Marvelous mushrooms! Early success in our mushroom cultivation trials in Tamil Nadu

70% of farmers have managed to reach profitability and all farmers are now moving onto second harvests empowered by new knowledge and ongoing technical support. Jeevika Trust, in partnership with Social Change and Development (SCAD), launched a Proof of Concept (PoC) project in July 2025 to explore the viability of small-scale mushroom cultivation as a sustainable livelihood model for low-income farmers in Tamil Nadu. Ten farmers were selected and equipped with growing structures, inputs, and...

Organic and sustainable farming to secure livelihoods

To farm Smart, farmers need sustainable and climate resilient solutions. Supporting the poorest farmers with low-cost strategies which improve soil health and diversify income streams is vital to secure livelihoods into the future. At Jeevika Trust, we are always looking to support farmers in ways that increase productivity using strategies that will sustain livelihoods into the future. Below are three ways in which we have recently been supporting farmers in tribal villages in Odisha:...

Handpumps and soak pits to support improved hygiene and health outcomes

Simple and sustainable solutions to support better hygiene and health outcomes for tribal villagers in Odisha. A sustainable model for water infrastructure maintenance Reliable access to safe drinking water depends on the functionality of village handpumps, as they are the primary source of water for most households in Daspalla. However, many pumps had become non-functional due to lack of regular maintenance, leading families to walk longer distances or rely on unsafe water sources. Since...

Giving a Voice to Tribal Communities in Odisha

Water Advocacy Project Update (June-September 2025) Revival and Capacity Building of Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) The revival of Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) has been one of the most important achievements so far in our Water Advocacy Project in tribal villages in Odisha. VWSCs are the backbone of community-led water governance at the village level, responsible for managing local drinking water systems, monitoring sanitation, and ensuring that all households...

Taking a hyperlocal approach

Jeevika Trust has recently begun a 3 year Water Advocacy Project in 25 tribal villages in Odisha. The project aims to deliver high quality WASH projects and improved nutrition, through partnership building and advocacy.

Stories from our greenhouses

In 2022 Jeevika Trust began a partnership with award-winning NGO, Kheyti, to trial Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in the form of low-cost greenhouses with women farmers and SHGs in tribal villages in Odisha.

Project SNAPS Update

Empowering women & girls through awareness & training to promote menstrual hygiene & to provide access to sanitary napkins (SNAPS) is of utmost importance to break the culture of silence & to be able to discuss the concerns of women & adolescent girls related to reproductive & sexual health.

The Power of Mushrooms

Mushrooms are more than just a delicacy —they are a game-changer for small-scale farmers in Odisha. With minimal land, low investment, and high returns, mushroom cultivation can uplift tribal communities, women’s self-help groups (SHGs), and marginal farmers, turning agricultural waste into wealth in the process.

Why India is definitely NOT too rich for aid.

We know what you’re thinking… We’ve faced this question many times before. Why, when there is such distressing poverty in other parts of the globe, why should we spare the time to think about poverty in India, a country who seems to be getting more and more affluent every day? India may have more billionaires than the UK and an international aid budget of its own, but this means nothing when hundreds of millions of people in rural India are still suffering, out of sight and out of mind.

Back with a Bang : Walking for Water 2017

On 15th October Jeevika Trust's annual 'Walking for Water' event took place. This fundraising walk raises vital money for our water and sanitation projects in India and has become a real highlight of our events programme.

Project SEED : Reaping the benefits of organic farming in Tamil Nadu

Ambika and Murugesan from Thottipalyam village in the Namakkal District of Tamil Nadu were struggling to generate adequate income from the tapioca crop their three-acre farm. They had to wait for over ten months to harvest the crop and income could vary between Rs 60,000 (£600) to over Rs 1 lakh (£1,000) per acre. However the monthly cost of pesticides, fertilisers and labour ate into their profits and there was little guarantee that they would meet their family's needs.

Walking for Water : A Virtual Challenge for Children too

60 million people in rural India live without access to safe, clean water. As a mother myself who spent her early parenting days endlessly sterilising bottles, dummies, rattles etc I can’t imagine the anguish mothers in rural India must feel knowing that their only option is to allow their precious children to drink unsafe water. Water that accounts for 21% of all diseases and deaths in India… it’s every parents’ worst nightmare and a completely unacceptable reality.