ANANDI - Area Networking and Development Initiatives

27/08/2026

"અમારે લીધે ખુરશીમાં છો અને અમે ના હોય તો ખુરશીમાં તમે લોકો ના હોવ." (You are in that chair because of us.)✊

When citizens realize their power, democracy truly comes alive. Hear Shaniben Nayak, a fierce NREGA worker and Lok Adhikar Kendra Aagewan, speak truth to power about holding officials accountable.

From attending Sangathan meetings as a little girl with her mother to fighting for migrant workers at the Mamlatdar office in Devgadh Baria today, Shaniben is a true force of grassroots leadership.

In our latest episode, she breaks down how everyday concerns, and the fight for social protection schemes with dignity, become the foundation for collective power.

Tune into UnMute Ep 12: From Participation to Collective Power: How Women Build Organisations and Movements, featuring Shaniben and other inspiring leaders from women led collectives in Gujarat.

In collaboration with ANANDI - Area Networking and Development Initiatives

🎙️ Catch her full story here: https://youtu.be/Et-djB39G0E?si=schkMlE3vr0Pj6ue

23/08/2026

ANANDI Gender Field School 2026 | 17–31 August 2026

Students from Masters in Rural Management - Shiv Nadar University came together with ANANDI for the Gender Field School on
"Addressing Violence Against Adivasi Women and Girls", to learn through classroom discussions, field engagement and interactions with communities.

The first phase brought students into in-depth conversations on power, inequality, caste, gender, patriarchy, violence, law and justice, using lectures, games, music, films, discussions and participatory exercises.

The week also moved beyond the classroom - with visits to the Nyay Samitis and villages of Gogambha and Devgadh Baria Taluka, interactions with collectives, and opportunities to engage with Adivasi Communities and Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms for prevention of Gender Based Violence.

A special thanks to Gujarat Natural Farming Science University, Halol for providing the space for the lectures and facilitating a guided farm visit. The visit offered students an opportunity to understand farming practices, observe live experimentation and connect learning with the local context.

15/08/2026

15/08/2026

*Episode 12: From Participation to Collective Power: How Women Buil...

29/05/2026

The countdown to Bal Mela is on! 🎒✨ Let’s bring our best energy to rally support, secure contributions, and make June 1st & 2nd absolutely magical for the little ones! 🚀🎨

27/05/2026

Violence against women is not a “private matter”, it is a structural and political question.

At the collective dialogue held at Devgadh Baria Police Station on 24 May 2026, 76 participants, including women leaders, sarpanches, members of Mahila Suraksha Samitis, community leaders, and the police department came together to challenge child marriage, domestic violence, unnatural deaths, and the practice of “dava” not as culture, but as the commodification of women under patriarchy.

The dialogue focused on strengthening community accountability, expanding women’s leadership in governance, understanding legal rights and police procedures, and building safer, violence-free communities.

The discussion emphasized the critical responsibility of Panchayats and grassroots institutions in preventing violence, ensuring accountability in cases, and making women’s safety and dignity a collective community concern.

04/05/2026

A block-level programme on National Panchayati Raj Diwas was organized on 1 May 2026 at the Adivasi Mahila Khedut Sanshodhan Talim Kendra, Devgadh Baria, by ANANDI in collaboration with the Devgadh Mahila Sangathan. The event was held on the occasion of Gujarat Foundation Day and International Workers’ Day, and aligned with the International Year of Women Farmers.

The programme brought together Elected Women Representatives and Women Farmers from across Devgadh Baria Block and other parts of Gujarat to deliberate on gender-responsive local governance and sustainable agriculture.

Discussions emphasized the recognition of women as farmers, their inclusion in land records and farmer registration, and the need to strengthen panchayats through the framework of the Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs). Speakers also highlighted the gendered impacts of climate change, advocating a shift towards organic farming practices.

Women Panchayat Representatives shared experiences of addressing issues such as alcohol prohibition, gender-based violence, water scarcity, education gaps, caste discrimination, and access to fundamental citizenship rights.

Key resolutions included promoting women farmers’ formal recognition, developing the practice of nutritional gardens in community based institutions, organizing trainings on organic farming, and building a collective of elected women representatives to advance rights-based advocacy.

The event reinforced the centrality of women’s leadership in realizing inclusive, sustainable, and accountable Panchayati Raj Institutions.

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૧ મે 2026ના રોજ દેવગઢ બારિયા ખાતે આવેલ આદિવાસી મહિલા ખેડૂત સંશોધન તાલીમ કેન્દ્રમાં આનંદી અને દેવગઢ મહિલા સંગઠનના સહયોગથી બ્લોક સ્તરીય રાષ્ટ્રીય પંચાયતી રાજ દિવસ યોજાયું. આ કાર્યક્રમ ગુજરાત સ્થાપના દિવસ અને આંતરરાષ્ટ્રીય મજૂર દિવસના અવસરે તથા આંતરરાષ્ટ્રીય મહિલા ખેડૂત વર્ષ સાથે સંકળાયેલ હતો.

આ કાર્યક્રમમાં દેવગઢ બારિયા બ્લોક તેમજ ગુજરાતના વિવિધ વિસ્તારોમાંથી ચૂંટાયેલ મહિલા પંચાયત પ્રતિનિધિઓ અને મહિલા ખેડૂતોએ ભાગ લઈ, લિંગ ન્યાય આધારિત સ્થાનિક શાસન અને ટકાઉ ખેતી અંગે ચર્ચા કરી.

ચર્ચાઓમાં મહિલા ખેડૂતોને સત્તાવાર માન્યતા આપવાની જરૂરિયાત, જમીનના દસ્તાવેજોમાં તેમનો સમાવેશ અને ખેડૂત નોંધણીમાં નામ ઉમેરવાની વાત પર ભાર મૂકાયો. સાથે જ સ્થાનિકીકૃત ટકાઉ વિકાસ લક્ષ્યો (LSDGs)ના માળખા દ્વારા પંચાયતોને મજબૂત બનાવવાની જરૂરિયાત પર પણ ચર્ચા થઈ. વક્તાઓએ હવામાન પરિવર્તન અને રાસાયણિક ખેતીના થતા અસરોને ઉલ્લેખીને પ્રાકૃતિક ખેતી તરફ વળવાની જરૂરિયાત જણાવી.

મહિલા પંચાયત સભ્યોએ દારૂબંધી, મહિલા હિંસા નિવારણ, પાણીની સમસ્યા, શિક્ષણમાં ખામી, જાતિ આધારિત ભેદભાવ અને મૂળભૂત સેવાઓ સુધી પહોંચ જેવા મુદ્દાઓ પર પોતાના અનુભવો રજૂ કર્યા - જે ગ્રામ્ય શાસનમાં મહિલાઓના નેતૃત્વની પરિવર્તનકારી ભૂમિકા દર્શાવે છે.

મુખ્ય ઠરાવોમાં મહિલા ખેડૂતોને સત્તાવાર માન્યતા આપવી, આંગણવાડી અને શાળાઓમાં પોષણ વાડી વિકસાવવાના પ્રયાસો, પ્રાકૃતિક ખેતી અંગે તાલીમનું આયોજન અને ચૂંટાયેલ મહિલા પ્રતિનિધિઓનું સશક્ત સંગઠન ઉભું કરવાની દિશામાં કામ કરવાનું સામેલ હતું.

આ ઉજવણી દ્વારા સમાવેશી, ટકાઉ અને જવાબદાર પંચાયતી રાજ સંસ્થાઓના નિર્માણમાં મહિલાઓના નેતૃત્વની કેન્દ્રિય ભૂમિકા વધુ મજબૂત રીતે સામે આવી.

01/04/2026

Have a Glimpse of Roji Roti Lok Jumbesh 2026! ✨

Each village brought its own stories, rhythms, and conversations. This was not just a campaign, but a journey of listening, learning and building collective strength to reclaim space for dignified lives.

29/01/2026

Strategic Gathering; Fueled by Innovation, Moving Forward with Unwavering Momentum.. Team ANANDI acknowledges Unnati Team for Exceptional Arrangements at Jodhpur

07/01/2026

After 15 months of follow-ups, applications, and visits, Kapooriben Rumalbhai Wadi finally received her Antyodaya Ration Card on 2 January, 2026.

Kapooriben Rumalbhai Wadi, a 74 year old widowed woman from Redhana village, had no identity documents after her house was destroyed in a fire. With no income and no earning family members, she was excluded from food security entitlements.

In September 2024, the process of obtaining her Ration Card was initiated through the Mamlatdar’s office. Efforts were made to activate Annabrahm Yojana by making multiple representations to the block-level Mamlatdar, the Collector’s office, and the Gram Sabha, explaining her situation and demanding access to subsidised food support.

The process of registration and verification of her Aadhar Card started in April, 2025. As per the revised rules, Aadhar verification of adults takes 9 months. And then there were postal delays for Kapuriben. In Januray 2026, APL ration card was being given to her, even though her age, widowhood, and lack of income made her eligible for Antyodaya card, but because of sangathan's advocacy and pressure, the local authorities allocated her an Antyodaya Ration card on that day itself.

This moment marked more than administrative completion. It meant assured food security in old age, and recognition after a long wait.

Kapooriben’s journey shows how elderly widowed women are left alone to navigate welfare systems, especially when documents are lost and lives have been affected by loss and informal work. What makes the difference is collective accompaniment and the willingness to stay the course.

This shows how through persistence, along with empathy for the most marginalized, systems can be forced to work.