Member Profile: GRAVIS

Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GRAVIS) is a non-governmental, voluntary organisation founded in 1983 that takes a Gandhian approach to rural development by working with the poor and marginalised communities of the Thar Desert, Rajasthan-India to enable them to help themselves.

Water related projects which GRAVIS has worked on is listed below:
1). Community Led Drought Mitigation in Thar supported by Misereor, Germany focusing on water harvesting, women empowerment and capacity building.
2). Drought Mitigation Programme supported by Misereor, Germany focusing on awareness generation and capacity building on drought mitigation
3). Drought Mitigation Programme supported by Wells for India, UK focussing on water harvesting, women empowerment and capacity building.
4). Drought Preparedness Through Enhanced Water and Food Security, Training and Empowered Women supported by IDEX, US.
5). Empowering Women and Girls of Thar Through Water and Health for empowering women on water security.
6). Water Security, Fruit gardens, Education and Health supported projects by Give India, Mumbai-India.
7). Promoting Older People Led Community Action supported by Helpage International, UK focusing on empowering older people through water security, food and agriculture security, health care and livestock rearing.
8). Poverty and Vulnerability Reduction Through Drought Mitigation and Community Led Programme supported by Big Loutry Fund, UK focusing on empowering older people through water security, food and agriculture security, health care and livestock rearing.
9). Revive Project supported by Traditional Medicinals, US focusing on supporting farming and water harvesting.
10). Vikalp Project supported by Suzlon Foundation, Mumbai-India focusing on community empowerment, water conservation, plantation, horticulture development, health care, livestock management, food and fodder security.
11). Water, Health and Education for women and children in Thar Project supported by Asha for Education, US
12). Water, Sanitation, Health and Education Project supported by Wells for India, UK focusing on educating school children on water and sanitation.
13). Water Quality Research Project focusing on research on contamination in water, people's perspectives and possible remedies to improve water quality supported by Wells for India, UK
14). Harvesting Rains for Mitigating Droughts Project supported by France Liberties, France working on rain water harvesting, educating village community on water use through Water User Group

Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GRAVIS) or Centre of People's Science for Rural Development is a voluntary, non-governmental organisation, founded in Western Rajasthan in 1983 to work with the marginalised desert communities for the empowerment of the poor. GRAVIS takes Gandian philosophy and the principles of Sarvodaya: All rising, but the last person first. Implementing Gram Swarajya, or Village Self Rule in our projects is increasingly crucial as the fast and tremendous changes in India and the world brought about by globalisation are widening the development gap, making rich richer and leaving the poor more vulnerable and dependent.
GRAVIS operates in more than 1,000 villages in Rajasthan reaching a population of over 1 million and establishing 2,500 Community Based Organizations (CBOs)
With the mission of empowering the rural Thar desert Communities, GRAVIS abide to work by following objectives:
1). Empowering the village communities by establishing Community Based Organizations (CBOs), representing different parts of society, especially marginalized groups, regardless of caste or religion
2). Creating self-reliant village communities through holistic activities related to agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, health and education
3). Integrating the most marginalized members of the society like children, women and the elderly in activities and making their voices heard
4). Making sustainable use of natural resources such as land and water in a fragile desert environment
5). Providing training related to integrated development to younger members of the society.
6). Providing short-term relief during droughts and floods
7). Conducting research and documemntation as to improve the effectiveness of development programmes, to improve community participation and to share knowledge with other organizations with similiar objectives

Among all the remotest areas in India, GRAVIS has chosen one of the most challenging places to conduct work in. The Great Thar Desert of India, also known as Marwar (Region of Death), is a relentless area with hot summers and cold winters which receives scanty rainfall around 100 to 150 mm. Droughts are frequent -hitting the region with acute water shortage and crop failures every second or third year. The inhabitants of Thar suffer from health problems related to poor quality or lack of drinking water and nutrition. GRAVIS has taken on work in the remotest areas of the Thar to work with the rural communities for their empowerment and secured livelihood.