Goonj’s S2S session in Siddapura village fosters expression, confidence, and community-led education through creative activities and urban surplus school kits.
KaRNATAKA
State Report
Enabling lives through dignity, sustainability, and community engagement
Roots of Resilience: Communities Driving Sustainable Change in Karnataka
Goonj’s journey in Karnataka began in 2009 with volunteer-led material collection drives. Over the past 15+ years, this has grown into a robust, people-powered ecosystem connecting urban surplus with rural challenges across 19 districts. Anchored by the Bengaluru based Goonj Centre of Circularity, our model fosters dignity-led development turning excess material into a catalyst for long-term, community-owned change.
This Regional Report, covering a decade of work from FY 2014 to FY 2024, captures how communities are reclaiming agency to address pressing local issues- from water scarcity, menstrual health, and rural education to disaster response and dignified livelihoods. Over 3,400 community-led infrastructure and development initiatives alongside the channelisation of 345,000+ MY Pads and extended relief to 12,700+ families during floods and fires.
Whether it’s restoring neglected water bodies, reviving dropout-prone schools, or involving Missed Out Communities (MOCs) in development efforts, the work in Karnataka highlights the transformative power of grassroots participation. This report offers a window into how circularity, civic engagement, and local leadership are converging across the state and building a more resilient, equitable future from the ground up.
Deep Dive into Community Resilience
Read the full Goonj Karnataka State Report to discover how urban surplus and community action are changing lives.
KARNATAKA State Community Impact:
KEY HIGHLIGHTS (2014-2024)
The following numbers represent the collective power of communities in driving change
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
3,400+
tonnes of material repurposed to reach village communities.
EDUCATION
45,000+
school kits reached.
WATER MANAGEMENT
800+
initiatives for rural water security.
DISASTER RESPONSE
12700+
families reached during floods, and fire
MENSTRUAL HYGIENE
345,000+
MY Pads channelised for menstrual awareness.
URBAN PARTNERSHIPS
500+
collection camps organised
IMPACT STORIES
Behind every statistic is a story of change and dignity-led development.
Children in Bellandur create handmade Gullaks and join Goonj’s circular living movement with their community through a flea market reuse drive.
Building Financial Habits Young – Children Create Gullaks at Bellandur Goonj Session
Discover how Goonj’s Cloth for Work and Not Just a Piece of Cloth initiatives in Jodahatti, Karnataka are fostering menstrual health and women-led dignity through bathroom construction and awareness sessions.
A Community on the Margins, with Strength at its Core
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
This is our clarion call to people: Don’t just recycle, ‘Goonj.. it’ instead!
Any surplus material you may have—at home, in offices, or anywhere—is urgently needed to respond to climate change and climate emergencies across India. Goonj exponentially increases the impact of your material by deploying it to mobilize and enable people in both urban and rural India to drive climate action-led solutions.
Let’s play a more active role in shaping a better world for ourselves and future generations.