Livelihoods
The bangle heart of India
The story offers a vivid exploration of traditional craftsmanship in a bangle-making factory. It showcases the intricate processes and artistry involved in creating vibrant, ornate bangles, highlighting both the manual skills and tools essential to this art form.
Dacoit’s den to dairy hub: The story of a Chambal village
Anchored by faith in Shri Harsukh Baba and the purity of dairy farming, Kamai village in Madhya Pradesh’s Chambal region has transformed from a bandit’s burrow to a community renowned for its ghee through a generations-old tradition: milk is sacred, not for sale.
This Maha farmer banks on rare seeds for a sustainable future
Despite challenges like illiteracy, Swati Dhamle pulls out all the stops to ensure the seed bank she heads in her Maharashtra village thrives. The seeds act as repositories of the region’s agricultural heritage.
How an Andhra woman inspired her village to adopt natural farming
When Janni Jyoti adopted natural farming techniques, she had no idea that her entire village would soon follow in her footsteps. Read about the trailblazer from Andhra Pradesh’s Rankini village.
Looms of Ladakh – weaving pashmina dreams
Looms of Ladakh, a cooperative founded in 2017, transforms the lives of women across 16 villages. Empowering them through a farm-to-fashion model, it ensures artisans are involved in every step of production, from raw wool to luxury products.
From day-care to soil care – Chhattisgarh woman teaches natural farming
After excessive fertilising stripped nutrients from her village’s soil, an anganwadi teacher takes it upon herself to educate her community about the perils of chemical farming and how to cultivate agri-nutrition gardens.
A chemistry professor’s quest to save orchids in Assam
Ankur Rajgogoi stumbled upon the beautiful orchid flower by accident and has now made it his life’s mission to conserve the species in all its diversity in his home state of Assam.
A Bodoland mission to help victims of conflict heal
The Bodoland Happiness Mission is helping people heal from the scars of decades of communal conflict through dialogue and wellness initiatives.
Jharkhand’s star millionaire farmers, up in the sky
Farming can be profitable and make farmers millionaires! To celebrate their “star” farmers, Transform Rural India (TRI) organised a Millionaire Farmers Breakfast at Mumbai’s favourite farm-to-table restaurant, Project Hum to celebrate Kisan Diwas (December 23).
Economically empowered women can drive India’s growth
A latest edition of State of India’s Livelihoods (SOIL) Report, the flagship Report by ACCESS Development Services, highlights the potential of 'women-led development' and advocates the need to enable women to become active contributors to the economy.
Cultivating an ecological consciousness
Shunya, a permaculture farm that started over a decade ago, in Himachal’s Bir village embodies the vision of regenerative farming. Transitioning through many hands, it is now being cared for by farmer Jeewika Bhat and her initiative ‘Seeds and Deeds’, which aims to take it a step further.
From despair to dignity: Sonadei’s story of hope
Sonadei Nag’s journey from abandonment to empowerment showcases the transformative power of women’s collectives. Through SHG support, agriculture, and entrepreneurship, she overcame societal barriers to secure a future for her children, inspiring her entire community to thrive.
The rise and rise of the rural consumer
What do you get when you combine rising disposable income, stronger purchasing power, internet connectivity and lifestyle aspirations? A hungry consumer. In this case, the rural Indian consumer who’s ushering in the next wave of growth.
Chhapra’s Radio Mayur is a lifeline for the community
Abhishek Arun, founder and presenter of Radio Mayur, is empowering people in Chhapra through the radio in a digital era. His efforts are bearing fruit with about 200,000 people engaging with his station daily.
He’s saving Tripura’s puppetry tradition, no strings attached!
Prabhitangshu Das, who heads the Tripura Puppet Theatre Group, is at the forefront of preserving the craft in his state. From making children smarter to creating social change, there’s much to be gained from puppetry, he believes.
Rural women in Maharashtra get a taste of emancipation
Farm Didi, led by a mission to uplift women in rural Maharashtra, promises more than just delicious products. It leverages women’s expertise in food production to create high-quality, preservative-free products.
Tripura’s “suitcase water purifier” is going places
Saving lives and plastic – a Tripura professor’s clever innovation is bringing safe drinking water to those stranded by disaster. The portable “suitcase water purifier” converts turbid flood water into mineral-rich drinking water.
Nutty Village ensures Unnao’s farmers don’t get peanuts for groundnuts
Aman Kumar, a TISS graduate, returned to Unnao in Uttar Pradesh to create Nutty Village, a social enterprise focused on empowering smallholder farmers by transforming locally grown groundnuts into value-added products like peanut butter and energy bars.
Fearless stuntmen of Kannauj carry family legacy of daring feats
Satyam and his father Raghuvir Bharti from Uttar Pradesh perform daring stunts such as inserting needles and pouring molten wax on their skin, walking on sharp glass, and balancing on fire — death-defying acts rooted in their family legacy.
Bihar’s Jeevika programme helps rural women rise from despair to dignity
In rural Bihar, the Jeevika programme, led by the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society and supported by the World Bank, is empowering women from marginalised communities by providing financial support and livelihood opportunities.