#UPSRLM #सफलताकीकहानी #आजीविका #उद्यम

This week, our #SafeMobility initiative found space in the news, but the story it carries has been in the making for years. It points to how #SafeMobility is beginning to scale in ways that go beyond a single geography or programme. The shift has been towards building an enabling ecosystem and embedding the approach within institutions so the idea can travel, adapt, and sustain without being held in place. These snapshots are small but important markers of a larger shift where the work is no longer just ours to run, but something systems are building on. As it scales, we are further advancing a future where more and more women can enter, persist, and lead in a sector that has historically excluded them. #SafeMobility #WomenLedEntrepreneurship #SocialInnovation #SystemicPrototype

We are pleased to welcome Development Alternatives as an Anchor Partner for the Climate Asia Annual Conference 2026. Join us in New Delhi on 22–23 April Request your invite here: climateasiaconference2026.lo… #ClimateAsia2026 #ClimateLeadership #ClimateEcosystem

मिशन अंतर्गत लखपति योजना में समूह सदस्यों द्वारा नित नए आयाम स्थापित किये जा रहे हैं, जिसकी एक बानगी समूह सदस्प यप्पू देवी जी द्वारा प्रदर्शित की गयी है | #लखपति #समूह

On 25th March, 2026 in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, five women e-rickshaw entrepreneurs were flagged off by Hon’ble Minister @ChouhanShivraj. For many watching, it was a significant yet brief moment but for the women behind the wheels, it carries a passionate journey. This work began in Mirzapur with a simple but persistent reality that when mobility is unsafe or unavailable, women’s worlds shrink. Stepping out, earning, even accessing everyday services becomes harder than it should be. #SafeMobility grew from these lived experiences, shaped by women who wanted something different. What followed was a process of figuring things out and co-creating. Women started learning to drive, building trust with financiers, negotiating space in a male-dominated sector, and slowly creating the support systems they needed. This flag-off carries that journey forward. It is not just about new e-rickshaws on the road, but about women claiming visibility, income, and voice in public spaces that once felt out of reach. #Emobility #WomenLedEntrepreneurship #SocialInnovation #SystemsChange #WomensEconomicEmpowerment

Under our #SafeMobility initiative, five women e-rickshaw entrepreneurs were flagged off in Gorakhpur by Hon’ble Agriculture & Rural Development Minister @ChouhanShivraj.

Across the #GlobalSouth, livelihoods are shaped by similar constraints - informality, limited access to finance, fragmented markets, and systems that often don’t speak to each other. Yet, solutions are too often designed in isolation, without accounting for the deeply place-based nature of these challenges. It is within this shared but diverse context that conversations on livelihoods become most meaningful. On 19th March 2026, #DevelopmentAlternatives engaged with delegates from Southeast Asia and Africa at the National Institute of Labour Economics Research and Development (NILERD) as part of the International Training Programme on Local Governance and Rural Livelihoods. What began as a workshop evolved into a deeper exchange on how different regions are approaching the same question: how do we enable livelihoods at scale without losing local relevance? Conversations drew from our work on #InclusiveEntrepreneurship, particularly the shift from linear models of support to ecosystem approaches, illustrating how #socialinnovation and #collectiveaction can come together for #systemschange. What resonated across the room was a shared understanding that enabling livelihoods today requires us to go beyond standalone interventions and embrace systems solutions. There was particular interest in how these systems come together through mechanisms like District Entrepreneurship Coalitions, and how community institutions play a critical role in anchoring and sustaining these shifts over time. Conversations on cross-country collaboration and deeper engagement with implementation models followed, pointing towards a growing need for approaches that are not just scalable, but adaptable across contexts. #SustainableEntrepreneurship #Livelihoods #LocalEconomies #JobCreation

#DABlog | On the occasion of #WorldWaterDay, we bring to you this month’s Development Alternatives blog, featuring an insightful article by Dr. Swayamprabha Das that explores the evolving landscape of water governance in India. At a time when water security is inextricably linked with agricultural resilience, urban expansion, and public health outcomes, the article offers a timely reflection on the systemic challenges that continue to impede effective governance, most notably, a fragmented and often disjointed institutional architecture. As we mark World Water Day, this piece invites us to reflect on the vital role of water in sustainable development, and the shared responsibility to build governance systems capable of securing it for the future. To read, click here:perspectives.devalt.org/2026…

At the recent WION Pulse session on “Planet Pulse: Green Growth and Climate Divide – The Business of Climate: Profit or Planet”, the discussions brought together diverse perspectives, from green growth opportunities to evolving energy realities. Amid these, Dr. Ashok Khosla’s insights stood out as a powerful reminder that the climate crisis is, at its core, a question of equity. Developing nations like India and countries across Africa are already bearing the brunt of climate impacts, despite contributing far less to the problem. This raises a fundamental question: who pays, and who bears the cost? Dr. Khosla emphasised that bridging this divide requires rethinking the global economic architecture, so that development and sustainability are not competing priorities, but aligned pathways. Integrating climate awareness into education systems and building sustainable aspirations from an early stage will be key to shaping resilient futures. As climate systems grow increasingly vulnerable, the path forward lies in aligning the economy with ecology, through informed choices, inclusive governance, and collective responsibility. Because ultimately, the question is not just about profit or planet, but about the kind of world we choose to leave behind. #ClimateAction #ClimateJustice #GreenGrowth #Sustainability #ClimateLiteracy #WIONPulse

We are all aware that when the rights to safe drinking water and sanitation are lacking, inequalities flourish. This March 22, as we celebrate World Water Day, we remind ourselves and our readers of this important reality. Read the editorial to understand the intricate landscape of water governance in India. Discover why awareness, community engagement, and easy-to-use tools, such as water-testing kits, are essential to empower communities. Explore the various initiatives taken by the country and by Development Alternatives to place water security at the core of well-being, ecological health, and resilient livelihoods. Learn how Odisha is moving towards its vision of a developed state by 2036 and 2047, and strengthening water systems is becoming a crucial strategy to mitigate the risk of future 'Day Zero' crises. Also, read about Development Alternatives’ initiative to revive 98 ponds in four Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Maharashtra. To read the newsletter, click here :  devalt.org/newsletter/88-str… #WorldRadioDay #CommunityRadio #ClimateCommunication #InclusiveDevelopment #LocalVoices

Restoring Urban Water Systems through Partnership Under the Natural Ecosystem Restoration program, Development Alternatives, with support from The Lubrizol Corporation and in partnership with Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, has initiated the rejuvenation of Kille Gaothan Pond in CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai. Dewatering activities have commenced, marking the first phase of restoring the pond’s ecological and functional capacity. Over time, the waterbody has experienced reduced storage potential and environmental stress. This intervention aims to revive nearly 16,000 cubic meters of water holding capacity, improve surrounding environmental conditions, and strengthen resilience to seasonal flooding. Through Natural Ecosystem Restoration, the focus is on regenerating critical blue-green infrastructure within rapidly urbanising landscapes. Urban ponds are essential climate assets. They absorb excess rainfall, support groundwater recharge, moderate local temperatures, and create ecological breathing spaces within cities. The restoration of Kille Gaothan Pond represents a collaborative effort to rebuild natural systems that support long-term environmental stability in Navi Mumbai. We look forward to sharing the visible transformation in the weeks ahead. #Lubrizol #DevelopmentAlternatives #NaturalEcosystemRestoration #NaviMumbai #UrbanWater #ClimateResilience #CSRImpact

We were privileged to host Shri Manish Bhardwaj, IAS, Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at TARAgram, Orchha, the rural innovation campus of Development Alternatives. During his visit, he engaged with the team at Radio Bundelkhand and interacted with listeners, emphasising the critical importance of disaster risk reduction and preparedness at the community level. He appreciated and acknowledged the recognition of Radio Bundelkhand's long-standing initiative, Shubh Kal, which has been informing and educating the population of Bundelkhand on climate change adaptation and timely weather alerts since 2008. His visit and message reaffirmed the significant role community radios play in strengthening disaster risk reduction in India. #RadioBundelkhand #ShubhKal #DisasterRiskReduction #ClimateResilience #DevelopmentAlternatives

Across districts in Uttar Pradesh, #InclusiveEntrepreneurship is assuming a clearer, more intentional shape, emerging from steady convergence among grassroots entrepreneurs, community institutions, government systems, financial actors, and local markets. What once functioned in silos is gradually learning to move in rhythm. This growing alignment is simplifying the journey for entrepreneurs- clarifying pathways, reducing friction, strengthening trust, and enabling enterprises to stabilize, diversify, and scale. As linkages become stronger, entrepreneurship shifts from being an individual journey to a supported local possibility. This piece by Kanika Verma, Lead - Sustainable Enterprise & Executive Vice President, Development Alternatives reflects on what it truly takes to build #InclusiveRuralEntrepreneurship. To Read: perspectives.devalt.org/2026… #SustainableEntrepreneurship #WomenLedEntrepreneurship #RuralEntrepreneurship #SocialInnovation #SystemsChange

Join us at #AIImpactSummit! The true promise of AI lies in its ability to reach the last mile and that’s exactly what we’re showcasing at #AIImpactSummit2026. Development Alternatives, together with Gram Vaani, is at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi demonstrating voice-enabled, interactive Q&A - a simple, accessible and intuitive AI feature designed to expand access to entrepreneurship, especially for women entrepreneurs. Where: Pillar 15, Hall 3, First Floor When: 16–20 February 2026 If you’re at the Summit, we invite you to drop by, explore the technology, and engage with our team to see how community networks and intelligent tools can come together to unlock opportunities for scale. #AIforRuralEntrepreneurship #InclusiveEntrepreneurship #WomensEconomicEmpowerment #SocialInnovation #SocialInnovationLedEntrepreneurship #SustainableEntrepreneurship

Jyoti Tomar from Sidipur was acknowledged at the Harit Summit for her unwavering commitment to restoring her village pond, a transformation led under the Natural Ecosystem Restoration programme through Project Transforming Ponds in collaboration with @HCL_Foundation . Her journey reflects how community leadership can turn revival into resilience and local action into lasting change.

#DANL | On #WorldRadioDay, we present this month’s edition of the Development Alternatives Newsletter, examining the transformative role of community radio in strengthening climate communication and deepening democratic participation across rural India. As climate risks intensify, community media platforms are emerging as critical last-mile institutions, translating complex policy discourse into accessible, locally relevant dialogue. Through platforms such as Radio Bundelkhand, communities are not only informed but actively engaged in governance processes and collective decision-making. This edition highlights how relatable storytelling, interactive formats, and trusted local voices are reshaping conversations around agriculture, adaptation, and development. Stories such as that of Ramdhakeli Kushwaha illustrate how programmes like Shubh Kal are catalysing behavioural shifts at the grassroots. It also situates these efforts within the broader community radio ecosystem, including initiatives such as Kisan Vani, underscoring the scale and credibility of radio as a medium for inclusive climate action. Together, these insights reaffirm the role of community radio as enabling infrastructure for resilience, accountability, and sustainable development. Read the editorial to explore how community media continues to bridge the gap between policy and people. To read the newsletter, click here : devalt.org/newsletter/87-com… #WorldRadioDay #CommunityRadio #ClimateCommunication #InclusiveDevelopment #LocalVoices