Nashik social worker's model on water's role in tribal empowerment to be presented globally

A research abstract focusing on how access to drinking water in remote tribal villages can influence education, health, nutrition and livelihood conditions submitted by a Nashik-based social worker has been selected for oral presentation at the Singapore International Water Week 2026 Water Convention.

The event is scheduled to be held from June 15 to 18 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore.

Widely attended by policy makers, researchers, industry experts and development organisations from across the world, the Singapore International Water Week has emerged as a major platform for discussions on water management, urban sustainability and climate-related challenges.

Pramod Gaikwad's paper, titled ''Water as a Catalyst: A Nexus-Based Model for Tribal Empowerment in Rural India,'' has been selected under the 'Stakeholder Engagement' category.

The presentation focuses on how access to drinking water in remote tribal villages can influence education, health, nutrition and livelihood conditions.

''This recognition is not just for me, but for the tribal communities that participated in and sustained these water initiatives over the years,'' Gaikwad told PTI.

''In many villages, access to drinking water has directly influenced school attendance, women's health and local livelihoods. Water becomes the starting point for broader social change,'' he said.

Gaikwad, founder of the Social Networking Forum (SNF), has been working in tribal regions of Nashik and nearby districts for over 15 years.

According to details mentioned in the abstract, the organisation has implemented community-led drinking water initiatives in more than 35 villages.

The paper examines the impact of water scarcity on daily life in remote areas, particularly among women and children who often spend several hours fetching water. It also highlights changes observed in villages after improved access to drinking water, including better school attendance, local health indicators and economic activity.

''Our model focuses on community ownership and low-cost solutions so that villages can manage and sustain the systems independently,'' Gaikwad said.

Along with water projects, the model incorporates linked initiatives such as village libraries, nutrition support programmes and rural health activities. The approach combines low-cost infrastructure with local participation and community ownership.

''Presenting this work at an international platform like the Singapore International Water Week is an opportunity to highlight grassroots solutions emerging from rural Maharashtra,'' he added.

The selection of the paper places a community-level initiative from tribal Maharashtra within a broader international discussion on water access and rural development models.

SNF began around 2010 through educational support activities for tribal students and later expanded into water, health and rural development work across several villages in Maharashtra.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)