“There isn't a drop of water in our village. I leave home at 3 a.m. to fetch water. Even the water I can get is so dirty that sometimes we feel like vomiting while drinking it but we have no other option. It's been 30 years since I have been walking day and night for water. My legs don't have strength anymore but I still need to do it for my family,” says Ajiya, one out of thousands of women in villages around Jodhpur, Rajasthan, who have suffered for decades without access to water.<img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/5e97abc2-b235-4d39-b7fd-6e1092c43fb8.webp" />The solution to their problems is simple. Digging and de-silting of village ponds can help thousands of families collect rainwater, which can last them throughout the year. But today, something as basic as clean drinking water is becoming a distant dream. Karunalaya Social Welfare Foundation is on a mission to help over 30,000 villagers get access to clean drinking water. Your contribution can ease the suffering of women and children who are forced to walk for hours to get water. Donate now to transform their lives.Donate easily through UPI, all debit/credit cards and net banking. Charitable donations to this fundraising campaign are tax exempted under 80G of the Income Tax Act (India).The nightmare of life without water“Pregnant women have to travel 15-20 kilometres just to fetch water. This sometimes leads to miscarriages, too. The groundwater level here is 700-800 feet deep and it becomes very difficult to bring it to the surface through hand-pumps and the water is brackish, which makes it impossible to drink. When we don’t get potable water, we are often forced to do with brackish water,” says Poonam Singh, Founder of Karunalaya Social Welfare Foundation while narrating the plight of women in the area. <img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/b3709a74-bc4b-4d0b-a117-afc3beca04e2.webp" />According to Poonam despite walking for hours women do not know if they can find water during peak summers. Unfortunately, there are times when entire families go without a drop of water. “Many times women walk 3-4 kilometres in the hot sun with empty vessels on their heads in search of water and then they come to know that there is no water. They have to return home with their empty vessels,” she says.  Your contribution can help thousands of women from walking in the scorching desert sun to fetch water. Donate now to give them access to clean drinking water.A solution to decades of suffering“There is water in the pond for only three-four months and there is no water after that. As the ponds are not very deep, the water doesn’t accumulate (during the rainy season). We would like to dig deep and take the mud out so that enough water can stay in the pond during the rainy season”, Poonam says. <img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/6e804bba-e3a2-40fb-9d3a-85ef1167be10.webp" />“I would like to request that you donate in large numbers so that we can rejuvenate ponds that have gone dry and help people with safe drinking water,” she appeals.Donate to this fundraiser by Karunalaya Social Welfare Foundation on Give, India’s largest and most trusted online donation platform, to provide access to clean drinking water to over 30,000 people from water-starved villages of Rajasthan.

30,000 villagers in drought-hit Rajasthan are facing a water crisis like never before. Donate now to help them

Neither 8-year-old Sarita (name changed), nor her parents had ever seen the inside of a school until recently. And had it not been for our NGO partner Turnstone Global, yet another generation of the family would have followed in the footsteps of those before. And Sarita would be left with no other option but to remain trapped in the cycle of poverty and illiteracy. Not just Sarita but a large number of children have had no access to education in the extremely backward areas of Purulia district in West Bengal. Turnstone Global’s Daulat Public School has brought in winds of change for countless children like Sarita who are the first in their families to receive formal education. Visually impaired, Dr Kanchan Gaba, head of Turnstone Global, noticed the transformation that education can bring in the lives of the less privileged and started Daulat Public School. Its sole objective is to usher in a brighter future for children of Purulia. But she can not do it alone.Dr Kanchan, strapped for funds, is struggling to expand her school to meet the vast need in the region. Join her in this mission and enable hundreds of children to start their educational journey today. Donate now. Donate easily through UPI, all debit/credit cards and net banking. Charitable donations to this fundraising campaign are tax exempted under 80G of the Income Tax Act (India), &amp; 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (USA). Staggering scale of poverty“Poverty in these areas is such that families are struggling for two square meals a day. Most families are surviving on just rice and salt which is provided by the government. Proper education, which can be the only beacon of hope for children to come out of generational poverty, is well out of reach for tribal families here, Dr Kanchan says. The scale of poverty in these villages is staggering and the need for education is immense. Turnstone Global and Dr Kanchan cannot tackle this challenge alone. With a little support, the NGO can be a catalyst of change for generations to come. Donate generously to make Dr Kanchan’s dream come true. Generations trapped in illiteracyAccording to the head of the nonprofit organisation, not a single member of several families has ever set foot in a school. When ground level workers of Turnstone Global began surveying the area and spoke to families, they were astonished to see that even the concept of education was foreign to many. However, today Turnstone Global is providing quality English education and nutritious meals to over 250 students. “We want to open the door of education for hundreds of more children but the biggest hurdle for us is the paucity of funds. We are in urgent need to expand the capacity of our school so that many more can grow up to become capable and successful members of society”, Dr Kanchan says.Donate to this fundraiser by Give, India’s largest and most trusted online giving platform, to support Turnstone Global in giving children from tribal communities and first generation learners quality education and empower them to break the cycle of generational poverty.

Join visually impaired Kanchan in bringing 500 children from poor tribal families to school for the first time

Agriculture in India is dependent on rain while the average farm size amounts to around 2-3 acres, making farming an unsustainable source of income. According to reports, the Khandesh region of Maharashtra witnessed 1,341 farmer suicides in 2010. Those who lost their lives were mostly debt-ridden farmers affected by drought and crop-failure. 
 Our project provides loans to over 60 farmers from three villages on low interest rates. We ensure that our loans are invested in the purchase of at least two buffaloes. We also train farmers in veterinary care and provide fodder for their cattle. Our intervention ensures maintenance costs are cut while providing a secure alternative source of income in the form of dairy farming. It also gives nutritional security as the dairy provides sufficient milk for selling as well as consuming within the family. 
 In the year 2010, a sum of Rs. 7,80,000 was disbursed to 78 farmers from three villages with a 100% repayment rate within a year. Also, after a follow up of each of these families we learnt that the loans had not only enabled them to become debt-free, but the cattle had given them a stable source of income.Any donations to this project will ensure farmers and their families can live safe and secure lives in Maharashtra.

Provide villagers with a stable income by donating a buffalo

Margshala Foundation, works to create opportunities for young people in remote communities, particularly in Uttarakhand. Our mission is to foster entrepreneurship, career awareness, and environmental sustainability through impactful programs.

Livelihood

Building Futures, Rooted in the HimalayasMargshala operates in the remote Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, where opportunities are scarce, migration feels inevitable, and young people often find themselves caught between aspirations and limited options. We offer a different path, a future that thrives where they are rooted by enabling the youth to become changemakers, not just for themselves but for their communities.Our mission is to equip young people with business skills, knowledge, and opportunities to create sustainable livelihoods within their communities. By shifting the narrative from job-seeking to job-creating, we aim to address migration at its root and build vibrant rural ecosystems led by young entrepreneurs. We envision a future where youth stay in their homes, thrive, and become role models for future generations.Our Programs<ul><li>Khojshala: This program bridges the gap between aspirations and opportunities by guiding youth through knowledge discovery and self-exploration. Participants explore local livelihood possibilities, helping them align their dreams with practical, local opportunities for better career decisions.</li><li>Swarozgar Fellowship: Our flagship program fosters rural entrepreneurship through business training, mentorship, and selective seed funding. We empower youth to launch sustainable, inclusive businesses that generate opportunities for others, not just for themselves.</li></ul>What We DoWe nurture entrepreneurship across diverse sectors, including agriculture, tourism, arts, handicrafts, and digital services. Our approach emphasizes building community-oriented businesses that foster local development.<ul><li>Business Training &amp; Mentorship: Fellows receive hands-on support to turn ideas into thriving ventures.</li><li>Seed Funding: Select fellows are awarded grants to give their entrepreneurial journeys a crucial boost.</li><li>Community Impact: Fellows create businesses that include others in their growth—generating jobs and opportunities within their communities.</li></ul>Over the past five years, we have seen a significant shift. Fellows are not only launching businesses but also becoming role models for others. By staying rooted, they demonstrate that it is possible to live meaningful, prosperous lives in the mountains.The challenges in Uttarakhand’s rural communities are deep-rooted. Private-sector jobs are scarce, government selection rates are low, and few role models show youth that staying and building their future is a viable option. But change is possible—and it’s already happening.

Donations through Give Foundation, registered under section 80G of India's Income Tax Act, 1961 are tax-deductible.

Rijuta Dutt

Margshala Foundation

This nonprofit is registered as a charitable trust under section 12A of India's Income Tax Act, 1961.

This nonprofit is registered under section 80G of India's Income Tax Act, 1961. This means you can deduct 50% of the donation you made through your tax return.

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At Margshala, we enable young people in Uttarakhand to build sustainable livelihoods and transform their communities through entrepreneurship.<blockquote>Mountain life is demanding—rugged, unpredictable, and relentless. Yet, we see these challenges as opportunities waiting to be utilised. </blockquote>In 2020, a small group of five aspiring entrepreneurs from Pithoragarh dared to dream big. Fast forward to 2024, and we’ve grown into a community of 175 fellows across 13 districts of Uttarakhand. These changemakers have launched 87 businesses, and we have engaged 700 + youth, which demonstrates that entrepreneurship can flourish even in the most remote regions.<img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/b7ad4554-6f8e-41e6-93cb-1c3e69e29b0f.webp" /><h2>Our Key Programs</h2><ul><li>Swarozgar Fellowship</li></ul>Supports young entrepreneurs in developing their early-stage businesses through hands-on training, mentorship, and seed funding. Operating in sectors like agriculture, tourism, eco-products, and digital services, our fellows show that livelihoods can thrive in mountain communities beyond traditional government jobs.<ul><li>Khojshala</li></ul>Bridges the information gap for youth in the Himalayas, combining knowledge and self-discovery to help young participants explore local livelihood opportunities and make informed career choices<img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/4642ec00-caba-46d7-869a-0c2e3e41d8e8.webp" /><h1>Why Our Programs Matter</h1>In the mountains, aspirations often remain unformed. Many young people grow up without access to local role models who demonstrate that dreams can be built in their hometowns. Government jobs are often seen as the only path to a stable life. In these situations, migration isn’t always about ambition, it’s frequently a response to scarcity: of resources, opportunities, and hope.With our key programs, we reimage mountain life as a place of possibilities.Hence Entrepreneurship creates a Ripple EffectOur fellows become catalysts of change, establishing businesses that are uplifting the communities. They serve as role models, redefining success and showing their peers that thriving livelihoods can be built locally. Together, these young changemakers spark a ripple effect of opportunity, inspiring others to pursue possibilities within the mountains, fostering resilience, pride, and self-relianceTo expand our impact, we wish to build digital platforms that connect youth with mentors, markets, and resources, equipping them to grow their ventures and contribute meaningfully to their communities at their own pace. <img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/0cda92c8-9657-4b2b-ab6b-a153b1fcd606.webp" /><h2>Impact so far</h2><ul><li>92% of fellows now have greater clarity about their business models, up from 42% at baseline.</li><li>100% feel confident in product prototyping, and 66% are proficient in improving their offerings.</li><li>92% of fellows have built a social media presence, and 67% can independently create marketing content.</li><li>100% have gained clarity on financial planning, with 50% integrating budgeting into their business models.</li><li>11 fellows received seed grants ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹25,000, providing crucial support.</li><li>28% of participants are women, with 50% women in the latest cohort, echoing that entrepreneurship is not gendered. </li></ul>We believe that meaningful change requires a collective effort.After five years of working closely with the youth of Uttarakhand, we are more convinced than ever that entrepreneurship is crucial for unlocking the region's potential. With your support, we aim to - <ul><li>Expand digital platforms and mentorship networks to reach more youth.</li><li>Evolve our programs through exposure visits and access to technology.</li><li>Extend opportunities to untapped regions and foster thriving communities.</li></ul>Together, we can uplift communities, one peak at a time by equipping the next generation of innovators to build sustainable businesses where they are.Support youth-led entrepreneurship right in the heart of the mountains.<img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/1356eb88-8b8d-4ff9-9bc7-69c029fdabff.webp" />

Fostering Dreams, Shaping Entrepreneurs: Support Himalayan Youth

30,000 villagers in drought-hit Rajasthan are facing a water crisis like never before. Donate now to help them

Join visually impaired Kanchan in bringing 500 children from poor tribal families to school for the first time

Provide villagers with a stable income by donating a buffalo

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