Cover Story.
25 Years of Empowerment, Growth, and Development!.
June 22, 2024, marks the start of the twenty-fifth year of growth, development, impact, and empowerment of S M Sehgal Foundation in rural India!
We proudly mark a quarter-century of our journey in rural development across India. What started in four villages of India has now spread to 2,561 villages, reaching 4.94 million people across twelve states. From transforming lives through access to education to empowering women and promoting sustainable agriculture and water management, our mission has been driven by the spirit and resilience of rural communities.
Thank you to our supporters, volunteers, and partners for being with us every step of the way. Here’s to many more years of making a difference, together!
Top Feature.
Jalagam White Paper Reaches Ministry of Jal Shakti.
S M Sehgal Foundation and DCB Bank presented the white paper from the deliberations of the four-part Jalagam workshop series on Water and Climate Change held across the country from November’23–March’24 to Smt. Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Dept. of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, GoI. Jalagam was graced by Ms. Mahajan as chief guest for the inaugural session at New Delhi. Together with DCB Bank CSR and knowledge partner NIRDPR, the Jalagam series shared experiences on community stewardship efforts for watershed development.
Stories of Change.
Leveraging the knowledge and skills of local potters, and supporting them with the scientific design and production process of MatiKalp, the foundation team is turning the challenges of drinking water quality and potters’ livelihood into opportunities.
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Partnership Highlight.
HDFC Parivartan’s Pashu Sakhi Model Empowers Women.
HDFC Bank Parivartan Holistic Rural Development Program implemented by S M Sehgal Foundation in Mahendragarh, Haryana, promotes Pashu Sakhis, an initiative empowering women to extend last-mile coverage of veterinary services and animal husbandry, working closely with government departments. In collaboration with RSETI, Narnaul, fifteen Pashu Sakhis in Mahendragarh underwent training, learning the dynamics of dairy farming and vermicompost and exposing them to service-based opportunities in the veterinary and agriculture sector.
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Project Umeed: Nurturing Hopes for a Brighter Future.
Project Umeed, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to promoting education and digital literacy in rural India, proudly announces the launch of digital libraries in underserved communities.
This partnership between Teach for Life, India Development and Relief Fund, Guru Krupa Foundation Inc., and Sehgal Foundation USA will be implemented by S M Sehgal Foundation on the ground in India.
Month At A Glance.
Celebrating World Environment Day.
On the eve of World Environment Day, S M Sehgal Foundation conducted various awareness and tree-plantation drives across Karnataka, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Team members, along with the community and schoolchildren, focused on environment preservation and conservation, encouraging people to adopt eco-friendly practices in their daily lives. CR Connect FM 107.8, also hosted a live show with Dr. Vinay Singh, assistant professor, KVK Naugaon, Alwar, highlighting the importance of afforestation and addressing climate change.
Anjali Makhija at NAREDCO MAHI Convention.
Anjali Makhija, CEO of S M Sehgal Foundation, captivated the audience at the 3rd NAREDCO MAHI Convention with her insights on water sustainability. As a panelist in the Nirmal Jal Prayas session, she emphasized the critical need for water conservation and role of women in water security.
She discussed what can be done differently to make more water-secure regions. Her discussion highlighted S M Sehgal Foundation’s innovative initiatives across diverse Indian regions, showcasing impactful solutions for water management and green building.
FPO Witness Success from Capsicum Cultivation.
A Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) under the “Bolstering FPO” project by Walmart Foundation implemented by S M Sehgal Foundation in Kolar, Karnataka, has successfully ventured into capsicum cultivation within their 0.75-acre polyhouse.
This initiative has notably enhanced productivity and crop quality. To date, they have generated a business turnover of 3.8 lakhs through the sale of capsicum.
Looking ahead, they are optimistic about earning between 25 to 30 lakhs from their capsicum crop.
Sheep-Rearing Training to FPOs.
A sheep-rearing training session was organized by S M Sehgal Foundation in Karnataka. Dr. Sudarshan N, deputy director of the Animal Husbandry Department, conducted informative sessions on various aspects of sheep rearing. The training covered key topics including the selection of high-quality sheep breeds, effective feeding, disease prevention, modern breeding techniques, and the economic aspects of sheep farming. Participants also learned about sustainable practices and market linkages to ensure long-term viability.
Conferences and Workshops.
Rainwater Harvesting Workshop.
A four-day training program was successfully organized for 28 participants in collaboration with National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR), Hyderabad, that was highly appreciated by all participants and NIRDPR officials. Participants also visited the Rainwater Harvesting Theme Park established by Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB), which exhibits various working models of rainwater harvesting.
Water Research & Training Highlights.
S M Sehgal Foundation with CAWST and NIRDPR conducted a three-day training on Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS) and JalKalp biosand Filter. Participants engaged in active discussion gained practical skills in the technology and created an action plan to implement the solution in their communities.
S M Sehgal Foundation conducted a two-day training on fluoride and fluorosis mitigation with CAWST and NIRDPR in Hyderabad. Participants gained valuable insights into the prevalence and sources of fluoride, tested water samples, and learned about the types of fluorosis and its management strategies.
S M Sehgal Foundation with CAWST and Laya Foundation build the capacity of local NGOs on Drinking Water Quality Testing (DWQT) to sensitize communities and educate them about the importance of safe drinking water at Paderu, Andhra Pradesh.
Training on Community Wash Promotion.
In collaboration with CAWST, S M Sehgal Foundation is presenting a training workshop on Community WASH Promotion on July 15, 2024.
Register Now!
Blogs & News.
Podcast.
SMSF Connect Podcast features a bouquet of interesting programs about rural development and other social issues and themes. TUNE IN to our podcast channel on I-RadioLive. Podcasts also available on Spotify.
Editorial Team: Marly Cornell, Pooja O. Murada, Priya Chaudhary
Contributors: S M Sehgal Foundation team
Photo Credits: S M Sehgal Foundation staff
Design and Production: Outreach for Development team
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