Lakshman Raghunath Bandal, a quiet, resilient farmer from Gokawadi, had been growing wheat on his 0.5-acre plot for years. Like many in his village, he trusted what he knew—traditional Khapli wheat, sown thickly with a seed drill. Every season, he hoped for more. Yet, every season ended with just 4 quintals, barely enough to keep dreams alive.
He wasn't inefficient. He wasn't unaware. He was simply doing the best with what he had. But deep down, Lakshman knew: hope alone can't change the harvest./p>

For years, 135 families in Ukkadgaon lived a paradox: there was water underground, but no way to draw it up.

With electricity available for only 8 hours a day - and repairs taking 4–5 days when transformers failed - the village water supply was frequently paralyzed. Women had to wake at dawn, carrying pots and hope, to fetch water from far-off wells. Children often missed school to help.

In a community already stretched thin, water was a daily crisis.

Through a partnership between Crompton CSR Foundation and Vanarai, a sustainable, solar-powered solution was installed.

A 10 HP solar pump now draws over 1,00,000 litres of clean water every day from the village's drinking water well. No more dependency on the electricity grid. No more waiting for transformers. Water now flows daily to every household; clean, reliable, and powered by the sun.

In the remote hilly terrain of Sukhdare Kond, life revolved around one bitter truth - water was a luxury. With just one spring supplying the entire hamlet, families walked 1.7 kms daily; especially women. Due to the peculiar hilly topography water insecurity wasn't seasonal - it was perennial.

Rather than focusing on income from livelihood opportunities, 40 families were spending 100 hours per day to fulfil their basic need for water. This equalled an opportunity loss of Rs. 400 per hour, resulting in a daily loss of ₹40,000 for the community.

Vanarai & SCIL stepped in with a simple question: What if the solution lay in the spring itself? By adopting a Springshed Development approach, the team undertook the required steps and connected the spring with a new water line; providing flowing water in taps. The goal wasn't just to build infrastructure — it was to provide villagers with their basic right of access to clean and safe water.

• Spring flow increased significantly
• Water availability throughout the year
• Taps with running water
• Children playing around the water taps

In Khanapur village, Bhor Taluka, 375 students at Sarnobat Shidoji Thopate Vidyalaya sat in classrooms with chalk, books and no computer in sight. Many had never touched a keyboard. Their dreams of pursuing careers in IT or digital learning were quietly shelved. When the subject selection came, they chose Geography; not because they loved it, but because it was the only practical choice

Vanarai through the support of CCIL, stepped in with a vision: to turn digital exclusion into digital empowerment.

• A fully functional computer lab with 20 systems was established.
• Infrastructure, power backup, and digital learning tools were installed.
• Teachers were trained to integrate digital tools into their classroom methods.

The goal wasn't just to install computers - it was to install confidence, curiosity, and a connection to the future.

• Students now learn typing, educational software, and are confidently opting for IT as a subject.
• Teachers use interactive digital content to make classes engaging and future-ready.
• A rural school is now bridging the digital divide, one student at a time.
• The lab is a launchpad for careers in tech, academics, and beyond.