Gandhi Shows the Way:

Sarvodaya – as the welfare of all, represents the ideal social order according to Gandhiji. Its basis is all-embracing love. So it has room in it for all without exception no individual or group is to be suppressed, exploited or liquidated. All are to be equally members of this social order, all sharing in the produce of their labour, the strong protecting the weak and functioning as trustees for the weak, and each promoting the welfare of all. As one of the essential qualities of love is self-giving, or emptying oneself or dying for the loved one, self-control and self – suffering from one of the prime requisites for realising Sarvodaya… Development with equality and justice only can bring lasting peace, and path to achieve it is in the concept of ‘Sarvodaya’ – welfare of all.”

We also know for sure that only ‘A Learning Society’ will find a way to solve its problem.

“The Purpose of Jeevantirth is to enable people to be a life-long learners by community oriented education; so that they become full of Joy, Love and Understanding”.

Jeevantirth: Journey Towards Being a Community Based Organisation

Jeevantirth truly believes in “Think Globally, Act Locally” and for that on one side we align our activities with GSDs – 2030 and on the other side by addressing local Burning Issues we try to solve Basic Issues requiring policy and structural change. We have started adopting ‘Participatory Strategic Planning’ method to involve all the stakeholders in the process of developing future programs right from the beginning.

We are living in the VUCA World, so we do context analysis periodically; keep track on our internal strengths & weaknesses and external opportunities & threats; design our theory of change keeping our eye on guiding stars – our Vision, Mission and Role. Once we are conceptually clear, we decide our Objectives, work out our Strategy and develop Programs in innovative ways having replicability and scalability.

Our Philosophical Base

The most precious thing we possess in our life is LIFE itself. Life is the supreme value. Today, our world requires Global Citizens believing and loving life in it fullest sense.

We humbly believe that we do not have any single wonderful solution of the problems faced by the humanity today. Nor we want to profess or propagate any religion, ideology or belief. We want human conscious to be free from all conditionings and human beings to live spontaneously true to their own inner being.

Our VMROSP is as under:

Our Vision

Nature’s Bounty + Human Wisdom = Paradise on Earth!
Life is perpetual YOGA. Every moment we have to make a CHOICE.
Our vision is this: WE ALL MAKE RIGHT CHOICE IN OUR LIFE ALWAYS.

Our Mission

To make effort that every citizen of the future generation dares to THINK INDIPENDENTLY and LIVE THEIR CONVECTION; they become GLOBAL CITIZENS by letting go their narrow identities and barriers while nurturing their local culture and heritage. They become PHYSICALLY HEALTHY, MENTALLY WISE, HEARTILY LOVING and SPIRITUALLY SOUND.

To create a Learning Society.

Our Role

To facilitate lifelong learning.
To help people to help themselves.

Our Objectives

All problems of existence are essentially problem of Harmony.
Everything is related with everything in this world, our objective is to find correlation and establish harmony.
Our objective is to strive for establishing harmony within and without.

Our Strategy

To be full of Joy, Love and Understanding, so that we can inculcate these values in the next generation.
To work as a “Support Organization”, helping other NGOs and Individuals in realizing their own dreams.
To work in partnership with likeminded organizations.
Teacher’s Training. Training of Social Activists. Youth Training. Preparation of Educational Materials.

Our Programs

> Educational
> Environmental
> Rural Development
> Vocational Training and Livelihood
> Women Empowerment
> Human Rights

Context Analysis:

  1. Impact of Covid-19 Global Pandemic on Education, Livelihood etc.
  2. India’s commitment to achieve the 17 SDGs and the 169 associated targets, which comprehensively cover social, economic and environmental dimensions of development and focus on ending poverty in all its forms and dimensions.
  3. Climate Change due to Global Warming & other Environmental Issues.
  4. India having world’s largest youth population requiring Skilling and Re-skilling to meet the talent demands of the future.
  5. Collapsing rural economy due to shrinking of farm land, degradation of community property resources, lack of local livelihood opportunities & migration to cities. Urgent need to Re-vitalize rural economy.
  6. India’s New Educational Policy-2020 and need based quality education to create a learning society.
  7. Prevailing of Gender Discrimination due to the Feudal structure of society and Patriarchy.
  8. Sharp divisions turning in to cult of violence and politics of hatred among society due to cast, creed, religion, regionalism, political ideology, development paradigm etc.

About Our Founder Trustees

Jeevantirth is established on 14th July 1997 by Raju and Deepti, a couple who became active in social life since “Movement for Total Revolution” initiated by Loknayak Jayprakesh Narayan – a renowned Gandhian in 1974-75. After completing their studies in Engineering and Commerce, Raju worked as a lecturer and Deepti in Bank for several years. Both left their lucrative careers in 1993-1985 and decided to devote their life in work for the most vulnerable sections of society, especially rural children, women and youth based on Gandhian Ideologies. Both are Ashoka Fellows.

In the initial years they worked in reputed organisations like Sadvichar Parivar, Gram Swaraj Kendra, Bhansali Trust-Radhanpur and LokNiketan-Ratanpur. They also worked with renewed Gandhians like Chunibhai Vaidya, Narayan Desai and Mahendra Bhatt.

Jeevantirth as a ‘Learning Organisation’

Vinoba Bhave rightly said, “Learning is a basic instinct and you can’t live without learning. Whenever you feel unhappy that is a clear indication that your inner progress has stopped”. Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher also said that “Stagnation is Death!”

At Jeevantirth we are constantly working on Organisational Development process. After undergoing GAP and SALT cohort we resolved to make Jeevantirth as a Learning Organization and started our journey of re-building our institution. Taking best advantage of lockdown period due to Covid – 19 pandemic we initiated a three month long OD process. At an organizational level we have declared main Goal for the year 2020-21 as: “To strengthen the organization so that it can play an effective role towards achieving Global Sustainable Development Goals.” We have initiated an extensive ‘Organisational Development Process’ which will be carried out throughout the year and it will be a way of life at Jeevantirth.

Our Core Team

Jeevantirth as a ‘Support Organisation’

In addition to the direct implementation of innovative action based educational research programs; Jeevantirth has become strong support organisation for civil society initiatives, and it plays active role in issue based networks also as a partner organisation. You can find few examples below:

  1. AKRSP (I)Documentation and Third-Party Assessment of intermediate outcomes of AKRSP (India)’s interventions in ‘Learning Enrichment Program’ of LEARN project in selected villages of Wankaner Taluka, Morbi District, Gujarat.
  2. Training of about 100 teachers engaged in Environment Education in 50 villages of Halvad Taluka by Centre for Environment Education.
  3. Translation of ‘The Water Security Plan’ for Rapar Taluka in Kutch District of Gujarat on request of Samarth so that it can be easily assessable to the ground level workers engaged in implementation to reduce the plight of the people living in scarcity zone.
  4. As part of their foundation programme at IIT-Gandhinagar, Jeevantirth conducted workshop on Origami – Japanese art of paper folding.
  5. Active partner of “Child Rights Collective-Gujarat”“Aavas Adhikaar Zumbesh”; supporting organisations like “Sarvangin Prayas” and “RAH”.

We are also invited on regular bases for the training sessions to train the teachers of Ashram Shaalas for “Adivasi Sanshodhan Kendra” of Gujarat Vidyapith.

Jeevantirth as a ‘Happy Family’

At Jeevantirth we work like a family and are always with each other in solidarity during sad or happy moments, because we know that grief is reduced and happiness is multiplied when we share. In addition to the celebration of Foundation day 14th July, we celebrate important national/international festivals with our team and other stakeholders. We also go on trips or retreat every year to get recharged.

Our Business Plan for 2020-21

Our Accreditations:

We are happy that Jeevantirth is accredited with Credibility Alliance after rigorous process. Credibility Alliance is a consortium of Voluntary Organizations (VOs) committed towards enhancing Accountability and Transparency in the Voluntary Sector through good Governance. As an Organization, CA aspires to build trust among all stakeholders through improving Governance and accountable practices within the Voluntary Sector.