Urvara is a community based not for profit initiative started by Adhi Daiv, a teenage boy who was deeply moved by the water travails of the people of his home state Rajasthan. It began as a fundraising project by him in 2019. He aimed at providing water wheels for rural women to mitigate their water woes.
While working for the fundraiser, Adhi realized that the scarcity of a fundamental resource like water had a snowballing effect. The problem started with a lack of water and led to many others. Though getting water wheels was a reprieve, it was not a permanent solution. He knew that whatever he started needed to be self-sustaining and something that the local people could take forward effectively, lest this too, like many other social endeavours, die a natural death.
He started researching to this end. He travelled extensively, talked to experts, met local people, read up literature and brainstormed about a viable solution to greening the desert areas. His research findings pointed towards recharging the ever depleting groundwater table by planting native trees, preventing soil degradation and enhancing biodiversity as the long-lasting solution. His findings led him to farmer Sundaram Verma’s technique of Dryland Agroforestry that only required one litre of water to grow a tree in a water scarce region
He doggedly went ahead, creating awareness among the people that if they put their heart and are prepared to work towards it, the 1-litre water technique could bring a turnaround. The team went tirelessly from village to village, campaigning their cause and advocating change. They were avidly interested in planting trees in schools and abandoned animal shelters. They wanted to impact the maximum number of lives through their initiative Urvara. After many advocacies and campaigning, the stakeholders responded to his clarion call. They understood that the only lasting solution was to promote biodiversity through plantation in the arid region and optimize whatever little water was available. There was a need to revive the age-old wisdom of the one-litre technique. The community realized that the power was within them to better their lives.
Slowly but steadily, the dream of a green desert is becoming a reality. What started as a ripple is a colossal wave now. More areas are being brought under the project’s ambit, and it has become a community at work now. School students, rural people, Angan Vadi workers, panchayat workers, and many other volunteers have seen the merit and joined the team to make a difference. Surmounting adverse work conditions, persisting when things seemed hopeless, encouraging inclusivity and pushing boundaries till doors opened and hearts warmed up to them, team Urvara persevered.