Gram Vikas, Bhubaneswar Videos

Demystifying science and technology for the rural communities
#worldwaterweek2022 | "We are not stressed anymore. Water was not scarce even in the summer. It was enough." In Kalahandi, Odisha, Gram Vikas' partner villages harness technology to ensure water security for their communities. From water quality testing to measuring groundwater discharge, trained community youth are leading the way in overcoming barriers to technology use. A large part of our work is demystifying science and technology for the communities in the last mile. It empowers them to localise, own and manage technologies to affect change. As a result, marginalised communities are witnessing the transformation of having water even in the harsh summer. Watch Adivasi youth from Odisha share their experiences. Gram Vikas has been solving the water crisis for some of the most marginalised communities in India since 1990. Learn more about our work: https://www.gramvikas.org/ For more stories on technology use by last mile communities, visit https://www.gramvikas.org/blog/ #WWWeek2022 #watersecurity #groundwater #monitoring #technology #SeeingTheUnseen

Restoring Groundwater: Valuing the Unseen
#worldwaterweek2022 | Groundwater makes up 40% of India's water supply. It is the source of 60% of the country's agriculture and 85% of drinking water. Yet, industry, agriculture, and unsustainable extraction for domestic use are depleting this valuable resource much faster than it can be replenished. About 17% of the aquifers that hold groundwater are overexploited. Climate change compounds the crisis. NITI Aayog reported 600 million Indians facing high to extreme water stress and losing 200,000 lives every year to inadequate water access. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to solving the groundwater crisis. We need decentralised solutions that empower local communities at the highest risk from the crisis. Building their capabilities, knowledge and stewardship for restoring land and water can begin decelerating the water crisis. Adivasi communities in Odisha are showing the way. Since 2018, water conservation, afforestation, aquifer management, and monitoring efforts by local communities in Kalahandi have led to 15% more water across 540 acres of degraded land. Watch the story from Mardiguda village in Kalahandi. Gram Vikas has been solving the water crisis for some of the most marginalised communities in India since 1990. Learn more about our work: https://www.gramvikas.org/ #WWWeek2022 #climateaction #groundwater #SeeingTheUnseen #aquifers

At Gram Vikas, interns and volunteers get to learn, experiment and make meaningful and fulfilling contributions. In 2019-'20, we hosted 28 Interns & Volunteers from national and international universities. From a Fulbright scholar to a Cornell University graduate to students from IRMA and XSRM, among others, they have conducted research, designed devices, frameworks and processes, and developed village plans. Here is an interview with Alasdair Gillies, who volunteered with Gram Vikas before joining King's College London for his Masters in Public Policy. You can apply to volunteer or intern with Gram Vikas through the year. https://www.gramvikas.org/volunteer/

"The timely weather information helped me better prepare for rains, foggy weather, and pest attacks. We know when to and when not to irrigate. If we know that it is going to rain, we will reduce the watering. I can use water sustainably, saving money and labour, as I use a pump," says Satya Jani, a small farmer, who benefits from the micro weather station installed by Gram Vikas in Odisha’s Ganjam district. The climate resilience of communities is critically dependent on their adaptive capacities to the vagaries of nature. Technologies such as IoT-enabled weather stations limit water usage while building the resilience of rural households dependent on agriculture. In 58 partner villages of Gram Vikas, micro-Automatic Weather Stations help 1758 farmers predict the weather with greater accuracy resulting in increased productivity, reducing crop wastage, and mitigating financial losses. Our training focuses on demystifying the technology and its use by building the capacities of community cadre to understand and use the system. Village weatherboards take the information to those who most need it. We are #Buildingresilience of rural communities together with Azim Premji Foundation, Oracle, Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) India, Skymet & Yuktix Technologies PVT. LTD.

Vaccination coverage in remote rural communities
As COVID-19 pandemic continue to pose a serious public health challenge, we are helping local governments to mobilise communities while bolstering their capacities to accelerate vaccination coverage in remote rural communities. In partnership with Azim Premji Foundation, we began the vaccination saturation programme in Thuamul Rampur block in Kalahandi district and Mohana block of Gajapati district in Odisha. Watch a video on how we worked with local health functionaries in Mohana block to strengthen their vacccine response. More video stories from rural Odisha in our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/gramvikasodisha #pandemic #COVID19 #vaccination

"Planting trees is not enough. One has to take care of them also. Bringing up children from infancy till they are older involves a lot of struggle. Likewise, caring and nurturing a seedling and letting it grow into a fully grown and healthy tree requires a lot of hard work." Jashoda from Pengdhusi village in Kalahandi district of Odisha is one of the many women leaders engaged in soil and water conservation in 540 acres of degraded land. They have been working hard at the afforestation initiative for three years. Over this period, the effort has created 130, 000 tons of carbon sequestration potential, increased green cover in 100 acres, and improved water availability in 145 acres for a second crop. There are 137, 000 social forestry plantations, 13, 000 agroforestry plantations, and 540 acres of hilly land treated as per watershed and springshed principles. A 15% increase in discharge of water sources across the intervention areas is reversing years of water scarcity and reviving close to 11 perennial springs that had become seasonal with no water discharge during the summer. Know more: https://bit.ly/3KxL0nH #sustainabletomorrow #climateactionnow #iwd2022 #womenleaders #conservation

World Toilet Day 2021
Dignity is at the heart of all that we do, and we do everything it takes to ensure that communities we serve, young or old, realise it. When we build toilets and bathing rooms, we help women and girls shake off the indignity of open defecation, bathing in common village ponds, and of being able to relieve themselves only before dawn or after dusk. Our work in toilets is a commitment to honouring women's self respect, dignity, and right to safe sanitation. The design of our household level toilet and bathing room units are informed by women's needs. They select the location of these units in the household. More importantly, they always lead the efforts to mobilise their communities to build the water and sanitation systems for the village. In the process, they move the needle towards an egalitarian, gender sensitive and equity based society. Over 2,00,000 women in Odisha and Jharkhand have benefited from our work so far. Here is a video story from Ghodaghaghuri village in Odisha. Know more about our past and ongoing work in Sanitation and Hygiene: https://bit.ly/3HmnYPS Find sanitation stories from the field in our blog: https://www.gramvikas.org/blog/ #worldtoiletday #sanitation

Water is dignity
Inclusion and Dignity are at the heart of what we do. Our work in water testifies to this. From piped water supply to households to safety of water to source sustainability - we strive for inclusion and dignity at every step. We remain committed to making our partner communities water secure and resilient. #WWWeek #WorldWaterWeek2021

Water and trees sustain each other and life on earth as we know it. They are vitally interdependent. Nourishing forests makes sure that the earth holds enough water. Protecting water sources makes sure that we grow healthy forests. Adivasi communities have long understood this relationship. They know how critical it is to nurture trees and protect the water sources to safeguard the environment and lives. Van Mahotsav is just a day that they celebrate. In our partner villages, communities lead the charge to be stewards of the environment, every day, all year. #water #afforestation #environment