The principle of participatory development is central to Seva Mandir’s philosophy. In rural and tribal communities, Seva Mandir builds and facilitates Village Institutions (VI) which are democratically elected to represent the needs of the entire community, regardless of gender, religion, class or caste. They lead the development of their villages, …Read More
Covid-19 stories
Meera The current crisis is affecting the poorest people most acutely, in India as elsewhere. Meera is one of those whom Seva Mandir’s relief efforts are helping. Just a few months ago, Meera’s mother died. She had been living under her daughter’s care for many years, relying on her for …Read More
Tackling malnutrition
Rapid treatment for children with severe acute malnutrition When a child is suspected of suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), he or she is referred to one of Seva Mandir’s relatively new community malnutrition camps. A vehicle is sent to bring mother and child to the camp, to ensure their presence …Read More
Bringing clean drinking water to the villages
Access to clean water without walking miles Hunki lives with her husband and seven children in a remote village in Kotra, one of the poorest and least developed areas in India. Their house is 1.5 km away from the nearest water source, an old dilapidated well contaminated with bacteria and …Read More
Helping Dharma achieve food security
Growing vegetables to improve food security and nutrition Dharma is a farmer from a remote village in Kotra block, one of the poorest and least developed areas in India. Farmers in the area have traditionally not been able to grow enough food for their family’s consumption, let alone have a …Read More
Growing flowers to improve family income
Hakari grows flowers to improve the family income Hakari, who is 40, lives with her husband and three children in a small, remote hamlet. Only two members of her family are able to support the family with their income: Hakari’s husband is an agricultural labourer and one of her sons …Read More
A Well in Kotra: One Farmer Helping the Whole Community
Farmers can now farm more than six times as much land since the water can be pumped to the higher areas Narayn from Rajpur village in Kotra block had a well in his field, which he let the other farmers use to irrigate their adjoining fields. They paid him for …Read More
Nirmala’s Shop: A New Venture with Seva Mandir’s Help
With the help of Seva Mandir, Nirmala started a shop in her village and has found a new confidence Nirmala is a housewife living in Shisvi village. There was no shop in Shisvi and Nirmala thought she would very much like to start one. But she had no money and …Read More
Khuma Ram : Seva Mandir Student Turned Teacher
The First College Student from his Village returns to give others an education Khuma Ram was born to farmers earning about $0.35 a day, and no one in his family had ever been to school. Fortunately, one of Seva Mandir’s 173 primary schools had opened in his remote village, …Read More
A Force to be Reckoned With
Valkibai walks proudly down the street, knowing that she is indeed an empowered citizen Valkibai from Medi Village is proud of the status she has achieved in recent years. ‘before, no one knew who I was when I walked down the street. Now they know I’m a force to be …Read More