Traditional wisdomStepwells and ponds were built for dry years.
Rajasthan's stepwells show how communities stored water for generations.
Our work · Environment
Environment
Clean water, clean air and healthy land: the basics every life depends on.
Kalyaan's environment work began with water: in dry regions most rain arrives in a few weeks and runs away within days. We explore simple, proven ways to slow that water down, store it and let it recharge the ground.
From the Jawai river in Jalore to check dams in Dholpur, the aim is rivers that flow longer and wells that refill. Next come the air we breathe, noise, waste and pollution, with the same practical, local approach.
Why it matters
Water is the foundation of farms, villages and cities.
When rain runs off too quickly, rivers dry up after the monsoon, groundwater falls and farming becomes a gamble. Families then migrate to cities for work.
When rain is held back in small steps along a river, the land stays moist for longer, wells refill and the whole region becomes more resilient.
Every drop held on the land today is water for tomorrow.
How it works
Four steps from rain to a living river.
Small, low-cost structures built in a series do more than one large project far away.
- 1
Capture rain
Rooftops, open grounds and farm bunds collect rain before it runs off.
- 2
Slow the river
A series of check dams, roughly every 4 to 5 km, holds water in the river bed.
- 3
Recharge the ground
Stored water seeps down and refills wells and aquifers.
- 4
Share and maintain
Villages, farmers and local bodies look after the structures together.
Ideas we explore
Old wisdom and new tools, together.
India has a long tradition of saving water. Kalyaan connects that wisdom with modern planning and examples from around the world.
Traditional wisdom
Check damsSmall dams, big change.
In Dholpur, check dams brought water back and families returned home.
Monsoon rainUse the monsoon well.
Rainwater harvesting in open areas can recharge the ground for the whole year.
What water brings back
Water security is livelihood security.
Rivers that flow longer
Rivers keep water well after the monsoon ends.
Wells that refill
Groundwater rises and drinking water becomes more reliable.
Farms that produce
Reliable water makes crops and trees possible in dry land.
Families stay home
With water and work nearby, fewer people migrate in search of a living.
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Help protect water, air and land.
Read Kalyaan's environment articles, see how water connects with agroforestry, or take part if you know a river, village or local problem worth discussing.