Supporting Sustainable, Thriving Communities in Maharashtra, India
At World Wide Technology, making a new world happen means using technology to help communities thrive sustainably, and the WWT Corporate Sustainability team is spearheading efforts across India to innovate for a better future. As a member of this team, I focus on supporting the company in meeting our climate, water and waste ambitions. During my recent trip to Mumbai, I had the opportunity to visit two of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)--related projects: a pond restoration effort at Desai Pond and the site of a developing sustainable village in Maharashtra. These projects are made possible through our partnership with Green Yatra, a leading environmental NGO in India working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through tree plantation, urban biodiversity conservation, water bodies restoration, sustainable solutions, and environmental research and awareness. Visiting these ongoing environmental and social initiatives allowed me to see firsthand our impact on the environment and underserved communities, something I am eager to share in this blog post! Keep reading to learn more about these projects and read some of my key observations from the ground.
Desai Pond: A Community's Commitment to Sustainability
My first stop was the pond restoration project at Desai Pond, a WWT community-driven initiative focused on maintaining and preserving the local ecosystem. With the support of our NGO partner, Green Yatra, we have successfully developed and maintained this pond to support our water neutrality target, where we are trying to offset the water we use in our facilities through community engagements. As a result of restoring and maintaining the pond, the local wildlife has also increased in the location. The abundance of fish and birds indicates a healthy, thriving environment and aligns with our biodiversity goal. Our progress at Desai Pond is exciting, but we have more plans for this location to make it even better! The next phase of the plan includes building a circular walking path around the pond for recreational use, installing benches to provide a space for nearby communities to gather socially, and installing a Nirmal Kalash, which is a bin for religious offerings near the small temple at the edge of the pond. Seeing the progress we've already made in this community is encouraging, and we're just getting started!
Sustainable Village: Empowering Rural Communities
My second site visit took me to another project we are working on with Green Yatra, where we have partnered with local residents to develop a Sustainable Village in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. This initiative supports residents in the community to be more self-reliant while addressing key social and environmental challenges. Speaking with the local villagers, I learned that they are primarily rice farmers, relying heavily on seasonal agriculture, and seeking ways to diversify their livelihoods. One of their ideas was to establish a supply chain for local products, such as incense sticks, bamboo furniture, and henna cones, which could be produced by women in the community and sold as a source of income. We are excited to explore how WWT can collaborate with our NGO partners to build local entrepreneurship and empower women in the village.
In addition to supporting economic opportunities in the village, the team is exploring environmental and social improvements. By helping the villagers address water scarcity and finding ways to use renewable energy, we can help improve their livelihoods.
Conclusion
By visiting these two projects, I saw firsthand the challenges these communities face, and the ways they are working toward sustainable solutions. Communicating directly with the locals, especially in their native language, allowed me to better grasp their needs and aspirations. Moving forward, I look forward to working with our NGO partners to explore solutions and implement ideas that can have a lasting impact on both the environment and the lives of these communities.