A simple housewife, Letu Bai kickstarted a Wadi – igniting interest in other farmers, sharing her knowledge, and later being nominated as the Police Patil of her tribal village.

“Before the wadi project, I was a simple housewife and kept quietly to myself.  But when I was given a Wadi (orchard) to plant and tend to, I grabbed that opportunity with both hands.  I would take a drum of water myself and water those trees daily, ensuring they survived in the long, dry summers we face.  

I was the first to kickstart wadi and keep those plants alive, and after seeing me, slowly other farmers joined in.  I would talk about it in the village and share what I knew.  People came to know me and I also got involved in other parts of village life.  I earned trust and respect, and that's how I was made the Police Patil of the Village – solving disputes and problems and liaising with the police on village matters.  It seems that as my wadi grew, so did I … “ - Letu Bai, Dhanakdevi Village, Chandrapur, Maharashtra.