter and spirit: Jagrut Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS), a local organisation working for tribal land rights in central India has set an example in ensuring the rural employment scheme. The villagers are not only aware of their rights and entitlements but also actively engage in planning and monitoring the programme.
Teaching English the MAD way: A network of youth volunteers that imparts education to slum children in three cities of India has won the Ashoka Youth Social Entrepreneur Award for this year. Make A Difference or MAD as it is known now plans to spread its work to 21 more cities.
A long way to homeland: Torn between state repression and Naxalite violence, the tribals of Nendra, a village in central India, have been forced to live in makeshift camps. Thanks to the efforts of a local voluntary organisation, they are gradually tiding over the fear of forest officials and rebels to rebuild their lives.
Incredibly clean and green village: In southern India, Madepally is the cleanest, safest and the most eco-friendly village. This transformation has come about owing to stupendous efforts of a group of women, who have taken upon themselves the role of peacemakers as well as executors of several other programmes related to village development.
Sundarbans shrimp farming hits a low: The once booming shrimp industry in eastern coastal India is no longer a livelihood catch. With changes in market and technologies, and the current economic crisis, the dip in shrimp exports is reversing the fortunes of its people.
Dharavi girls get a make over: In Asia's largest slum, the Kishori project is introducing young girls to reproductive healthcare, pregnancy care, HIV/AIDS and more. As added inducement, low cost trainings in computers and tailoring are drawing them to the centre for a chance to earn and save money.
Capturing culture in the lens: For 36-year-old Indian film-maker Moji Riba, preserving the cultural richness of his native state Arunachal Pradesh is an emotional enterprise. Winner of this year's Rolex Award, Moji now intends to train local youth in filming to capture the oral histories and practices of diverse tribes.
Sugar schools: A special effort is being made in western India to ensure that children of migrant sugarcane workers don’t miss out on basic education. Makeshift schools have been set up to provide child-centric teaching and learning.
Staging safe sanitation messages: Assamese government officials in northeast India are staging plays on good sanitation and healthy practices as part of the state's campaign to raise awareness. The humour of the script and local participation help to strike the right chord with the audience to induce behavioural change.
Child reporters for local advocacy: Trained to keep themselves aware of local affairs, children of Medak district in southern India are leaving no stone unturned to voice change. A UNICEF initiative has helped these young reporters from marginalised groups bring out a wall newspaper highlighting issues of local relevance.
Dalit women put up a brave show to secure land rights: It all began in 2006 with a foot march organised by the APVVU Mandal Union to unite dalit women in southern India. Since then, displaying a relentless spirit against upper caste oppression, they have overcome all hurdles in seeking land allotments in their names.
No ordinary herb garden: In Nepal, the World Food Programme and local NGOs are helping villagers grow herbs in a nursery to augment their income. The chiretta plant, known for its medicinal qualities, is then used for domestic consumption and also exported to countries like India.
Videos help foster communal harmony: A community-made video showcasing examples of Hindu-Muslim unity in a riot-affected city is ushering change in western India. Distributed online, such short clips are empowering people to take action on critical issues of development.
Getting girls to village schools: The Mahila Shikshan Kendras (MSKs), running in nine states in India, have brought a change in attitudes among young village girls. These centres provide quality education to those who have never been to school or have had to drop out, by persuading their poor parents of better options.
Stepping out of poverty through skill development: From a poor rural woman behind veil to a successful photographer, Shantabai’s dream turned into reality through a vocational training programme run by ILO in central India. Not only has it equipped her with the necessary skills to use new technologies but also helped to enhance income.
Making villages child-labour free: Child friendly villages or the Bal Mitra Gram, an initiative of the Delhi based NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan, have helped children take charge of development issues in their communities. These young Turks mobilise adults through their self-elected panchayats to work on education, gender equality and child labour.
A remoteness from opportunity: Behind the veneer of a beautiful landscape, lies the harsh reality of an arduous life in the river islands of Assam in north-east India. While authorities seem unwilling to reach the remote corners of the region, the annual flooding isolates the area, hampering basic facilities like health and education.
Return to land: Once a drought prone village, Gawdewadi in western India has now shot into limelight owing to planned watershed development in the area. Assisted by a local NGO in land management and forest conservation, several migrant families have returned to their abandoned fields.
Sketching for social change: Pioneered in India by World Comics Finland, grassroots comics is fast emerging as an important tool for spreading messages on issues like family planning, alcoholism, migration and displacement. This visual storytelling by community activists with a local story, characters, language and idioms represents a genuine voice of the grassroots.
Unique native diet under wane: Wild greens, rich in nutritional and medicinal properties, have long been the staple food in tribal areas in central India. Modern agriculture with its emphasis on grains and pulses is now badly affecting the health and economies of tribal populations.
Indian sex workers pen their thoughts: A monthly magazine by and for sex workers, Red Light Despatch is a mouthpiece of Indian women trapped in prostitution. Started by an NGO working on human trafficking, the publication covers an array of topics from torture and harassment to poetry to advocacy related articles.
Marching ahead for the rights of tribals: First woman tribal journalist of Jharkhand, India and activist Dayamani Barla has come a long way. Hailing from a low socio-economic background, she is now heading a tribal campaign against a proposed steel plant in her state.
India's landless bracing up for grand battle: To commemorate the first anniversary of Janadesh 2007, representatives of Ekta Parishad met to take stock of the past year’s achievements and prepare strategies for future struggles. They decided to storm India’s capital once again with a bigger force if the government did not listen to their demand of land reforms.
India's first rural community radio station goes on air: Launched on World Rural Women’s Day, Sangham Radio in Andhra Pradesh is not just the country's first rural community radio but also a first all-women radio station. An initiative of Deccan Development Society Community Media Trust, it is managed and operated by Dalit women creating its historic airwaves.
Women in Orissa demand land to end hunger: Commemorating World Rural Women’s Day, women across the globe have joined hands to demand ownership and control of land to end hunger. In India, Action Aid has helped tribal women in Orissa to attain land entitlements for better livelihood and food security.
Getting communities ready for disasters: Makeshift boats, bamboo stretchers, ropeway slung are some of the innovative means that communities in eastern India are using to prepare against disasters. UNICEF, along with local and international NGOs, conducts joint mock drills to train people in relief and rescue operations.
Breaking news from rural India: Disenchanted by the blinkered approach of mainstream media in India, some organisations came together to help rural people set up their own community video units. With Channel 19's online launch, they now want to reach out to the larger audience both nationally and internationally.
Going organic to fight drought: With consistent support from a civil society organisation, Umra in western India’s Hingoli district has successfully combated drought by adopting organic means of farming. Use of traditional seeds, organic fertilisers, and the setting up of seed banks has made the farmers aware and environment friendly.
Ladakh’s shrinking pastures: In northernmost part of India, reserving pastureland for winters is the only means for Ladakh's Changpa nomads to survive the arduous weather. But repeated locust attacks and overgrazing has led to gradual desertification of the area, thus putting livelihood of local populace under stress.
Nepal’s new agents of change: Fresh out of peer group training sessions delivered by government departments, young adults of Nepal are addressing the problems of flood survivors in several relief camps. From reporting to raising awareness about health and sanitation, this young brigade has emerged as an agent of change.
Being prepared against floods: Villagers in Orissa have learnt to cope with the near-annual phenomenon of floods affecting this state in eastern India. Children are spreading door to door awareness while local NGOs are forming disaster reduction teams to train and prepare people.
Sweepers in western India demand a fair share: Fighting for minimum wages, the safai kamdars or cleaning staff in Gandhinagar have been on a month-long strike. These contract workers in the western Indian city are not only denied use of public transport but also made to work in the houses of local officials.
Helping children survive: Villages in Purulia, one of the backward districts of West Bengal in India shines with a new brigade of trained health workers. Skilled in detecting neonatal and childhood diseases, this UNICEF backed programme is expected to have a positive impact in controlling infant mortality rates in the area.
The brave new face of AIDS: They are the HIV positive wives and widows of intravenous drug users, going public about their status. The Manipur Network of Positive People in northeast India is supporting these brave women in generating awareness on the stigma and discrimination attached to the disease, and themselves.
Community says 'We too can': The ‘Ame Bi Paribu’ campaign is making mothers in Orissa in eastern India take informed action with their sick children. Based on the 'positive deviance approach' that a community can learn by example from their own, this UNICEF backed state programme is helping children move up the nutrition scale.
Women shaping their destinies: ‘Kudumbasree’ signifies family prosperity in southernmost part of India as it has helped millions of poor women to come out of the vicious cycle of debts. As a collective of self-help groups, it provides loans with easy repayment options and also helps in their economic and political empowerment.
RTI on Wheels to reach India’s financial capital: Having spread the message of right to information to thousands of people in remote parts of Gujarat, the ‘RTI-on-Wheels’ is all set to roll into Mumbai. Equipped with a variety of electronic gadgets and manned by two volunteers, this vehicle goes about educating people on their rights under the Act.
A saviour to disaster survivors: For Sri Lankan Ananda Galappatti, sustaining pre-existing support systems is crucial to post disaster relief and rehabilitation. A trained psychologist and winner of this year's Ramon Magsaysay Award, he has worked extensively with survivors of the 2004 Tsunami, and refugees of violence and conflict.
Hydro powered kitchens: The picturesque Mount Everest region’s natural resources had been put under great strain due to growing energy demands of its inhabitants and high tourist inflow. Locals are now switching from fuel wood in their kitchens to electric appliances running on hydro power.
Respond to Kosi floods: We appeal to our readers to donate generously for the relief and rehabilitation flood victims in Bihar.
Training helps Pakistan midwives curb maternal deaths: Midwifery training by a local NGO in Pakistan's Sindh province is helping traditional birth attendants better understand birthing complications and value safety in deliveries. In a country where young girls are married as soon as they reach puberty, the training has also encouraged women to question such cultural norms.
A people’s technology to end water woes: Devised by a British hydrologist in the late 1980s, infiltration wells are appropriate for hilly areas. A unique combination of a covered well and a hand pump, this low cost technology has the potential to provide drinking water to many water-starved villages in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon region in northern India.
From life of penury to prosperity: Ever since brick-makers of a village in southern Sri Lanka have switched over to making tiny pendants out of terracotta, they have managed to pull themselves out of poverty. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Dilmah came together to help villagers in this initiative called ‘Animal Tracks’.
New beginnings to lives disgraced: Once resigned to a life of drudgery and humiliation, women scavengers in western India are now coming out of this demeaning occupation. Sulabh International, a non-profit group working to improve sanitation in the country runs a vocational training centre that provides them with alternative livelihood options.
Bringing change through RTI: When Saeda Apa, a resident of Gujarat’s Kalol town in western India discovered discrepancy in the kerosene supply to poor families through fair price shops, she resorted to the Right to Information Act. Exposing the corruption plaguing the public distribution system, she managed to get a fair deal.
Old life lost, new one never emerged: For Ban Gujjars, buffalo herders in the hilly north Indian state of India, life has never been the same ever since they were evacuated from Rajaji National Park a decade ago. In the process of relocation they have lost their livestock, traditional livelihoods and customs.
Myanmar farmers find fishing a cheaper option: Experts feel it’s not a good sign that farmers are resorting to fishing instead of farming in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. Compelled by the necessity of feeding their families, farmers on the hand are hesitant in investing on something that may not give them returns.
Sisters on the Planet: A series of short films puts the spotlight on women under threat from climate change. These films by Oxfam tell viewers to pay attention to the impacts of drought, floods and food shortages on such women and involve them in decision-making processes for better adaptation to a changing climate.
Villagers who saw opportunity in adversity: Villagers in west India responded to repeated crop failures by switching over to dairy farming for survival. Showing the way forward, Girata village in Vidarbha region is today on the verge of a milk revolution.
Land to the tillers: For eighty-five-year-old Krishnammal Jagannathan, buying land from landlords and then distributing it among poor dalits signifies freedom from slavery. The lifelong Gandhian has set up an organisation in southern India that has successfully given thousands of acres of land to poor and low-caste families.
Regaining lost touch: Residents of Orissa’s Raghurajpur village in eastern India had forgotten their centuries-old art of painting murals. To revive the dying skill, various organisations working on heritage conservation, along with the state government, have helped the villagers re-learn the traditional techniques and forms.
Rainwater harvesters of Idkidu village: If media called Idkidu ‘a water literate village’, it had a reason to do so. This village in southern India has been conserving water for more than a decade and a half now. In this easily replicable technique, pipes are used to direct the rainwater into tanks fitted with filters.
Rainwater harvesters of Idkidu village: If media called Idkidu ‘a water literate village’, it had a reason to do so. This village in southern India has been conserving water for more than a decade and a half now. In this easily replicable technique, pipes are used to direct the rainwater into tanks fitted with filters.
Biomass energy benefits villagers in south India: The biomass gasifier has become a vital source for clean and uninterrupted energy supply for villagers in Karnataka in southern India. Built under a UNDP project, the power plant converts wood and other agricultural residues into a combustible gas mixture and also enables farmers to cultivate through improved irrigation techniques.
Transforming lives with holistic education: At Balika Vidyalayas or residential schools for girls in educationally backward districts of India, healthcare, computers and disaster management form an important part of the curriculum. Set up by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, these schools have transformed the lives of girls from deprived sections.
An endangered culture under the lens: Photographers Jason Taylor and Sanjit Das bring out stunning images depicting lives of Dongria Kondh, an ancient indigenous community living in Niyamgiri hills in eastern India. An exhibition showcasing their work was recently opened in the Indian capital to support the tribal resistance against a bauxite mining project.
Mourning with a social message: 'Jaari Gaan', Islamic elegies that narrate stories of tragedy and martyrdom have become a source of livelihood for rural Muslim women in eastern India. Breaking male-domination of this traditional religious art form, women are now using it to spread social awareness.
Educating women on reproductive health care: ARTH, an NGO working in western India has achieved remarkable success in driving awareness on reproductive health among rural women. Apart from running field clinics and fully equipped health centres in the region, the organisation also trains women to deal with emergencies.
Keeping alive the Tibetan spirit: Started by an American traveller in 1997, a monthly magazine distributed free of cost has traversed a long way. Run by volunteer editors and freelance contributors, it has now become a window to the various facets of life in Mcleod Ganj, a picturesque settlement of Tibetan refugees in northern India.
A winner against all odds: Widowed at 26 and living with HIV, Sorokhaibam Thoibi Devi from northeast India has come a long way. Having suffered through a violent marital life and societal discrimination, she has helped local women come forth with their HIV/AIDS status and become self-reliant.
Women augment family incomes through NREGA: India's rural employment guarantee scheme in Tripura is giving women the opportunity to earn. While men prefer higher wages in nearby towns, the government scheme has proved to be a breather for the women in a state where two-thirds of the population is still below the poverty line.
Bonded labour thrives in new forms: Contrary to government's claims, bonded labour in India is not merely confined to few pockets of the rural hinterlands but also continues unabated in towns and metropolises. Newer forms of the practice have emerged and are assimilated in the prevalent capitalist relations of production, according to a study.
Women SHGs make a winner meal: Mid-day meals in Orissa’s primary schools are no longer boring insipid fare. The food prepared by women’s self help groups is helping improve attendance and save teachers valuable time from overseeing helps. An impressed government now wants these SHGs to run the scheme in the entire state.
SHGs help combat iodine deficiency disorder: Small salt producers in the Indian western state of Rajasthan are partnering NGOs and the government in the campaign against iodine deficiency disorders. According to the WFP, Nawa now produces iodised salt as per the national standard.

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