This project will repair and deepen the primary well in Devki, allowing it to recharge with ground water. A deeper well will also allow more water to be stored and saved during the monsoons for later use during the dry season. This will supply Devki families with improved access to drinking and cleaning water and alleviate the strain on existing water resources. A parapet safety barrier and a pulley system will also be constructed in order to ensure women and children can safely collect water from the well.

Devki Village is a small agricultural community in a semi-arid region of Rajasthan, India. In recent years, increasingly severe droughts have made the scarcity of water a significant problem for Devki families. Water tables have fallen and more than 10 small wells in and surrounding Devki are now dry. As a result, harvest seasons are now shorter and farmers are experiencing heavy crop failure, forcing them to seek alternative livelihoods.

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Hansibaben's Profile

Hansibaben is the Self Employed Women's Association's (SEWA) handloom weaving coordinator for Devki village, and manages SEWA's weaving skills training program in Devki. Hansibaben lives in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with her husband, two sons, and parents-in-law, but works in Devki for approximately 15 days a month.

Prior to joining SEWA, she worked as a weaver for over 12 years, making bedsheets and bedspreads to earn a second income for her family. Hansibaben is committed to working with rural women, and using her own skills and experience to help them earn an extra income for their families and become more self-reliant.

Direct Impact of Your Project

• More than 20 families will have access to a cleaner, more reliable water supply.
• The number of trips and amount of time required for village women to collect water will be greatly reduced. As a result of their no longer having to repeatedly travel long distances, affected women will save about 3–4 hours a day and may instead use this time to earn extra income for their families.

Extended Impact on Your Partner Community

• Access to clean drinking and washing water will dramatically improve village health and sanitation.
• Remaining well water can also be used to cultivate winter crops. Increased agricultural production will provide the community with grain and fodder for cattle, improving its income and food security levels.