rural development
Facing bias: My MBA journey and beyond
India’s diverse population is a blessing for the country. But the flipside can be discrimination, something Himadri Das, an executive with PRADAN in Udaipur, faced firsthand during her MBA days. Here she recounts her experience.
When a healthy panchayat means a healthy village
In the Angara block of the Ranchi district of Jharkhand, the success of the ‘Healthy Panchayat’ initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Transform Rural India (TRI) is evident, particularly for vulnerable women.
Meet Sukhpal Kaur, the bee queen of Punjab
Faced with her husband’s debilitating accident, Sukhpal Kaur transformed their small honey business from 50 to 550 hive boxes, creating a sustainable livelihood for her family and becoming a leading figure in beekeeping.
A village where farms and forests belong to everyone
The lands at Mendha Lekha village in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district are collectively owned, with the profits shared among all. This settlement of around 500 Gond tribe members tells a powerful tale of cooperation and shared prosperity.
Dalit woman leads fellow caste villagers to land ownership in Punjab
Charanjit Kaur and other Dalit families from Gharachon village in Sangrur district won the right to bid for reserved panchayat land, despite systemic caste barriers and police action.
‘Technology has become indispensable for rural development’
In an interview with Swapnil Agarwal, CEO and co-founder of Dhwani Rural Information Systems, we discuss the transformative impact of technology, AI and dashboards on the development sector.
Rajanigandha perfumes Odisha’s cyclone-wrecked Ralaba
Ralaba’s rajanigandha fields are a source of livelihood and a testament to a community’s ability to reinvent itself after a natural calamity.
Community transforms education in rural MP
Community-driven education initiatives spearheaded by Transform Rural India show a way and bring hope to remote rural locations in the country.
Out of India into Africa – sharing youth engagement strategies
From Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh to Mombasa, TRI’s amazing youth leaders shared their best practices and success stories of building livelihood opportunities in rural India at the GOYN 2023 Global Convening in Kenya.
Join Village Square’s Webinar Series on Development Issues
Webinar - "How Solar Power is Revolutionizing Irrigation for the Rural Poor". Learn from experts about sustainable solutions for remote rural areas, discussing technical, social, and income-enhancing aspects.
Maharashtra village blossoms into green haven
With over 32,000 trees flourishing under its care, and waste management and healthcare upgrades under its belt, Gamewadi village in Maharashtra is now marching towards becoming a tourist hub for nature lovers.
Newspaper reaches Madhya Pradesh village finally
Though just 45 km away from Indore, Shukrawasa is revelling in daily dose of news that the inaccessible village was deprived of for so many decades.
Toiling hard to build toilets brick by brick
Thirty-three-year-old Sunita Devi of Udaipura village in Latehar district of Jharkhand has been a trailblazer, teaching tribal women masonry for the purpose of building toilets across interiors. Her story in her own words.
Four hurdles to social change in rural India
Rural India has a long, arduous journey towards socio-economic development. However, there are four major challenges which if addressed could make the journey easier.
Committed efforts will create progressive villages
By working together with zeal, development organizations and governments can overcome inherent challenges in rural India and bring about a positive change
Decentralization to localization: the emerging community–PRI–government compact
As communities rose to fill the lacunae in rural public systems, it is time the potential of the social capital was recognized, and grassroots institutions strengthened for rural transformation
How rural India showed resilience, synergy during lockdown
Republic Day is an ideal occasion to celebrate rural India’s positive progress. VillageSquare recollects how communities used the lockdown productively, despite difficulties and loss of livelihoods.
Patriarchy, sustainability and shame
In the present rural development model, a gender lens is lacking in the development designs, leaving women continue their demarcated role, with no progress or empowerment in sight
How to revitalize agriculture in India
The government needs to aggressively promote micro-irrigation and small-scale farm mechanization to improve agricultural productivity. It should also connect farmers with markets using latest technological tools
Mayurbhanj villagers forced to ford river to reach schools, hospitals
Inadequate and inconvenient road connectivity due to poor planning compels many villagers in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha to risk a dangerous crossing of Burhabalang River everyday to reach the nearest town