2. What are the programs designed to fulfill this mission?
The Foundation has developed an “Integrated, Sustainable Village Development” (ISVD) model.
Water Management, Income Enhancement, Rural Health, Family Life Education, and Alternate Energy are its programs.

3. How do you implement and manage so many programs?
Each program is supported by a professional Program Leader and field staff.
The Program Leaders regularly gain knowledge pertaining to their program by participating in seminars, visiting other NGOs, and browsing the web to bring in appropriate technology to the villages. They work on the capacity building of the field staff and also monitor and evaluate the projects closely with the filed staff.

4. How does the Foundation address the sustainability of its programs?
All projects are introduced in the villages only after analyzing the sustainability aspect of each project. Technically sound yet low maintenance village infrastructure is promoted.

Village Level Institutions (VLI – Gram Vikas Sansthas) are established in the villages. VLI members are elected by the community. While the Foundation implements its programs, it also empowers the VLI members to carry out different activities to ensure sustainable development even after the Foundation withdraws from a village.

Community Centers are established in the villages which provide facilities for training, demonstration, information, and services. These centers also provide platform for other NGOs, government and volunteers.

Raising community awareness is crucial to our initiatives. We work closely with the Panchayats and focus on strengthening government linkages.

5. Why did the Foundation choose to work in Mewat, Haryana?
In spite of its proximity to Delhi , Mewat - having 503 villages and more than 1 million people, it is one of the most underdeveloped regions of India .
The Foundation has taken-up the challenge to develop an extremely conservative society, with its nonchalant attitude towards development.
Only few NGOs are actively working in this area.

6. What impact have you made in Mewat so far?
• Due to the Foundation's continuous efforts in increasing community awareness, there is evidence of increased participation in community projects from the youth, women and initially reluctant village groups.

• Young girls are able to read and write. Their newly learned skills have enabled them to contribute to the family income. They are more confident and are able to make the right choices. There has been an increased awareness of hygiene, reproductive and family planning.

• Rain water harvesting structures have improved the quality of water significantly.

• Harvesting rainwater has improved crop yield and farmers are able to diversity to other crops.

• The agricultural interventions like vermi-composting, raised bed cultivation, inter-cropping, pest management, drip irrigation etc., have raised the income of the farmers. Entrepreneurship and skill training are promoting self employment in the villages.

• Our health program has sensitized the villagers to inexpensive methods of preventive and curative care. Non-functional health centers have been revived and links are established with competent healthcare systems.

• Educating the youth, increasing ground water table and providing various health and agricultural trainings will have greater impact in the long-run.

7. Who funds the Sehgal Foundation's programs?
Dr. Suri Sehgal and Mrs. Edda Sehgal are the Founders. Dr. Sehgal, an NRI based in the US , is a distinguished international agriculturist and a successful businessman.

Dr Sehgal and Mrs. Sehgal created the Sehgal Family Foundation in the US with an endowment fund from their personal savings. This fund provides the financial resources for the development work in India and elsewhere.

The Sehgal Family Foundation (SFF) funds organizations in India and abroad, if the projects directly or indirectly contribute to the development of India . SFFs grants for various projects, from 1999-2005 amount to about 65 crores, out of which Rs 5 crores has been spent for development activities in Mewat.

8. True Philantrophists' are rare, what motivates Dr. Sehgal to support this work?
Dr. Sehgal says, “ Prosperity has permitted me to take some initial steps towards returning to my country of origin, some of what it provided to me, not least, the highly subsidized public education I received in India . It was Andrew Carnegie who said that by achieving wealth, we undertake an obligation to repay that which we have gained – we are wealth's trustees for future generations. In that spirit, my family and I decided to create the Sehgal Family Foundation in 1999 to put our personal resources to work to help support sustainable village development ”.

9. How does the Sehgal Foundation differ from other NGOs?
Many NGOs focus on one or two programs; we follow an integrated approach targeting village development.
Sehgal Foundation is a self-funded organization; therefore, projects get implemented on time.
We involve the community at all stages, from planning to implementation, so as to instill ownership.
We have highly committed professionals.

10. What is the expansion strategy of the Foundation?
Our Vision is to implement the ISVD model in all the villages of India . This we cannot do alone, but through partnerships.
For this, the Foundation is setting up an “ Institute of Rural Research and Development” (IRRAD) in Gurgaon.
We select Village Champions (VCs) from different villages and provide them intensive training in ISVD model.
These VCs will be deployed in the villages to carry out the development with the help of volunteers from the village.

IRRAD will provide training facilities to VCs and extend its facilities to other NGOs and volunteers involved in rural development. It will also have facilities for research in social sciences and advocacy.