Ground Report
Another brick in the wall: The story of a brick-making village
In a village in the periphery of Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, where brick kiln workers toil hard, difficult circumstances force their children to forego education, ending in a cycle of hardships across generations
Reviving healthcare services in the Red Corridor villages
Caught in the conflict between the left-wing extremists and government-supported counterinsurgency militia, villages in Chhattisgarh were devoid of healthcare, till a collaborative effort resulted in the revival of medical centres.
Fostering menstrual health and women’s empowerment in rural India
Providing education, affordable products and fostering a supportive environment can go a long way to empower women and girls, and break taboos around menstrual health.
A youth in Rajasthan becomes the bird man of the desert
A young man who became a guide in the Desert National Park to make a living gets drawn to birds, and learns to identify the local and migratory birds, earning the epithet ‘bird man of the desert’.
Solar energy brings a shining solution for Assam’s villagers
In remote villages of Assam that have no or erratic power supply, locally produced solar energy helps villagers access digital services and also become small entrepreneurs to enhance their income.
This Bengal woman shows there’s money in honey
Chaya Mondal of Tripura Nagar village in West Bengal defied gender norms and took to beekeeping after helping the men in her family rear honeybees. She now runs a successful business through the sale of honey and related products.
Villagers unite to battle forest fires in Odisha
As forests provide them sustenance, residents of Nitigotha village in Odisha unite to contain the forest fire spreading from neighbouring areas and take collaborative steps to prevent fire incidents.
Solar power a money-spinner for women spinning eri silk yarn
Spinning eri silk yarn – though tedious and time-consuming with a traditional tool – is a way of life for women in Meghalaya. Using solar-powered spinning machines, they now spin more yarn and earn more.
Ironing out the anaemia issue among Haryana students
The Faridabad district administration engages multiple entities, including the community, to combat anaemia among students, successfully bringing down its prevalence. The move has resulted in alleviating the fatigue levels in the youngsters and improving their academic performance.
Music: The melody of life and safe motherhood
Mother’s Day is all about celebrating the special bond children of all ages share with their mom. Across India, musical customs ensure a safe motherhood and that this bond develops even before childbirth.
Assam farmers reap benefits of sustainable irrigation technique
Alternate wetting and drying, a sustainable irrigation technique, is helping paddy farmers in Assam reduce the cost of irrigation, enhance crop production and decrease methane emissions from their fields.
Women lead climate change adaptation in the Sundarbans
Women emerge at the forefront in the cyclone-prone Sundarbans area, protecting the mangrove ecosystem, stabilising river banks through vetiver cultivation and improving their livelihood in the process.
Have you heard of Rajasthan’s mobile baba?
A middle-aged villager learns digital skills and teaches others, and uses digital tools to get his villagers the social welfare aids they are entitled to, earning himself the name of mobile baba.
Trouble brews in Bengal’s tea gardens
While India is the second largest producer of tea in the world, the tea gardens in Bengal face many issues. A few initiatives will help the tea gardens thrive.
Mangoes bring sweet returns in Jharkhand
From barren fields to flourishing mango orchards, Rajkumar Yadav's journey showcases the transformative impact of Birsa Harit Gram Yojna on rural livelihoods in Jharkhand.
‘More than my food business, it’s about uplifting my community’
A training programme prompted her to start her own ragi-based food business. After a successful start, she has expanded the business and now trains other women in her village for better livelihood.
Right to Health: A Holistic and Empathetic Approach
‘My health, my right’, is the theme for this year’s World Health Day, to ensure that everyone gets good health services, drinking water, air and nutrition, among other things. Here is how we can make it work.
A ‘berry’ good farmer leads the way in Jharkhand
Switching from traditional crops and adopting new techniques, a woman farmer – in addition to being a mother and a college student – tastes sweet success growing strawberries.
Revamped play schools make learning fun in Haryana
A youth-led governance programme transforms Haryana’s anganwadis into fun learning centres for children, while empowering the staff to be proactive and confident.
Growing chicks empowers women beyond financial gains
In rural Jharkhand, women seeking a way out of poverty get trained to start a small poultry business, and taste financial success and empowerment.