JSW FOUNDATION: EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES, TRANSFORMING LIVES
Whether it is women turning plastic waste into valuable products, children thriving 43 in an inclusive environment, or farmers benefiting from sustainable agriculture, JSW Foundation’s work is changing lives, one community at a time. Here’s looking at three of the 18 such locations across Maharashtra, Odisha, and Karnataka.
In rural India, where a better future often seems like a distant dream, JSW Foundation is reshaping lives through transformative projects that empower and uplift communities. JSW Foundation has been empowering rural communities for the past three decades.
It operates across 38 districts in 18 states, prioritising communities around JSW’s plant and port locations. JSW Foundation also reaches out to communities beyond these locations to contribute towards India’s social development in a meaningful way. JSW Foundation’s focus areas are, Health and Nutrition; Education; Water, Environment and Sanitation; Waste Management; Agriculture and Allied Livelihoods; Skills and Livelihoods; Sports Promotion; and Art, Culture and Heritage.
Every day, when the tap is turned on, 12-year-old Deepika Balya Powar dashes up the hill to the elevated water reservoir in her tribal village of Indira Nagar, Wadhkal, Maharashtra. With childlike curiosity, she presses her ear against the pipe, eager to hear the gushing sound of water rushing down.
The taps come alive for 30 minutes a day, but that is enough to set the entire village of 80 houses abuzz. With a gleeful shout of “Pani aala!” (water has come) in Marathi, Deepika’s voice carries the joyous announcement.
Women access clean drinking water from a JSW tap in Dolvi
Meena Maruti Waghmare, President, Water User Committee, is happy that the villagers do not have to fetch drinking water any more. “We have been voting for candidates of political parties for over 50 years and none of them could solve the lack of drinking water in the villages, says Waghmare. “Now we have drinking water facility, thanks to the overhead reservoir.”
Yogesh Patil, member of the local gram panchayat, who recalls how, for nearly half a century, the villages in Dolvi relied on natural springs. However, these springs would dry up during the summer months. “JSW Foundation revived a dry well,” he says, adding, “The villagers participated by digging and widening the pond. Every village has a community pond that JSW Foundation has helped desilt and clean. The water is now clear, and we don’t have to purchase drinking water from tankers.” JSW Foundation built the reservoir with a capacity of 20,000 litres, at a cost of Rs 23 lakh.
The gram panchayat of Indira Nagar, and nearby villages approached JSW Foundation to help with the lack of clean drinking water. Other stakeholders such as district administrators, gram panchayat officials, and government officials are also roped in. In the case of Indira Nagar, talks were held through Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), village water management committees, and the Maharashtra Jal Jeevan Mission.
Although Dolvi located in the Konkan region receives a rainfall of more than 3,500 mm a year for a period of four to five months, water scarcity in nonmonsoon seasons is a major issue of concern. To add to the woes, the laterite stones in the region make it difficult to retain water and there is runoff into the sea. As a result, there is a shortage of clean drinking water in the area.
In some isolated villages such as Darbarwadi in the Shirki Gram Panchayat, this remains a significant challenge. While roof rainwater harvesting helps to some extent, it is often insufficient.
Children at Tamanna School gear up for Children’s Day celebrations in Vijayanagar
To address this, JSW Foundation constructed a 1.5 lakh-litre capacity water reservoir, providing a more sustainable solution for the community. Under water projects, JSW Foundation has benefitted 5,31,494 individuals.
Along the 18 km stretch of the Amba River from Coke-Dharamtar Jetty to Bhal in Dolvi, mangroves play a vital role in improving water quality, reducing coastal erosion, and protecting farmland. However, failed bunds during monsoons have allowed seawater intrusion, thus damaging soil productivity and rendering agriculture unsustainable.
Since 2016, JSW Foundation has led a mangrove restoration initiative to prevent riverbank erosion and mitigate wave action from freight shipping, protect farmland from salt deposition, restore soil health and support rural livelihoods through capacity-building and sustainable practices.
As many as 228 women self-help groups have provided seasonal employment to 2,290 women, involving activities such as making jute bags, growing seedlings, and planting over 22 lakh mangrove saplings across 410 hectares.
In nearby villages of Bahiram Kotak and Borje, infrastructure improvements such as roads, water mills, solid waste management facilities, and water pipelines have been implemented to ensure access to clean drinking water and basic amenities.
Early mornings in Vijayanagar, Karnataka, bring a peculiar yet captivating sight. Women assemble as early as 8 am and sit in OP Jindal Vocational Training Centre (OPJC) around large machines, as they weave something that, at first glance, appears to be yarn. Take a closer look, and you realise that these fibres are no ordinary threads—they’re made from discarded plastic.
Clearly, the programme is not just about earning an income; it is about feeling empowered. After all, the women are not only contributing to waste management but also creating a sustainable future for their families. Project Sakhi has employed 63 women across five villages, and is as much about empowerment as it is about environmental stewardship.
Project Bunkai– a handloom school - provides women in Vijayanagar with an opportunity to weave intricate patterns into fabric, telling the stories of their lives. Around 30 women learned weaving, many of them are firstgeneration weavers, and even represented India as part of a collaboration with a global movement, creating hand-embroidered panels for unique calico dresses in collaboration with a British designer. Artisans at the Bunkai Handloom School are growing into a thriving community of artisans who produce products that reflect their lives and culture.
A Sakhi member turns plastic waste into yarn for sustainable magic bags
Established in 2009, Tamanna School provides holistic education for children with intellectual disabilities. Starting with two students, the school now has 109 children from 15 villages.
One of the school students represented India at the Special Olympics, showing the world what these children can achieve. The school blends academic learning with therapeutic development, offering a nurturing environment that enables students to thrive.
JSW’s partnership with Vision Spring Foundation has brought essential eye care to over 4,14,000 people in rural areas such as Susheela Nagar Village, Karnataka, with more than 9,000 pairs of glasses distributed. With these screenings, people can see, read and carry on being self-sufficient, improving their quality of life significantly.
Basappa, a farmer in Bhujanganagar Village, Bellary District Karnataka, has seen remarkable change through the Model Farmer Programme. Standing on his 700-acre farm, where he grows 17 varieties of crops including bananas, betel nut, papaya, sandalwood, curry leaves, lemon, and drumsticks, it’s easy to see the pride he takes in his work.
Basappa, JSW’s model farmer, walks through his thriving, diverse farm in Vijayanagar
Basappa has adopted sustainable farming practices that have improved his crop yield and income. “I’ve learned techniques like crop rotation, soil management, and diversification — growing multiple crops and raising different animals to reduce the risk of monoculture and market fluctuations,” he shares, adding that designated divisions in Krishi Vigyan Kendra helped him clear his doubts and lent advice.
JSW Foundation’s JSW Adolescent School Programme to Inspire, Relate, and Enrich (JSW ASPIRE) project reaches over 6,000 children across 68 government high schools in the Bellary District, Karnataka, equipping them with vital life skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and communication.
These children are first-generation learners from economically vulnerable backgrounds, with parents working as daily labourers or farmers. Additionally, the JSW Room to Read programme is creating libraries in over 1400 schools, enhancing education and fostering a love for reading.
Villagers queue up at the Mobile Health Unit in Joga, Karnataka, for vital checkups.
JSW Foundation has helped upgrade medical equipment, medicines, and the availability of doctors and nursing staff at the primary health centre (PHC) in Taranagar Village, Bellary District, Karnataka. These improvements have made healthcare more accessible to surrounding villages. With the upgrades, the PHC can now provide better care and reach more patients, especially in remote areas.
The OP Jindal College of Nursing, in OPJC, Vijayanagar, Karnataka, has been a beacon of education and empowerment for rural women, particularly in community health nursing. Since its inception in 2012, the college has provided affordable education to first-generation learners.
The college empowers graduates from nearby villages with advanced training and placements. With state-of-the-art facilities and hands-on experience at top hospitals, the students become ready for impactful careers both locally and abroad.
JSW Foundation’s water conservation efforts in Talur Village, Bellary District, Karnataka, have facilitated water availability for farming communities. The bore recharging system replenishes vital water sources, ensuring sustainable water supplies for farming and daily use.
Healthcare reaches rural communities through JSW’s mobile units in Ballari District
Access to healthcare remains one of the biggest challenges in rural India. The mobile health unit (MHU) in Joga Village, Bellari District, Karnataka, is addressing this by bringing essential healthcare services directly to the doorsteps of rural residents. Many people in these villages can’t afford to travel to hospitals. As a solution, MHU provides health checkups, diagnostic tests, and free medicines, ensuring people receive the care they need.
At the Abhaya Chandpur Anganwadi in Odisha, Charvi’s birthday was celebrated with laughter, toffees, and playful activities. Children aged three to six were excited for the last day of school before winter holidays. When JSW Foundation upgraded Anganwadis in three Panchayats of Paradip, they noticed many children were still not attending. After identifying the need for community involvement, they created their own curriculum and partnered with Kalinga Kusum Foundation to train teachers and provide children with foundational skills like foundational literacy, simple math, and daily habits to prepare them for school.
The success of Abhaya Chandpur Anganwadi has led to plans to upgrade 19 more, reaching over 1,200 children. In collaboration with Pratham Foundation, JSW Foundation has also launched the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) programme in 25 schools.
The Samarth Youth Centre in Mahala village, near Paradip in Odisha has become a beacon of hope for young adults aspiring to join government services. Once considered unsafe, the building has been transformed by JSW Foundation into a two-storey centre with a library, smart classroom, and computer lab. High-quality coaching is available free of charge.
Nargis, a student preparing for state examinations, said, “The faculty support goes beyond studies, helping us with interviews and personal grooming. It has given me the confidence to pursue my goals.” The centre’s success is evident, with one student recently passing the Odisha Civil Services exam and many others qualifying for government jobs. JSW Foundation also plans to expand the centre into a micro-education hub.
A woman from Paradip sieves turmeric as part of a JSW-supported SHG initiative
JSW’s Miyawaki forest in Paradip stands as a model of ecological restoration
In collaboration with the government, JSW Foundation has improved healthcare accessibility across Paradip by enhancing PHCs and deploying additional medical staff. Two PHCs in Dhinkia and Balitutha panchayats now handle more patients, reducing the burden on existing staff. Additionally, JSW Foundation’s three ambulances, one equipped with advanced life support systems provides critical emergency care across Paradip. Recently, the ambulance played a key role in saving four daily wage workers who were electrocuted on the job. The ambulances operate 24/7, ensuring swift responses to medical emergencies.
JSW Foundation’s Mobile Medical Unit offers essential healthcare services to remote communities. Staffed by a doctor, pharmacist, community health worker, and driver, the unit visits each village weekly, providing free check-ups, prescriptions, and medications. This service has led to the detection of many untreated conditions such as joint pains and diabetes, and significantly improved community health and nutritional awareness.
JSW Foundation has empowered women through SHGs across Paradip, Odisha, offering opportunities for entrepreneurship and creating safe spaces for women to thrive. In Nuagan, a group of 15 women make and sell jute products, while other SHGs grind and package masalas or run a small poultry farm. JSW Foundation encourages these women to manage their businesses, develop marketing strategies, and sell their products at local exhibitions.
In response to the lack of public toilets for women, JSW Foundation transformed an old bus into a hygienic, accessible washroom. It includes a diaper-changing room and an inbuilt water treatment system as well. Adjacent to this is Paradip Café, which helps fund the washroom and supports local staff. The café, built from an old shipping container, has quickly become a popular stop for travellers. A similar project at Kujang offers a safe, clean washroom along a busy highway.
JSW Foundation has also launched a unique facility for truckers. The new setup includes a bathroom with bathing provisions and three food stalls run by women from the Annapurna SHG, offering everything from snacks to full meals.
JSW Foundation’s Miyawaki forest in Paradip is a stunning example of environmental restoration. Spanning 9,300 sq m, the forest includes 29 species of native plants, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. This project not only combats coastal erosion but also reduces wind turbulence in the area, enhancing the region’s beauty and environmental resilience.
JSW Foundation’s initiatives in Paradip are a testament to their commitment to community development, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability.