February 16, 2022
Why a village community in Madhya Pradesh wanted to build a well
Despite the presence of a handpump in a water catchment area nearby, residents of Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh knew that a well was their urgent need.
Popularly known as the Clothing Man, Anshu Gupta founded Goonj to offer a sustainable economic model to eliminate poverty and related issues. Under his leadership Goonj created a barter between urban surplus and village communities’ labour, triggering large-scale rural development work. Forbes Magazine listed him as one of India’s most powerful rural entrepreneurs. He has also won many national and international honours including the Ashoka and Schwab Fellowships. He was awarded the Magsaysay Award for his work on transforming the culture of giving in India and for highlighting material as a sustainable development resource for the poor.