These often-used wise words became a reality when eight residents of Vishwaspur village in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, showed their will and determination to solve their water woes, problems regarding infrastructure and cleanliness. There are many instances where lack of adequate water led to crop failure and the hard work of the villagers went in vain. When Team Goonj approached the village and heard the concerns of the villagers, they gave them a proposal on how to address their issues under Goonj’s ‘Dignity For Work’ (DFW) initiative. The residents of Vishwaspur decided to come together to work on these, and immediately after, they started digging the pond. The task became very strenuous as the stones in mud hindered their work, but they didn’t give up. Their hard work paid off when they saw water getting collected in the pond. In just fifteen days, the group constructed a pond, which will help them to irrigate their land properly. After completion of the work, the villagers were rewarded with carefully-made Goonj kits comprising ration and other basic essentials as a token of appreciation for their wisdom and hard work. The multifaceted work done shows the power of determination and collective action… how, with a little motivation, a handful of villagers changed the profile of their habitat, and are now keen to continue the development and community welfare work. The participants said they realized that they do not need to wait for external help to address their problems, as with the right approach and mindset, they know they can do it all by themselves.
