Poorna Chander

Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR)

WOTR tackles the key causes of rural poverty by taking a holistic approach to rejuvenate rural communities and the ecosystems in which they live. The focus is on mobilising rural people and building their capacities to efficiently manage the land, water, and forests that surround them. Working at the grassroots, WOTR creates resilient rural communities that enjoy a fulfilling life within vibrant and sustainable ecosystems. By using an integrated Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) approach; we regenerate degraded ecosystems to help rural communities adapt to climate change while expanding livelihood opportunities, improving health, nutrition and people's well-being. Our interventions are enabled through Implementation, Applied Research and Training & Capacity Building across thematic areas that include 🍃Agriculture 🍃Women Empowerment 🍃Water & Land Management 🍃Livelihoods 🍃Health, Sanitation & Nutrition Headquartered in Pune, we have worked in over 5,551 villages across 9 states of India (Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh). WOTR grew out of the highly acclaimed Indo-German Watershed Development Project (IGWDP) that was started in 1989 by Father Hermann Bacher who is known as the Father of Watershed Development movement in Maharashtra, India. Father Hermann Bacher and Crispino Lobo founded Watershed Organisation Trust on 20th December 1993 with a vision of supporting and motivating individuals and communities to undertake integrated ecosystems development for enhanced well-being in India.