What happens on a daily basis in a Self Help Group? Take a peek inside Mahi Mahila Bachat Mandal and how they build their financial security.
Desi Oon – Weaving Livelihood Into A Sustainable Practice
The demand for desi oon has declined, negatively impacting the wool ecosystem and affecting the livelihoods of those dependent on it.
Hope In Their Hands: Women Stitching Empowerment
A women led initiative is teaching women stitching to help them become financially independent in rural Bihar.
Language Is A Challenge, Not A Barrier
Understanding the process and significance of qualitative data in a diverse language setting and its set of own challenges
Reviving Camel Pastoralism
A grassroot organisation working with camel herders managed to revive camel pastoralism by introducing camel milk in Gujarat.
हुनर और घबराहट
इस ब्लॉग में ‘हुनर’ की यात्रा का वर्णन किया गया है, जहाँ मंच पर घबराहट, आत्मविश्वास और प्रकृति की खूबसूरती के बीच संबंध को समझा जाता है।
Grinding For Survival: The Precarious Lives Of Steel Workers In Jodhpur’s Industrial Hubs
Surja Ram, a worker in Jodhpur, proves that no matter how difficult, the right to social security is something worth fighting for.
An Interesting Election: A Union’s Journey For Change
The chronicle of a union election and reflection on challenges collectives face in “keeping the josh high!”
The Struggles Of Sheep Shearing In Gujarat
Winter is here and it comes with warm sweaters, shawls and rajais. Sheep wool, and perhaps camel, rabbit, and yak wool, mostly make these winter clothes, according to common knowledge. However, this belief is not entirely accurate. The majority of contemporary winter...
Gandhi Jayanti At Gram Swaraj Sangh
Early in the morning, all the residents of Gram Swaraj Sangh (GSS) campus and the students of the school assembled at the ground. The gardening hoes and brooms were put in line. All of us divided ourselves into groups and self-assigned the tasks. This was how we...
When Charity And Kindness Meet Complexity
This particular incident unfolded on a Sunday around 10 am, when the sun radiated as if it were noon. It was a crowded junction in the city, where six roads converge. The place was teeming with people, particularly around the vegetable and fruit shops. Each person was...
Chhath Puja In Bihar: A Celebration Of Four Days
What is Chhath Puja? Chhath Puja is an yearly four daylong celebration. It is celebrated in the Bihar, UP and Jharkhand. Over the years the prevelance and celebration of Chhath Puja has increased around the world due to Bihari migration across the world. It is...
Suman Meravi: Mudghusri’s Self Made Woman
Here is the story of Suman Meravi, a young woman from a Mudghusri village of Chhattisgarh. During a field visit, I got to met her and get to know her story. Her village has 302 households and comprises of predominantly tribal population. She belongs to a joint family....
Rise Of Fever Clinics During Monsoon
Monsoons in India bring the greenery and calmness back into town. I love to relish on those pakoras and sip hot chai. However, this season also gives rise to plenty of illnesses and diseases specially in areas where hygiene is low or absent. Some of the common...
हैंडीक्राफ़्ट के दाम इतने महंगे क्यों है?
हैंडीक्राफ़्ट यानी हाथ से बना सामान। जब भी मैं इनके बारे में सुनता हूँ तो एक ही बात ज़ेहन में आती है कि ये इतने महंगे क्यों होते हैं। और जब मैं इनको बनाने की कहानी और मेहनत के बारे में सुनता हूँ तो लगता है कि हैंडीक्राफ़्ट का सामान खरीदना चाहिए और उसे बढ़ावा देना...
Facilitating Dialogue – Choice, Opportunity and Rights
The Gram Panchayat often tend to be a traditionally dominating body and can have complex systems that make it challenging to have a coordinated system of governance, with planned and holistic facilitation. At the same time, it can also create space for advancement in...
The Many Shades Of Rajasthan
I had thought of Rajasthan as the largest state of India and a land of camels. After coming here and looking closely at various aspects, it revealed to me its different shades. As an India Fellow, I'm exposed to several social and civil landscapes. For me, Rajasthan...
जैविक खेती और कुछ पुरानी पद्दति का विश्लेषण
जब हम अपने आस पास खेतों में लहलहाती फसलों को देखते हैं तो लगता है कि हमारा देश कितना अनाज उत्पादन कर रहा है और मान लेते हैं कि हर घर में लोगों के लिए पर्याप्त आहार है। लेकिन हम कभी यह नही सोचते कि जो अनाज उग कर हमारे पास आ रहा है उनमें से लगभग सभी फसलों में रसायन का...
स्वयं शिक्षण दिवस
एक दिन स्कूल में कक्षा लेते समय नोटिस आया कि आज दो बजे के बाद सुशील शाला (मीटिंग हॉल) में बैठक है, जहाँ सभी शिक्षक और छात्र, छात्राओं की उपस्थिति अनिवार्य है। बच्चों को यह पता चलते ही वे बहुत खुश हुए। ऐसा लग रहा था मानो बहुत समय से इसके इंतजार में हो, पर मुझे अब भी...
The Train Journeys As An India Fellow
"Not all those who wander are lost" - J.R.R. Tolkien I resonate with this line and find it suitable for people who travel. In the last few months, my relationship with Indian railways has deepened. I never got a chance to take the trains so much before coming to India...
कश्ती गुज़ारे की, चाह की
मैं लखनऊ स्थित सद्भावना ट्रस्ट में इंडिया फ़ेलो के रुप में जुड़कर कार्य कर रही हूँ। सद्भावना ट्रस्ट एक स्वयं सेवी संस्था है जो मुख्यतः महिलाओं और लड़कियों से जुड़े सभी सामजिक मुद्दों पर काम करती है। जैसे घरेलू हिंसा पर मुफ्त कानूनी मदद देना, महिलाओं के लिए रोज़गार के...
Ganesh Chaturthi In A Tribal Village And The Cultural Shift
On my way to Kerpai village last time, I experienced something different. The schools were decorated with flowers and colourful papers. For a while, neither did I think much about it nor did any questions occur to me. After a long and tedious journey through a hilly...