Utthan

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Utthan As of 2019, Utthan directly touches the lives of more than 1.4 million people of 412 villages in six districts of Gujarat.

Utthan is a non profit with a mission to initiate sustainable gender sensitive, grass root processes of empowerment among the most vulnerable communities; through a process of inclusion, building conscientiousness, & organising around their major issues. Utthan’s intense work for nearly 40 years has been in the drought-prone coastal districts of Ahmedabad, Amreli, Bhavnagar & Kutch and the poverty-stricken tribal districts of Dahod, Panchmahal, and Mahisagar. Continuing its quest for exploration and sharing of learning’s, Utthan’s leadership and work has extended to neighbourhood districts and communities in Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and other States as well as to movements in South Asia and across the world. Some direct achievements in collaboration with various local institutions include;

 Establishment of Mahiti, an independent CBO, which in turn, has now initiated a number of local institutions
 Supported 20000+ women to access their right to resources- rightful land, property, social welfare & livelihood schemes and freedom from domestic and public violence
 Introduction of improved local and organic varieties of maize, pigeon pea, paddy, gram, fruits to promote biodiversity with nearly 7200 farmers
 Directly supported nearly 1 lakh persons through Integrated Water Resource development on 30000 hectares of land
 Facilitated building of resources to provide over 360,000 people with sustainable and equitable access to safe water
 Facilitated adoption of eco-sanitation toilets with more than 300 families & 225 toilets catering to people with disabilities. The process of replication, adaptation and movement building continues. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAszXbTswJXEQ0icOzeI6Dg?view_as=subscriber

Utthan's Vision 2026 - 2030 for Women-led, Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture draws on its historical experiences...
30/09/2026

Utthan's Vision 2026 - 2030 for Women-led, Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture draws on its historical experiences since 1981. Between 2018 and 2023, Utthan worked closely with 5,000 small and marginal women farmers and learnt from their first-hand and lived knowledge of land, climate and food systems.

What emerged is a design is anchored in the socio-technical empowerment of women farmers, strengthening their capacities not only to adopt practices but to generate knowledge, make informed choices and lead transitions.

With the demonstration of strong outcomes, increasing participation and rising demand from women seeking to shape their own futures, the programme has grown in reach and depth, from 5,000 to 9,500 women farmers, since 2023.

As women farmers choose to shape their own futures and receive the right support, what we see emerging everytime transitions begin is the:
• Confidence to experiment
• Skills to Adapt
• Knowledge to Plan
• Voice to Lead

Beyond the drums for bio input preparation, the low-cost sticky traps, a relook at crop plans and technical training lies the true impact: agency and leadership.

It is a privilege to walk this path with another 4500 women farmers who have initiated this journey between 2024 - 2026.

As we move towards our Goal to deepen and scale our Women farmer-led Socio-Technical Bundle to 20,000 women farmers by 2030, we move steadily to also ensure that scale is accompanied by learning, ownership and resilience.

- To seeing many more women, transition to sustainable practices
• To seeing many more women, grow their incomes and even diversify them
• To seeing many more women, claim their agency
• To seeing many more women, redefine leadership in agriculture.

Strengthening the Ecosystem for Coastal Resilience in Gujarat!When researchers, institutions, government bodies, civil s...
25/09/2026

Strengthening the Ecosystem for Coastal Resilience in Gujarat!

When researchers, institutions, government bodies, civil society and fishing communities come together- that's when the conditions for lasting change begin to take root for small-scale fisherfolk.

The Stakeholder Consultation Workshop in Veraval brought exactly this ecosystem together - convened by M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, in collaboration with Utthan and ICAR-CIFT, to co-design the Fisher Friend Mobile Application with and for the fishing communities of Gujarat's coast.

A defining committment was the signing of a MoU between Utthan and M S Swaminathan Research Foundation - MSSRFarch Foundation - formalising a shared commitment to advance gender-just, climate-resilient and sustainable livelihoods for small-scale fishers, farming communities, other vulnerable groups esp. women, through collaborative research, technology innovation, digital advisory services and community-driven development across Gujarat.

What emerged when an ecosystem aligned - not just around technology, but around the people it must serve:

🎙️ Fisherfolk from Bhavnagar, Amreli and Veraval shared the ground realities that matter most - real-time weather advisories, inability to assess no-fishing zones/ international borders, connect with land while at sea, lack of updated domestic and international market information, challenges in timely applications for government schemes, fisherwomen processors' needs for capital support.

📲 Co-Designing Fisher Folk Mobile Application : Participants provided crucial contextual and design inputs to inform the shaping of the FFMA for the Gujarat coast - emphasising three top needs - accurate weather advisories, active no-fishing zone alarms and market information, and calling for an interface that is simple and accessible, voice-based, multilingual, at-sea-accessible and available in their own language.

🏛️ Scientific & Institutional Leadership: Dr. Ashish Kumar Jha (ICAR-CIFT, Veraval), Dr. Swathi Lekshmi P. S. (ICAR CMFRI, Veraval Regional Station) and representatives from the Indian Coast Guard and the Fisheries Department brought expertise and institutional commitment to the conversations.

Gratitude to the fishing communities for anchoring this vision in lived reality. Thanks to GHCL Foundation Trust and all partner institutions for making this a truly collective endeavour. 💙⚓


Strengthening the Ecosystem for Coastal Resilience in Gujarat!When researchers, institutions, government bodies, civil s...
25/09/2026

Strengthening the Ecosystem for Coastal Resilience in Gujarat!

When researchers, institutions, government bodies, civil society and fishing communities come together- that's when the conditions for lasting change begin to take root for small-scale fisherfolk.

The Stakeholder Consultation Workshop in Veraval brought exactly this ecosystem together - convened by M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, in collaboration with Utthan and ICAR-CIFT, to co-design the Fisher Friend Mobile Application with and for the fishing communities of Gujarat's coast.

A defining committment was the signing of a MoU between Utthan and M S Swaminathan Research Foundation - formalising a shared commitment to advance gender-just, climate-resilient and sustainable livelihoods for small-scale fishers, farming communities, other vulnerable groups esp. women, through collaborative research, technology innovation, digital advisory services and community-driven development across Gujarat.

What emerged when an ecosystem aligned - not just around technology, but around the people it must serve:

Fisherfolk from Bhavnagar, Amreli and Veraval shared the ground realities that matter most - real-time weather advisories, inability to assess no-fishing zones/ international borders, connect with land while at sea, lack of updated domestic and international market information, challenges in timely applications for government schemes, fisherwomen processors' needs for capital support.

Co-Designing Fisher Folk Mobile Application

: Participants provided crucial contextual and design inputs to inform the shaping of the FFMA for the Gujarat coast - emphasising three top needs - accurate weather advisories, active no-fishing zone alarms and market information, and calling for an interface that is simple and accessible, voice-based, multilingual, at-sea-accessible and available in their own language.

Scientific & Institutional Leadership: Dr. Ashish Kumar Jha (ICAR-CIFT, Veraval), Dr. Swathi Lekshmi P. S. (ICAR CMFRI, Veraval Regional Station) and representatives from the Indian Coast Guard and the Fisheries Department brought expertise and institutional commitment to the conversations.

Gratitude to the fishing communities for anchoring this vision in lived reality. Thanks to GHCL Foundation Trust and all partner institutions for making this a truly collective endeavour.

At the 5th Annual General Meeting, Utthan incubated Samarthan Mahila Bachat ane Dhiran Sahkari Mandali Ltd., Bhavnagar, ...
24/09/2026

At the 5th Annual General Meeting, Utthan incubated Samarthan Mahila Bachat ane Dhiran Sahkari Mandali Ltd., Bhavnagar, celebrated systemic change driven by local women.

A major milestone celebrated at this AGM: The Cooperative is now 100% self-sustaining, covering its entire staff payroll directly through operational earnings!

Who is Samarthan Mahila Savings and Credit Cooperative Society?

Founded by Samarthan Mahila Sangathan & Utthan, the Cooperative was established to place financial authority and decision-making power directly into the hands of rural women. Through community-managed savings, affordable micro-credit, and local enterprise development, Samarthan today empowers its 3115 members to achieve economic independence, challenge gender disparities, and lead climate-smart development across 64 villages & 37 habitations of Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

Key Impact Highlights from 2025–2026:
🎯 ₹70.5+ Lakhs in total savings mobilized across coastal villages
🎯 ₹1.81+ Crore in cumulative loans disbursed to support small businesses, farming, and household needs

In alignment with :
🎯 This AGM celebrated the addition of a power reaper & weeder to the equipment's menu. The cooperative's agri-tech rental service completed 421 orders this year alone, generating steady net profits.
🎯 One of the SHGs took up an exemplary initiative of initiating a solar cold storage facility in Mamsa village, reducing crop wastage and better incomes, especially for vegetable farmers.
The meeting closed with complete financial transparency, open member discussions, and community celebrations through Garba!

A special appreciation for Utthan’s Shailesh Makwana for his work on strengthening the institution and Jaya Chavda for her vision.

Some people build organisations. Some build movements. As one of Utthan’s Founders, Nafisa Barot helped build the condit...
09/09/2026

Some people build organisations. Some build movements. As one of Utthan’s Founders, Nafisa Barot helped build the conditions for people to lead their own change, and continues to so.

Her work reminds us that sustainable change is not simply about delivering solutions - it is about building the agency, voice and ownership to shape them.

In 2016, Nafisa consciously stepped aside from her role, as Executive Director, to nurture the next generation of leadership. Her questions still shape our way of working, and she remains deeply woven into Utthan’s culture - as friend, philosopher, guide and founding spirit.

Today, she brings that same passion and lends her expertise to capacity building, advocacy and narrative building initiatives across the sector. We are grateful she does.

🌟 Utthan in the Spotlight 🌟👣 Vikas na Rahbar I Gujarati Webinar Series | Episode 9We are delighted to share that Utthan...
01/09/2026

🌟 Utthan in the Spotlight 🌟

👣 Vikas na Rahbar I Gujarati Webinar Series | Episode 9

We are delighted to share that Utthan will be featured in the 9th episode of the Vikas na Rahbar weekly webinar series, organized by Habitat Forum (INHAF) and Ahmedabad Study Action Group, a platform for development practitioners, social workers, civil society organisations, researchers, and community leaders to share field experiences, best practices and insights.

🗓 Tuesday, 1 September 2026 | 🕣 8:30–9:30 PM IST
💻 Zoom + YouTube Live

About the Session
Founded in 1981 to address the water crisis in Gujarat's desolate Bhal region (Ahmedabad district), Utthan quickly recognised a foundational truth: sustainable development must start by centering women. Over four decades, we have amplified the voices of women and marginalised groups, enabling agency to access rights, resources, and decision-making spaces. Through water security, sustainable livelihoods, gender equity, and climate resilience, Utthan has honed grassroots leadership and strengthened local governance, reaching 12 lakh people across 325 villages in 10 districts of Gujarat, today.

This session brings together Utthan's leadership across generations and grassroots voices to share this journey.

Speakers:
🎙 Moderator: Sachin Oza, Director, DSC Foundation & former Director, Development Support Centre
🎤 Speaker: Pravin Bhikadiya, CEO, Utthan
👩 Panel: Nafisa Barot, Founder & Board Member, former Executive Director, Utthan
👩 Panel: Megha Nimavat, Anchor, Gender Programme, Coastal Area, Utthan
👩 Panel: Shilpa Makwana, Krushi Sakhi & Agripreneur running her Bio-Input Resource Centre and leading her SHG to run a solarised cold storage unit, Mamsa Village, Bhavnagar

Join us live:
🔗 Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81384951242?pwd=OkB6hUbgN0LZ0L5buf5iDVaiWFbgPx.1
Meeting ID: 813 8495 1242 | Passcode: 061364
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/

💡 Watching on YouTube? Click CC → Settings → Auto-translate to follow along in English or your preferred language.

Today in Godhra, something we've been working towards took a formal shape, and it started not with an official, but with...
21/08/2026

Today in Godhra, something we've been working towards took a formal shape, and it started not with an official, but with a farmer.

Dakshaben, a Krishi Sakhi from Morwa Hadaf shared: "Chemical inputs use has increased these days. It is damaging both production and our health. Sustainable farming with trees as partners in the land is important for agriculture and our community's future."

That's the knowledge this programme is built on.

On 21 August 2026, Utthan signed an MoU with the Gujarat Forest Department, Social Forestry Division, Godhra Circle and formally launched Sampurna: Empowering 1,000 Women Farmers through Sustainable Agriculture in Morwa Hadaf, Panchmahal.

Under the partnership, the Forest Department will support women farmers across five districts in tree plantation, agroforestry and access to government schemes, combining sustainable food crops with trees that protect fields, improve soil, and generate income across seasons.

The launch brought together 70+ women farmers, Sarpanches and Deputy Sarpanches from Vadodar, Tajpuri, Aagarvada and Mekhar. The dignitaries - Shri R. Dhanpal IFS, Shri Vinod R. Damor IFS, Pravin Bhikadiya, Shri Yogeshbhai Patel and Shri Sagarbhai Rathwa - jointly released Utthan's publication Takau Kheti: Siddhant, Prakriya ane Protsahan.

Sustainable change requires working with local governance institutions, not around them, grounded in the expertise of the people who farm the land. When State reach formally aligns with community knowledge and trust, the potential for durable impact is real.

A milestone for women farmers, sustainable agriculture, and State-civil society collaboration in Gujarat. 🌳



CMO Gujarat
PCCF & HOFF, Forest Department, Gujarat State

As draws to a close tonight, a reflection from the field.Throughout history, the most enduring transformations have ne...
15/08/2026

As draws to a close tonight, a reflection from the field.

Throughout history, the most enduring transformations have never begun with declarations. They have begun with a moment of knowing - when someone long excluded from the systems meant to serve them suddenly understands: "this is also for me".
That quiet moment is the true turning point - the moment a person sees themselves differently and cannot unsee it.

The women of Gajana, a nomadic de-notified community in Lalpura, Jamnagar, Gujarat, experienced exactly this.
- Women who had never participated in a public forum began leading SHG meetings.
- Daughters began imagining livelihoods.
- A community that had been invisible to institutions began navigating them on their own terms.
- And once a woman has awoken to her own power and seen herself clearly, claimed what is hers, and found her voice among others who have done the same, there is no closed door that can put that light out.

"When women from excluded communities become aware, they are no longer limited to the home. They chart their own path. Knowledge and opportunity are the true keys to development."
- Community Lesson, Gajana SHG, Lalpura, Jamnagar

This is what Utthan work towards - awakenings that outlast generations.
Gajana is one such moment. There are many more.

🤝 This particular work comes from Utthan's grassroots interventions in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India through National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation - NBCFDC & , whose commitment to de-notified and nomadic communities creates the conditions for this kind of change.

📢 WE ARE HIRING: 🧾Are you passionate about grassroots change, data and stories?Join us to turn them into impact. 🔍Coordi...
07/08/2026

📢 WE ARE HIRING:
🧾Are you passionate about grassroots change, data and stories?
Join us to turn them into impact.

🔍Coordinator, Communications
📍Ahmedabad
- Key Focus: Storytelling, Documentation, Grassroots Impact, Field Voices, Knowledge Management, Community Narratives, Stakeholder relations.
- Compensation: ₹3.6 - 4.2 L p.a.

HOW TO APPLY
📖The Job Description (JD) link and the Application Form link are pinned in the comments section below!
📮Application Deadline: 15th August 2026

You can also scan the QR code in the image to open the application form directly on your phone.

📢 WE ARE HIRING: IMPACT LEADERS FOR DAHOD & BHARUCH, GUJARAT Are you passionate about women’s leadership, sustainable ag...
29/07/2026

📢 WE ARE HIRING: IMPACT LEADERS FOR DAHOD & BHARUCH, GUJARAT

Are you passionate about women’s leadership, sustainable agriculture and rural entrepreneurship? Join us to build ecosystems, local leadership and drive impact.

1️⃣ Programme Coordinator (with Agriculture experience)
📍Dhanpur town, Dahod district
- Key Focus: Team leadership, Operations, Multiple themes, Sustainable Agriculture, Convergence, Stakeholder relations.
- Compensation: ₹4.2 - 4.8 L p.a

2️⃣ Programme Coordinator (with Enterprise experience)
📍Valia town, Bharuch district
- Key Focus: Team leadership, Operations, Multiple themes, Women's Enterprise Building, Convergence, Stakeholder relations.
- Compensation: ₹4.8 - 5.4 L p.a.

📮 HOW TO APPLY
👇 Both Job Description (JD) links and the Application Form link are pinned in the comments section below!
🗓️ Application Deadline: 6th August 2026
📲 Note: You can also scan the QR code in the image to open the application form directly on your phone.

Address

36, Chitrakut Twins, Nehru Park, Nr. Management Enclave, Vastrapur
Ahmedabad
380015

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

+917926751023

Website

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