PROBLEM & SOLUTION
RURAL POVERTY AND HOW WE TACKLE IT
The Vastness of Rural Poverty
India is recognised globally as an economic powerhouse. But whilst significant gains have been made over the last 20 years, much of this wealth generation has been inequitable, with 600 million living in rural villages, either below or just above the poverty line.
‘ABOVE THE POVERTY LINE’, IS STILL POVERTY!
Whilst official poverty rates in India fell from 45% of the population in 1994 to 25% in 2022, those that have ‘come out of poverty’ still live in dire and difficult circumstances. In fact, 56% of the population of India are rural families that do not have a level of income to enable them to live a decent quality of life, rather than just bare subsistence.
WHAT DO RURAL FAMILIES NEED?
The income level of a rural family needs to be sufficient enough to enable them to meet 8 basic
household needs:
FOOD
ENERGY
HOUSING
DRINKING WATER
SANITATION
HEALTHCARE
EDUCATION
SOCIAL SECURITY
LIVELIHOODS IS THE KEY!
It sounds simple … It’s not! Livelihoods is a multi-faceted issue, and is so much more than just the impart of skills and education. In fact, in order for any person to earn a livelihood they require 5
sets of capital to support them. To prosper, rural families need ALL of these things and more, to support them in earning a livelihood. If just one of them topples, the building blocks begin to fall.
Human Capital
Skills, knowledge, abilities and capabilities
that aid in development of each asset area.
Natural Capital
Forests, Rivers, Ponds, Trees, Land
Social Capital
The benefits that come through
relationships with people and institutions
Physical Capital
Actual physical things that people
own, control or have access to.
Financial Capital
Income, Credit, Investments
Human Capital
Skills, knowledge, abilities and capabilities
that aid in development of each asset area.
Physical Capital
Actual physical things that people
own, control or have access to.
Financial Capital
Income, Credit, Investments
Social Capital
The benefits that come through
relationships with people and institutions
Natural Capital
Forests, Rivers, Ponds, Trees, Land
Source: Livelihood Asset Pentagon of the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework
ACF’s programs support a family in their journey from poverty to prosperity.
With almost 3 decades of experience in remote community development, we have seen first-hand,
how support across these 6 thrust areas can transform the lives of rural families and communities.
Water
Agriculture
Skill
Health
Women
Education
Water
Agriculture
Skill
Health
Women
Education
COMMUNITY
OWNERSHIP &
PARTICIPATION
We build people’s institutions to ensure the equitable and sustainable management of all community projects. Farmer Producer Companies, Women’s Federations, SHGs, Cooperatives, Water User Associations, School Management Committees, Village Development Committees … we believe the key to sustainable change comes when people are in the driver’s seat.
We build people’s institutions to ensure the equitable and sustainable management of all community projects. Farmer Producer Companies, Women’s Federations, SHGs, Cooperatives, Water User Associations, School Management Committees, Village Development Committees … we believe the key to sustainable change comes when people are in the drivers’ seat.
KNOWLEDGE SHARING
We believe it is important to share our experiences from the field, gathered
over nearly 3 decades, with others - and also learn from other like-minded
organisations. Our knowledge sharing platforms provide us with
the opportunity to exchange ideas, find better ways to tackle problems and
collaborate to amplify our impact.
What Works in Rural Drinking Water Governance
ACF organized a closed door event to discuss ‘what works in rural drinking water governance’ in India, in collaboration with the National Jal Jeevan Mission Professor Chair, Centre for Water Policy and Governance, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. The event included key experts working on water from Government, NGOs, Corporates and consultants on 17th June 2023.
Read More 
Symposium on NCDs
The Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, the Harvard Chan India Research Center and Ambuja Foundation held a Symposium on Non-Communicable Disease in Mumbai on the January 17 2019. The Symposium shared models that have been implemented globally for the control of Non-Communicable Diseases and explored ways of developing a strategy for the Indian context.
Investing in Water: For Today & The Future
More than 50 different funders, companies, social organisations, governments and communities convened to explore collaborations to address water scarcity, at the recent ACF and Samhita event 'Investing in Water: For Today & The Future. Philanthropists, changemakers, and CSR leaders, were key stakeholders at the event. These experts also provided solutions to the burgeoning water problems different target groups face.
