Why I Care: Women, Health, and the Work Ahead

At first, I signed up to volunteer with Jeevika because I thought that I would be able to use my skills to help out in some way. But after a while, I realized that I was gaining so much more from my volunteer work than I was giving. As someone who is interested in women’s empowerment, I think that two very basic things need to be provided to women all over the world: access to education and an understanding of their own health. There is still so much that we do not know about women’s health,...

“The second season changed my life”

How farming families in Odisha and Tamil Nadu are pairing new tools with knowledge they already hold. Pumpkins on a bamboo trellis in a home garden, Daspalla Block, Odisha. Photo: JRP. “The first season was terrifying,” says Sumitra Pradhan. “The second season changed my life.” Sumitra farms half an acre in Odisha. She was the first in her village to try a low-cost greenhouse, through Jeevika's partnership with Kheyti. Our figures for her farm show 50 to 80 litres of water per kilo of...

Within walking distance: Six months of SNAPs

Our first impact report on the Sanitary Napkin Access Programme shows what women in Daspalla built, and what we still need to find out. A rangoli and henna circle made for Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026, Daspalla. Photo: JRP. 50,129 packets of pads distributed 3,007 women and girls reached (JRP estimate) 1,000 women screened for infections £5,163 total Phase 1 cost ( ₹ 660,871) The gap SNAPs works on India's national health survey for 2019 to 2021 (NFHS-5) found that 78% of women...

Growing More with Less: How Smart and Organic Farming Is Transforming Lives in Daspalla

Case Study 1 – Grafted Brinjal and Organic Inputs Transform Productivity in Gunduribari and Tangnadi Gunduribari and Tangnadi villages have emerged as strong demonstration hubs for grafted brinjal cultivation combined with organic nutrient management. Farmers who earlier cultivated traditional brinjal varieties faced frequent issues like wilt, stem borers, and low yields. With technical support from JRP, Jeevika has helped farmers adopt new strategies: Grafted brinjal seedlings Handi Khata...

Welcoming Three New Trustees to Jeevika Trust

When women thrive, communities and ecosystems thrive with them. This isn't rhetoric at Jeevika - it's the cornerstone of everything we do. As we scale our work across sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and women-led development, we're acutely aware that governance is not a luxury. It's the scaffolding that holds impact in place. Today, we welcome three trustees who understand this work intimately and bring the expertise we need to deepen and expand it. Lara Prost | Strategy,...

Community Awareness Programme on Menstrual & Holistic Health on International Menstrual Hygiene Day in Dasapalla, Odisha

Jeevan Rekha Parishad (JRP), a grassroots NGO, in collaboration with UK-based Jeevika Trust, conducted a community awareness program for tribal adolescent girls and women on International Menstrual Hygiene Day, May 28, 2026, in Dasapalla, Odisha. More than 12 tribal villages were mobilized over two weeks leading up to the event, which was attended by 60 women and girls. This initiative builds on findings from a baseline survey conducted by JRP field staff Madhusmita, for the SNAPs project,...

A volunteer's experiences in Orissa

As a PUM volunteer, I have been conducting training for two weeks for two groups of each 25 women in a rural village in Orissa. PUM is a Dutch organization that provides knowledge rather than financial aid. My focus is on sharing basic knowledge regarding (organic) agriculture and on the exchange of information. I use an interactive approach, in the hope that the information will stick better. I hereby resume the language barrier as my greatest handicap. The participants do not speak English,...

New phase of the SNAPs menstrual hygiene project launched in 25 tribal villages in Odisha

March, 2026 With funding support from the Monsoon Trust and in partnership with the Advocacy Project, Jeevika has launched a new 6-month SNAPs project in February 2026, aimed at improving menstrual hygiene in 25 tribal villages and 10 schools. Schoolgirls attentively listen to a session on proper sanitary pad usage, fostering awareness and education in personal hygiene. Project Overview To improve menstrual hygiene management (MHM), access to affordable sanitary products, and health outcomes...

Taking the Baton: My First Months as Director of Jeevika

March, 2026 I am writing this while my phone keeps lighting up with Holi messages from friends and family across the world. Holi marks renewal. In India, it celebrates the arrival of spring and the possibility of new beginnings. It feels like the right moment to reflect on my first few months as Director of Jeevika. Stepping into this role after Mark Roberts, has been both a privilege and a responsibility. Mark leaves behind something rare. Jeevika is not simply an organisation that...

Working together: A shared vision to support tribal villagers in Odisha

March, 2026 Jeevika Trust and Advocacy Project have both been working to deliver livelihood and welfare projects with local partner Jeevan Rekha Parishad in Odisha, India for the past few years. We are proud to announce the start of a new partnership between our three organisations enabling us to share our vision, expertise and resources. Advocacy Project are currently delivering 15 community-based projects across 3 continents, all of which seek to empower marginalised communities. Over the...

Growing Hope, One Mushroom Shed at a Time

March, 2026 In a corner of Odisha, a few woman enter their bamboo shed, inspect their mushroom bags, and smile - tomorrow they'll be selling fresh oyster mushrooms at the weekly market. This is more than just income; it's empowerment. Jeevika’s Mushroom Farming Initiative began with a simple question: Can women earn a dignified, climate-resilient income from unused spaces in their homes? Just months into pilot projects across Odisha and Tamil Nadu, the answer is a resounding yes. Mushrooms...

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...