A glimpse into the cultural practices and land-based traditions of tribal communities in WOTR’s project regions.
A Better Tomorrow
Stories, Practices, and Solutions
The title ‘Mahila Pravartak’ may sound official, but it captures something far more powerful: a woman changemaker. These women are the backbone of WOTR’s community health efforts—moving door-to-door, to bring real transformation to the communities they serve.
With every shared pot of water, with every community meeting, with every onion harvested, Chaaya weaves a future for Mendhwan where water is a source of life, not a struggle for it.
Bireng Soy overcame obstacles to forge a path toward independence and empowerment.
The community shares firsthand experiences of resilience, innovation, and growth with WOTR
Once abused and estranged, Ujwala now runs her own enterprise—emerging stronger than ever. Read her inspiring story of grit, determination and self-reliance.
Through WOTR’s watershed project, Beni Prasad Jhariya found his calling. He took on the role of a Wasundhara Sevak, inspiring his community to adopt sustainable farming and water conservation practices.
Eight years ago, Vidya Chavan’s husband went for a walk, and never returned. Broken by years of unproductive agriculture, made worse due to unpredictable weather patterns, he decided to end his life, leaving the responsibilities of running the five member household to his wife. Determined to provide for her three daughters, she started rebuilding her life.
In the face of climate change challenges, farmers in Appireddypally, Telangana, were struggling with dwindling yields and migration. The Rural Livelihoods Project by Axis Bank Foundation and WOTR brought hope through the formation of a Mutual Aided Cooperative Society (MACS). Despite initial hesitation, farmers united to establish the ‘Sri Jeevanadhara Paraspara Rythu Sahakara Sangam Limited’ MACS.
Rural communities in Jharkhand and Telangana, struggling to sustain their livelihoods, find hope through the Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, supported by Axis Bank Foundation. With diversified income streams, these communities now thrive, rewriting their stories of resilience and progress.
By Categories
By Tags
A glimpse into the cultural practices and land-based traditions of tribal communities in WOTR’s project regions.
Drawing from work with smallholder farmers—from Kumbharwadi in Maharashtra to Madaul in Odisha—WOTR has contributed key experiences, insights, and evidence to the Stories of Resilience 2025, a publication launched by the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil.
How can smallholders farm fish while safeguarding their local ecosystems? One promising answer lies in farm ponds.
Read how a school, and ultimately an entire village in Maharashtra, was transformed with clean toilets
Phool’s journey from uncertain, monocropping to stable, climate-resilient agriculture shows how access to irrigation, diversification, and community support can transform livelihoods.
Grasslands are often mistaken for empty lands needing trees, but they are rich, climate-resilient ecosystems. Understanding their unique biodiversity, carbon storage, and cultural value is essential to ensuring conservation efforts don’t unintentionally cause harm.
Making every drop count in Maharashtra’s rainshadow.
Recently, multiple large-scale awareness campaigns were conducted in 15 villages across diverse regions of Rangareddy and Jalna districts in Telangana and Maharashtra, respectively, where the Water Stewardship Initiative (WSI) is being implemented.