Case Studies
Gujra
Turning Learning into Community-Led Water Conservation
After observing the watershed development model of Hiware Bazar, Gujra began mobilising local participation to create water-conservation structures within the village.
VILLAGE OVERVIEW
Local Leadership Responding to a Shared Need
Daundi Block, Balod District, Chhattisgarh
Sarpanch Parvati Mandavi
Hiware Bazar Exposure Workshop
Water conservation through participation
Gujra is a village in Balod district where local leadership and community participation have come together around the need for water conservation. The village Sarpanch, Parvati Mandavi, participated in a workshop held at Hiware Bazar from 8 to 10 December. During the visit, she observed the village’s work in watershed management, water conservation and community-led natural-resource planning.
After returning to Gujra, she began discussing how similar principles could be applied according to the needs and conditions of her own village.
FROM EXPOSURE TO ACTION
Learning That Continued After the Visit
Exposure visits often create interest, but their real value becomes visible only when learning is translated into local action. In Gujra, the visit to Hiware Bazar was followed by practical work.
The Sarpanch brought the learning back to the village and encouraged residents to participate in developing water-conservation structures. Rather than treating watershed management only as a government construction activity, the village began approaching it as a shared community responsibility.
Key Features of the Initiative
- ✓Learning through direct exposure to Hiware Bazar
- ✓Leadership by the Gram Panchayat
- ✓Participation of village residents
- ✓Creation of local water-conservation structures
- ✓Attention to watershed management
- ✓Recognition of water as a shared village resource
Building Structures Through Participation
With the involvement of village residents, several watershed and water-conservation structures were created in and around Gujra. The work is intended to slow the movement of rainwater, improve local water retention and support groundwater recharge for households, agriculture and livestock.
Water as a Collective Responsibility
Water connects every family in a village. Its availability affects drinking water, agriculture, livestock, sanitation and livelihoods. The role of Sarpanch Parvati Mandavi has been central — not copying another village mechanically, but understanding a useful principle and adapting it to local conditions.
CONNECTION WITH THE AKSG FRAMEWORK
Water Conservation as a Starting Point
Production & Work
Improved water availability can strengthen agriculture, livestock-related work and local livelihoods.
Health & Self-Regulation
Reliable and responsibly managed water contributes to sanitation, nutrition and household wellbeing.
Education & Sanskar
Participation in watershed work helps villagers and children understand water cycles and collective responsibility.
Justice & Security
Transparent and participatory decisions can help ensure fair access to shared water resources.
Exchange & Prosperity
Stronger agricultural production and reduced water vulnerability can support greater household stability.
WHY GUJRA MATTERS FOR AKSG & THE WAY FORWARD
A Village Acting on What It Learned
Gujra illustrates the importance of exposure, leadership and immediate local follow-through. The village did not treat Hiware Bazar only as an inspiring success story. Its leadership identified a relevant area of learning and mobilised residents to begin practical work.
This ability to move from observation to action is essential for the AKSG programme. Every village has different conditions. Therefore, transformation cannot come from reproducing a fixed model. It must come from studying useful examples and developing programmes with community participation.
From Water Structures to Participatory Water Governance
When Leadership is Open to Learning and People Participate
Gujra’s work is an encouraging beginning. It shows that when village leadership is open to learning and people participate in implementation, an exposure visit can lead to meaningful change on the ground.