Vanarai Trust

Their activities include:

Vasundhara Project: Under this program, Vanarai acts as a Project Implementing Agency (PIA) for the projects undertaken in villages of Ratnagiri and Raigad districts. The various activities covered under this project are basic village improvement activities, watershed activities, livelihood and self-help groups, awareness and training programs. In FY15, around 62 villages were covered under this project.

Micro Watershed Development Scheme: Water conservation activities like continuous counter trenches and farm ponds are developed. Vanarai bunds which are low cost technology using empty cement bags and loose boulders are created. These include cement nala bund, gabion bunds, loose bounders, earthen bunds. As a result of these activities most villages where Vanarai works is almost tanker free. The farmers use the stored water for their crops and downstream wells have been recharged and water table has been maintained.

Health and Sanitation programs: Vanarai gives a lot of importance to improving health and sanitation facilities in villages. They conduct health camps in the villages twice a year and also gynecology camps for women. They constructed individual toilets as well toilets for high school girls, resulting in substantial drop in dropout rate of school going girls. Cleanliness drive was conducted in the villages and schools and 39 waste bins were provided, which villagers use regularly, thus keeping villages clean.

Media and Publication: Vanarai publishes informative books, booklets, documentary films and monthly Marathi magazine for educating, awakening and creating awareness in the society about environmental conservation and rural development. They also have formed Eco-clubs in schools, where children are involved in nature conservation camps along with tree plantation.