In the remote Tehsil of Jawhar in Maharashtra, a local NGO, Pragati Pratishthan, has been toiling for the last 30 years to uplift the living conditions of the local communities in the surrounding villages. Its interventions include water conservation, drinking water solutions, solar-powered home lighting solutions, supplementary nutrition and crèche program, agriculture development and formation of self-help groups.

For years, the surrounding villages of Jawhar had been plagued by water scarcity and the women had to walk miles to reach the nearest water source. This not only added to their drudgery but also impacted other aspects of their social life.

To put an end to this practice, Sunlit Future joined hands with Pragati Pratishthan, in April 2014, to provide solar-powered water pumping solutions in the twenty-eight surrounding villages. The solar pumps would pump water from the nearest source to a storage tank in the village. This, in turn, would supply water through a tap to all the houses in the villages. This ensured a steady supply of clean water for the communities.

Now, more than 11,000 people have easy access to clean water. Women and children have been relieved of the drudgery of fetching water for everyday needs. Young girls have the opportunity to go to school and women have time to engage in social activities.

Sunlit Future also partnered with Pragati Pratishthan in Grundfos India’s ambitious ‘100 pumps, 100 villages’ project. The Grundfos foundation funded twelve pumps for Pragati Pratishthan, while Sunlit Future provided the necessary technical assistance for a successful installation and maintenance.