Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti

Rajasthan

GRAVIS works in the States of Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. Currently, GRAVIS' interventions support about 1.3 million people living in over 1,500 remote villages. The organisation believes in participatory community development that blends traditional knowledge and modern sciences and that promotes equality.

education is one of the main pillars of sustainable development as it allows future generations' access to new ideas and resources. GRAVIS has been a strong proponent of education for the poor of the Thar Desert and has hopes of giving children a brighter and financially secure future. Till date, 98 schools with more than 7,000 students have been set up by GRAVIS and many of them are now run by village communities independently.

These schools are often located in the areas of villages where no government school existed, and some provide midday meals for students. Once these schools are well established, GRAVIS hands over the administration to the local Village Development Committee or the state school system. GRAVIS donates bicycles to students who wish to attend secondary schools. This support focuses on female students who have to date been given 230 bicycles.

GRAVIS has recently constructed a new girls hostel building in one of its centers where the girls will stay to receive middle and high school education. The center can accommodate up to 16 girls, who live there and participate in many activities.