Community Engagement in Pindar Valley
Over the last four months, the Swaniti team has been working tirelessly with the community in the Pindari glacier valley in Uttarakhand on improving the access to government schemes and services. The journey over these months has been backbreaking at times with the...
The enviable imitators: When the young rejuvenate an old institution
The hall resonates with the voice of a man draped in the traditional white kurta. Wielding a microphone, he has no intention of indulging in a verbal assault. His meticulous preparation is complemented by his oratorical skills as he dissects the question on education...
A tightrope walk: Why the government won’t disclose it all
Governance in a democracy is a tight-rope walk. Governments burdened by the weight of the masses’ expectations, strive to stay upright, and amble ahead. Yet, it is the burden of these aspirations which a populace thrusts onto its representatives, that forms a delicate...
Compassion as medicine: An euphoria without drugs
In the year 2001, the first Sikkim Human Development Report expressed concern over the prevalence of alcohol abuse in the state. Subsequently, in 2010 a statewide health campaign by the Government of Sikkim reaffirmed the concerns. In the wake of increasing incidence...
Mountain Air and Numbers
Nestled safely some 7000 feet above sea level in the Pindar valley, is the pristine village of Khati. One legend has it that the residents of Khati are the direct descendants of those who had sheltered the keepers of good governance in Mahabharat, the Pandavas, during...
The Water Struggle in Kalika!
Image above is of Kalika's social map ‘What has anyone done till date? What will you do now? All that you do is ask us each year and then leave us to our fate’, cried the 65 year old Kumar as I sought his help during the Social Mapping Exercise in Kalika, the chosen...
Kahatul, The Dream!
Strolling through the newly built toilets of the primary school in Kahatul, I entered the ATM of the village and felt content that I did a decent job. The immaculately clean village was testimony to all the hard work Swaniti had put in over the last one year to ensure...
A view from the Field
Three miles from the pristine beach of Dagara, Balasore there was a marquee setup outside a Government Upper Primary school. A similar setup had been placed in in Rajiv Gandhi SevaKendras, Community centers and Anganwadi centers at seven other locations in Baliapal...
Setu Bharatam: Bridging Infrastructural Gaps
Level crossings constitute high-risk spots for the Indian Railways. As of May 2015, there are 18,785 manned and 11,563 unmanned level crossings in the country. The intersection of two different infrastructure networks during their normal operations results in...
Enhancing Employability of Youth in Balasore
Member of Parliament, Balasore invited Swaniti team to assist him in developing his constituency. He wanted Swaniti to focus broadly on Skill Development, Horticulture and Self Help Groups. Located in North-east Odisha, Balasore is a coastal district around 250 Kms...