The Organisation

The Organisation

PRAVAH is a Gujarat-based collaborative non-profit platform, founded in 1994, that unites voluntary organizations, activists, and researchers to address the state’s most pressing drinking water and sanitation challenges through community-driven solutions. It has grown into a robust partnership model with over 130 member organizations and individuals, as well as 40 core partner NGOs who co-create scalable models, conduct participatory research, and advocate for more sustainable, people-centric water governance.

  • Mission and Strategies

    PRAVAH’s mission is to empower marginalized and rural communities—especially women—to independently manage and sustain their own water and sanitation systems, helping move villages toward self-reliance and equity. The organization pursues its goals through:

    • Collaborative innovation and action for piloting decentralized solutions like village-level Pani Samitis (water committees).
    • Participatory research and policy monitoring, including citizen oversight of large state water projects and district-level advocacy forums known as Lok Manchs.
    • Partnership for knowledge sharing, capacity building, advocacy, and evidence-based influence to shape state and local policy.

  • Key Achievements

    • Demonstrated scalable, community-managed water and sanitation systems in over 5,000 villages and multiple towns across Gujarat.
    • Fostered a strong forum for civil society engagement and informed debate on water governance, bringing together diverse actors for a unified approach to water equity.
    • Led pioneering campaigns for “Swavlamban” (self-reliance) and ongoing village water availability monitoring, helping mainstream decentralized management as a state priority.
    • Supported capacity building for partner NGOs and created resources and documentation to share best practices throughout the state.

  • Guiding Values

    • People-centric and participatory problem solving, with a special focus on gender equity and empowerment.
    • Evidence-based advocacy, research, and documentation to sustain long-term policy change.
    • Innovation and collaboration, ensuring that solutions are locally relevant and address the needs of the most marginalized communities.
    • PRAVAH continues to be a vital force in Gujarat for sustainable, inclusive, and evidence-based drinking water and sanitation strategies.