Mahatma Gandhi has said that India lives in its villages. So if you develop villages, India will get developed.Suresh PrabhuFormer Minister of Commerce & Industry- Creating self-sustaining communities require a 360-degree approach, we have to take water, sanitation, livelihood, all aspects together and bring a change in the community. Ronnie ScrewvalaCo-Founder, Swades Foundation
- What we always wanted to do and since last 20 years we have been working on is to create a model in rural economy that can lift people from poverty.Zarina ScrewvalaCo-Founder, Swades Foundation
- More than ever, we need to work towards building self-sustained livelihoods and driving the rural economy. The rural economy has already emerged as a powerful driver, which is leading our economic recovery.Amitabh KantCEO, NITI Aayog
- I think we will have to have a leadership which is more creative in creating jobs again. We have to reboot the cycle. We need a certain leadership, the people in their fields too, more than ever, should come out and create job opportunities.Vikas KhannaChef, Restaurateur, Cookbook Writer & Humanitarian
#SwadesBuildingLivelihoods campaign is raising funds to build livelihoods of 15,000+ most needy households (tribal, migrant/daily-wage homes and others, poorest of poor families) in rural Raigad and Nashik districts of Maharashtra.
Our aim is to create self-sustaining communities as we build their capacities, strengthen inputs and market linkages ensuring that every household earns at least Rs 2,00,000 per annum through a basket of programs - be it farm based, off-farm or non-farm interventions.
In our farm based intervention we build check dams and harvest rain water to irrigate land enabling farmers do a second crop and for some even a third crop augmenting their farm based income by 4 to 5 times. We have so far irrigated over 2,500 acres of land and most of it through drip irrigation.
With our off-farm interventions we engage households in poultry, goat rearing, dairy or fishery augmenting their income by Rs 25,000 to 80,000 per annum. We provide input support, training and continuous handholding and so far have created over 13,000 entrepreneurs.
Through our non-farm intervention, i.e., skills training for youth, we ensure that the youth are imparted with the right skills to enable them find employment or are self-employed. We have placed over 2,600 youth in employment with an average annual earnings of Rs 1,00,000 resulting in more than doubling of their family income in most cases.
The current pandemic and associated slowdown has impacted livelihoods and resulted in inflow of over 90,000 people back to their villages in Raigad. Further, cyclone Nisarga left loss of property and livelihoods. The situation continues to be a double whammy for both residents and the reverse migrated families.
Whilst as a first response, we have supported immediate relief with medical aid and grocery/daily essentials, the parallel need now is for recovery, to overcome loss sustained and build their livelihoods.
Founded by Ronnie and Zarina Screwvala, the Swades Foundation operates with a single-minded focus of empowering one million rural Indians every 5 to 6 years.
Our USP is a 360° intervention inside-out model of development, with a multiplier effect.
Our holistic approach covers all aspects of individual and community development through 4 key verticals – Health and Nutrition, Education, Water and Sanitation and Economic Development.
Our strength is our ~1,300 strong team comprising 1000+ community volunteers and 270 full time staff (FTE specialists and professionals); 90% FTE work at the grassroots, making us a strong execution foundation.