In Ramanwadi is a small village near Kolhapur, one of the highest per-capita incomes cities in India. Yet, Maruti, a 10 year old kid from Ramanwadi, walked 45 min each way on a forested hilly path just to attend school. Though the village receives heavy rainfall (3000-3300 mm annually), in the absence of water conservation measures, this water was not available to the village. Scarcity of irrigation and drinking water during summer meant that villagers would work on their farms for 3 months in the rainy season and as laborers in Kolhapur for the remaining months.

Venu Madhuri Trust (VMT) volunteers with the help of villagers have started a school till 4th standard in Ramanwadi. The ongoing Annamrit program was supported by AID New Mexico in its first year. It is in its fifth year now and is managed completely by villagers of Ramanwadi. They support the program in the form of money, grains or shramdaan. The program has helped to overcome the nutrition deficiency in kids.

AID-Dallas supported a VMT project to develop a new irrigation system with contribution from the villagers. This has resulted in significant growth in agricultural production. Rangnath, a villager from Ramanwadi had a sugarcane production of 8 tons a couple of years back. Last year (Feb–07), due to the Watershed Scheme Phase 1, it went to 45 tons and this year is expected at 250 tons.

VMT has taken up several other projects like organic farming, bamboo strips, veterinary clinic, handloom training, papad making and vermi-composting. Ramanwadi has also inspired other surrounding villages like Phatphanala, Bhari-bhambar, New Karanje and Fejiwade.

Nitin Paradkar, AID Dallas