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Fellowship

Rethinking Stigma, Rethinking Choice: Samvedna Exposure Visit

On 9th February 2026, during my exposure visit to Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS) in Bhuj, I spent time engaging with the Samvedna programme. Among all the powerful initiatives the organisation runs, this was the one I was most keen to understand. I had carried a quiet curiosity about it even before the visit, perhaps […]

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Fellowship

Pregnancy and Childbirth Do Not Pause During A Crisis

In the face of conflict, war, pandemics, and climate-induced disasters, life continues quietly and often invisibly. Among the most overlooked realities in these emergencies is that pregnancy and childbirth do not pause. Women continue to conceive, carry, and give birth, even as their worlds are disrupted in profound and often devastating ways. Humanitarian crises force […]

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Fellowship

Kalpataru Model: a piece of Land as an ATM (Part-1)

Kalpataru, according to mythology, is a divine wish-fulfilling tree. In today’s world, finding such a tree is not just difficult, but almost impossible. But even if not a single tree, it is possible to create a piece of land that works like a Kalpataru. Planting different kinds of vegetable seeds and fruit saplings in a […]

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Fellowship

Another Chapter Of Learning: Beyond the Exposure Visit

When I first heard about the exposure visit as part of my SWAR Fellowship, I understood it in a very simple way. I thought it was meant for learning from different organisations -understanding their models, their strengths, how they work with communities, and how they sustain their impact. For me, it was like stepping into […]

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Fellowship

My Journey as a SWAR Fellow Transforming Farmer Livelihoods

Agriculture in India is rich with potential, yet small and marginal farmers often struggle to realize fair value for their hard work. Seasonal price crashes, middlemen commissions, and post-harvest losses frequently reduce incomes to unsustainable levels. In Sri Sathya Sai district, despite being a horticulture hub supported by drip and sprinkler irrigation, this challenge remains […]

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Fellowship

A Starry Night in Madhonar and Kachora

We were informed by the youth team of Madhonar and Kachora that they were ready and will arrange a gram sabha meet where our team, Saathi Ngo would take a 2 day training/awarness. They touched upon numerous themes like management and planning of the community forest resources for the community forest resources management committee, collection […]

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Fellowship

Sudden flood in mid-Night

A pitch-dark room. A single candle flickers weakly, its flame trembling. It might last another thirty minutes at most. After that, even the last hint of light will disappear from my room. My phone is dead, no torch either. I still have eight to nine long hours to survive before dawn arrives. The incident of […]

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Fellowship

My First Order Delivery to BigBasket

A Story of Determination, Women Power, and Belief Some milestones are not just achievements – they are emotions, struggles, teamwork, and belief coming together. Delivering our first order of 1 ton traditional rice varieties to BigBasket was one such unforgettable milestone in my journey. I am working at a Common Facility Centre (CFC) involved in […]

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Fellowship

The Story of GramUrja Foundation

Fellowships are beautiful in a sense that they unlock our potential, expose us to the needs of the communities and provide directions for our future endeavours. Tangibly, fellowships help us to establish appropriate networks in the sector, help us to engage with various stakeholders – govt, administration, communities, and other organisations, and cultivate skills of […]

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Fellowship

Gender Neutrality in Sexual Offence Law

Sexual violence disproportionately affects women. That is not debatable. Structural inequality, patriarchy, and power imbalance make women more vulnerable in measurable ways. Any legal reform must start by acknowledging that reality. But here is the question that has been quietly growing in policy discussions: Should sexual offence laws be fully gender-neutral? Under current Indian law, […]