INDIA PROGRAMS
Working alongside communities in rural India
Long-term partnerships that support education, livelihoods and essential resources in underserved regions.
In many rural regions of India, access to basic services such as education, reliable energy, and clean drinking water continues to be limited. Our work focuses on communities facing geographic and infrastructure challenges—where opportunities are not always accessible, and daily life requires resilience. By working directly with communities, we support practical, locally driven solutions that address these challenges over time.
Where We Work
Our work focuses on rural and remote communities where access to basic services such as: education, electricity, and clean drinking water is limited due to geography, infrastructure, or isolation. Rather than duplicating existing systems, we complement government efforts by working in areas where need is greatest and support is often limited.
Uttar Pradesh: Pilibhit Tiger Reserve region
Our work began in 2006. From the beginning, our approach has been simple: we go where no one else goes. While government initiatives such as universal education programs seek to support all children, gaps can still exist, particularly in rural and geographically isolated areas. We work to complement these efforts by supporting elementary education and community development in locations where access is limited, helping extend opportunities to those who may otherwise be left out. These communities are geographically remote, with limited access to infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and formal education. By supporting community-based education initiatives and local development efforts, we work alongside families to create opportunities for children and strengthen the long-term well-being of their communities.
Located in the northern state of U.P along the India–Nepal border, the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve was established in 2008. This is one of India's most significant protected landscapes and a powerful example of people and wildlife coexisting. The reserve's forests, wetlands, and grasslands support a rich diversity of species while also sustaining the rural communities that have called the region home for generations. Home to a growing tiger population, recent estimates indicate approximately 80 tigers in the region. Known for its rich biodiversity, the reserve is also home to leopards, swamp deer, and hundreds of bird species, as well as diverse forests, wetlands, and grasslands.
The reserve is surrounded by rural communities that depend on the region's natural resources for their livelihoods. Since 2006, we have worked alongside families living in villages near the reserve, supporting education, community development, and sustainable opportunities that contribute to healthier and more resilient communities. Our connection to the region reflects our commitment to working where the need is greatest while supporting communities to build a stronger future for generations to come.
Rajasthan: Banswara District
In 2024, we expanded to the Banswara district of Rajasthan, where many rural families face daily challenges accessing safe drinking water.
Our work focuses on improving access and reducing the time and effort required to meet basic water needs, especially for women
and girls.
Our approach
Our work is rooted in long-term engagement and partnership
Rather than short-term interventions, we focus on:
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Supporting community-led initiatives
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Building locally relevant solutions
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Creating programs that can be sustained over time
We work closely with local leaders, families, and educators to ensure that initiatives are meaningful and responsive to each community’s needs.
Our focus
Our work in India focuses on access to education, sustainability and gender equality. Our work in both India and Canada supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Education
Access to education remains uneven in many rural communities. Our efforts focus on maintaining safe learning environments, supporting local educators, and ensuring that children, especially girls, have consistent access to elementary schooling. By working within the community, we help create conditions where education becomes a stable and lasting opportunity.
Sustainability
We provide free solar lamps to rural households in remote communities in the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve area living without electricity that otherwise rely on toxic kerosene lamps.
Livelihoods and women’s empowerment
Economic opportunity is a key part of long-term development. We support livelihood initiatives that are practical, locally relevant, and accessible, such as small-scale poultry programs and sewing initiatives. We work with rural communities to encourage enrollment of young girls in elementary schools. To help advance female employment, Vivek Canada hires female teachers from the village in which the schoolis located.
These efforts contribute to household stability while supporting women’s participation in local economies.
Water and solar energy
In some areas, accessing clean drinking water requires significant time and effort (walking an hour for 1 litre of clean drinking water). Our work in Rajasthan focuses on improving access to safe water, helping reduce the physical burden on families and improving health outcomes. We also support access to safe lighting through solar lamps, providing an alternative to kerosene use.
Backyard poultry
Advancing empowerment of rural women by with job creation projects such as: back yard poultry and vegetable farming.
Community
well-being
Development is interconnected. Improvements in education, livelihoods, and basic resources together contribute to stronger, more resilient communities. Our work takes a holistic approach, supporting conditions that enable long-term well-being rather than focusing on isolated outcomes.
Impact
Since 2006 these community-led efforts have contributed to:
2700+
children completing elementary education
1000+
solar lamps distributed to households
500+
individuals have improved access to clean drinking water
These outcomes reflect sustained engagement and partnership across multiple communities.
Support our work
in India
Our work in India is part of a broader commitment to sustainable development and well-being. It is supported by ongoing engagement, collaboration, and community involvement both locally and internationally.
Your support enables continued partnership with communities working toward long-term, sustainable change