Floods, Fields, and the Fight for Stability
Tigadi, a small village in the Mudalagi block of Belagavi, Karnataka, has been witnessing recurring floods year after year. These disasters don’t just disrupt—they erode livelihoods, uproot routines, and compound vulnerability. The villagers, many of whom are farmers and daily wage workers, have long identified a recurring pain point: a neglected irrigation canal choked with overgrowth and plastic waste.
Residents of Tigadi restoring the canal
Community Solutions, Not Just Relief
When the Goonj team met the community, the people had clarity. They wanted to clean and restore that canal. Why? Because it wasn’t just a water channel—it was the difference between flooded homes and irrigated fields. Through the Cloth for Work (CFW) and Rahat initiatives, Over 99 people—including farmers, daily wage earners, and women from the Devadasi community—came together for two days of focused work. With locally available tools—shovels, knives, axes, baskets—they took on the task of clearing a 3,032-foot-long and 6-foot-wide canal. Each participant worked across two days, cutting through the debris, weeds, and waste with determination.
From Cleanup to Confidence
The result? A functional canal, now guiding water back into the fields—and potentially reducing the flood impact during monsoon surges. The villagers see this not just as a cleanup, but a reclamation of control over their future.
Goonj’s Rahat kits were rewarded to all the participants— as a symbol of mutual respect and recognition.
Dignity in Action
This story from Tigadi isn’t just about disaster preparedness—it’s about community resilience, dignity-based engagement, and the power of people to reframe their realities. In a region marked by recurring floods, the villagers of Tigadi are showing that response doesn’t always come from outside—it begins within.
“When people come together to solve their own problems, they find ways that outsiders often miss.”
Tigadi’s restored canal in use
Be a Part of Change
Our invitation to you is, start from where you are.. From a small change of starting a Goonj kee Gullak or Team 5000, joining a long and deep change process, or things in between- organising a collection drive, a volunteering journey, an internship, or simply walking with us signing for a Goonj monthly newsletter subscription.. More on www.goonj.org or write to [email protected].
Many options, but the choice is always one; Taking Action..
