SwachhDhara’s engagement in Madhya Pradesh reflects our commitment to creating sustainable, community-driven models of development that address both immediate needs and long-term environmental challenges. Our work in the Mandla region, which includes several farming villages situated around the district, has been shaped by a holistic approach—one that combines improved agricultural practices, livelihood enhancement, environmental conservation, and hygiene education for the next generation.

Agriculture is the backbone of Mandla’s rural economy, yet farmers traditionally face numerous challenges, including low crop productivity, resource inefficiency, and harmful practices such as the burning of parali (crop residue). Recognising these issues, SwachhDhara began working with local farmer groups to promote better farming practices and introduce methods that are both environmentally responsible and economically beneficial. Our core intervention in the area focuses on the effective utilisation of parali, which has long been considered agricultural waste with limited value. Farmers would often resort to burning it in open fields, resulting in soil degradation, reduced fertility, and significant air pollution.

Through consistent training sessions, demonstrations, and workshops, SwachhDhara has been able to change the perception of parali from a waste product into a valuable resource. We teach farmers how to collect, process, and store crop residue so that it can be sold to nearby biomass pellet manufacturing units. This initiative has created a new income stream for farmers who previously had no economic incentive to manage residue responsibly. Instead of contributing to environmental harm, the same parali now serves as a raw material for biomass fuel—an eco-friendly alternative to conventional energy sources. This shift has led to tangible improvements in household incomes and encouraged the community to adopt more sustainable farming practices.

Alongside residue management, SwachhDhara provides guidance on soil health improvement, composting, crop diversification, and the efficient use of water resources. Training on the use of organic manure, natural pesticides, and resource-conserving techniques has been introduced to reduce input costs while improving long-term soil fertility. The transition from traditional, often unsustainable methods to climate-resilient practices has increased productivity for many small and marginal farmers in the region. Our field teams work closely with farmers through every season—helping them understand market linkages, evaluating crop cycles, and implementing practices that support both environmental sustainability and economic growth.

However, our work in Madhya Pradesh does not stop at agriculture. We believe that building a sustainable community means investing not just in livelihoods, but also in people—especially children. With this vision in mind, SwachhDhara partnered with local schools across the Mandla region to introduce structured programs on hygiene, sanitation, and environmental responsibility. Many schools in rural areas face challenges such as lack of awareness around personal hygiene, limited access to sanitation facilities, and insufficient exposure to environmental education. Our goal has been to fill these gaps through engaging, age-appropriate, and interactive learning modules.

We conduct regular school sessions that teach children the importance of personal hygiene practices such as handwashing, brushing teeth, bathing regularly, and keeping their surroundings clean. These are supported by visual demonstrations, activity-led learning, and simple storytelling sessions that help children understand why hygiene matters not just for themselves, but also for the health of their families and community. By nurturing these habits early, we aim to reduce the prevalence of preventable diseases and create a ripple effect of behaviour change across households.

In addition to hygiene, SwachhDhara’s environmental education modules introduce children to important concepts such as waste segregation, recycling, water conservation, and natural resource protection. Students learn how small actions—like reducing plastic use, disposing waste responsibly, planting trees, or conserving water—can make a significant positive impact over time. We also organise school-based cleanliness drives, plantation activities, and competitions such as drawing, essay writing, and “green ideas” challenges to strengthen their interest in environmental stewardship.

SwachhDhara’s interventions bring together the three core pillars of sustainable community development: economic progress, environmental responsibility, and social awareness. By connecting farmers to new income opportunities, promoting greener agricultural practices, and nurturing environmental consciousness among young students, we are fostering a community that is not only more prosperous but also more resilient and future-ready.

In Mandla’s farming villages, the impact of our work is visible. Where fields were once blackened with residue burning, we now see organised collection and sale of parali to biomass plants. Where farmers once relied solely on traditional methods, many now integrate eco-friendly practices and participate in knowledge-sharing groups. In local schools, teachers report improved hygiene behaviour among children and greater participation in environmental initiatives. Parents have expressed how their children talk at home about cleanliness, waste reduction, and protecting nature—topics that were previously barely discussed.

Our vision for Madhya Pradesh is to build communities that are self-sufficient yet sustainable, progressive yet deeply connected to their environment. SwachhDhara remains dedicated to empowering farmers, educating children, and nurturing practices that contribute to a cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous future. By bridging the gap between environmental conservation and economic development, we aim to create a model of rural transformation that can be replicated across regions—one village, one school, and one family at a time.