It takes a complete shift in how we think about community development in India: communally led, community-driven, and community owned

One hot April afternoon in Mokhada, located a four-hour drive north of Mumbai, I met a young woman named Gayatri who would dramatically change the way I think about social impact in India.

Gayatri was born and raised in Mokhada, a cluster of 56 villages in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, home to 150,000 people, mostly from the indigenous Warli and Katkhari tribes. The indigenous Adivasi communities that constitute 8.9% of the country’s population have lived here for generations, but they have faced marginalization and poverty. This population struggles with low income, poor education, inadequate healthcare, poor nutrition and lack of sanitation, leaving them among the country’s most vulnerable.

As a young adult, Gayatri faced these realities and made a bold choice. She decided to leave the village to study at university to become a radiologist in order to be able to support herself and her family and exit the cycle of poverty. She received her certification and was solidly on her way to a new life far from her tribal village. She could have left her old life behind. But she didn’t. Instead, she made a 180-degree turn and went back to her village. She wanted to find a way to use her new tools and skills to lift up her community. She did not want to leave them behind. She wanted to lead them to a different future. 

But how was she going to lift up a tribal community from poverty? 

The answer, I learned, was that we would work on it together. 

As Founding Director of Gabriel Project Mumbai, a development organization combating extreme poverty in underserved communities, I realized right away that Gayatri is a treasure. While we are able to bring academic knowledge and expertise, it is nothing without people like Gayatri. Local residents who dedicate their lives to lifting up their communities are the real agents of change. Our job as a development organization is to be their support so they can do the real work of social transformation.

Gayatri now leads all GPM’s medical programs, addressing critical issues like Sickle Cell Anemia, maternal health, oral hygiene, and infant malnutrition. Her deep understanding of her community, especially the challenges faced by women, allows her to make a meaningful impact—insight that academic training alone cannot provide. 

Gayatri has taught me so much, and has been part of a significant paradigm shift in our organizational thinking and operation. What we now understand to be essential in our vision for social transformation is this: For our work to succeed, programs must be communally-led, community-driven, and community owned. 

From grass-roots to systemic change

Since our inception in 2012, we have gradually grown from our goal of alleviating nutrition insecurity to addressing issues of healthcare, education, and livelihood. Always learning from the community about needs, we have come to understand that all these issues are interconnected and demand a holistic, grass-roots approach. Over the years, we have built powerful relationships with other heroes in the community who have come to spearhead all of our programs. 

For example, GPM’s series of women’s livelihood programs are initiated and run by hundreds of tribal women who are now able to support their families with positive ripple effects impacting entire villages.

Similarly, in GPM’s agricultural initiatives, a resident named Sanket organizes training sessions to discuss new agricultural techniques and the benefits of sustainable farming. The village came together, sharing what they learned, as well as integrating tried and tested traditional farming methods that has led to more effective farming across the community.

When residents faced severe water quality issues causing serious illnesses, GPM connected them with corporate sponsors to launch the groundbreaking Jal Jeevan Hain initiative. This project purifies bore well water and provides clean drinking water to over 1,000 families. Importantly, the water purification system is  managed by the community, ensuring its long-term sustainability.

A paradigm shift in development work

I believe that this  community-driven model represents a paradigm shift in development work in India. It’s about creating a structure where local leaders have the tools and knowledge to address their own challenges. By training community members and fostering a culture of self-reliance, we maximize the impact of our resources while ensuring that the benefits last long after the intervention ends.

At GPM, our vision is to support communities in a way that fosters collaboration, ownership, and sustainable development. By empowering people like Gayatri, who are deeply rooted in their community, we are creating a future where these communities can flourish and thrive.

For more information and to donate in the U.S.: https://www.gabrielprojectmumbai.org/

About the Author

Jacob Sztokman is a hi-tech executive turned social-entrepreneur with a MA in International Development from Hebrew University and a MSc in NonProfit Management from Gratz College. He brings to Gabriel Project Mumbai a unique combination of management experience and deep commitment to social justice. He is driven by the fundamental belief that we must take responsibility to help alleviate human suffering around the world. When not in India, Jacob lives in Israel with his wife, Elana Maryles Sztokman, their four children and five grandchildren.