💧 Water Wins: Bringing the Pitcher Down In the remote villages of Washind, Maharashtra, water was a daily struggle. Women walked for hours—across steep, rugged terrain—to collect water, even during pregnancy. Despite receiving 1,900-2,600 mm of annual rainfall, the region’s hard rock formations and steep slopes meant that water drained away quickly, leaving the villages dry for most of the year. Their request was simple: “Bring the pitcher down, into our hands.” India receives an average annual rainfall of 1,180 mm (India Meteorological Department), yet only 8% of rainwater is harvested. Imagine the possibilities if more regions could capture and store this resource effectively. With the support of @JSWFoundation, WOTR’s Community-Led Water Resource Development and Management project made this vision a reality. A network of borewells, wells, concrete storage tanks, check dams, trenches, and stone bunds increased the region’s water harvesting capacity to 274.95 million litres, with 163.84 million litres of effective storage. 320 hectares of land were treated, and 425 hectares were restored into thriving forests. But water security was just the beginning. With reliable access to water, women formed Bachat Gats (self-help groups), gaining financial independence. Through training and infrastructure support, they launched local businesses—flour milling, incense stick making, spice grinding, paper-plate production, and poultry farming. They also learned vegetable cultivation and mogra plantation techniques through educational field visits. The results speak for themselves: 🌱 Increase in productivity across 33 acres 📈 50% rise in income for 161 households 💰 25 women entrepreneurs increased annual earnings by 45% This is more than a water conservation project—it’s a story of resilience, empowerment, and transformation. Watch how the people of Washind turned scarcity into sustainability, proving that with the right support, communities can shape their own futures. #WaterWins #WaterForAll #ClimateResilience #JSWFoundation #WomenLedChange #SustainableFutures #WorldWaterDay2025 #WOTR4Development #WOTRat30 @WRIIndia @WRIClimate @UN_Water @UN_Women @JamwalNidhi @joydeepgupta @MongabayIndia @thebetterindia @PIB_India @UNDPClimate @UNDPClimate