Odisha, India, turns blue: ISRD joins in.

The state of Odisha in Eastern India is a stronghold of the Blue Community. With the Indian Society for Rural Development (ISRD), the Blue Community Network can welcome already its 4th partner in here.

ISRD is a non-profit organization committed to inclusive development and social justice. Founded in 1988 by Sudhir Sabat, ISRD operates in three tribal districts of Odisha, empowering marginalized communities. Rooted in the Gandhian principle of Sarvodaya—uplifting all—ISRD embraces the Sanskrit ethos ‘Paropakaraya Midam Shariram’, reflecting its deep commitment to serving humanity.

As key objectives. ISRD lists:

• Peace & Justice: Foster inclusive, equitable, and sustainable communities with strong institutions.
• Quality Education: Improve access to quality education and skills for marginalized populations.
• Health & Wellbeing: Enhance healthcare, nutrition, and wellness for vulnerable communities.
• Livelihood Promotion: Support sustainable livelihoods through skills and entrepreneurship.
• Climate Action & Environmental Sustainability: Promote awareness, mitigation, and adaptation for climate resilience.

In their commitment to the Blue Community, ISRD writes:

«We want to become a Blue Community and join the Blue Community Network because we strongly believe that access to safe and clean drinking water is a fundamental human right. Through our work in interior, coastal, and tribal areas, we have seen that many communities still struggle to access safe water and sanitation, even when natural resources are available. This has a direct impact on health, livelihoods, and overall well-being. We support communities in protecting, capturing, storing, and sustainably using water for drinking, farming, and household needs. We also promote sanitation, hygiene, and environmental sustainability through community engagement and youth participation.»

ISRD is also a partner of UNICEF through the Youth4Water Plus program, strengthening youth leadership in water and sanitation. ISRD has implemented several infrastructure and community-based solutions, including:

• Establishing gravity flow water systems in 7 tribal villages
• Installing HDPE pipelines, Sintex water storage tanks, and community water taps
• Repairing broken water pipelines in coordination with government departments
• Facilitating government support for digging water pumps in water-scarce areas
• Establishing solar-powered water tanks in collaboration with RWSS Odisha
• Cleaning and restoring village-level water resources such as ponds and local water bodies

To live the Blue Community core values, ISRD plans to

• Expand awareness campaigns on the right to safe water and sanitation
• Strengthen youth engagement through seminars, workshops, and training programs
• Train youth as “water ambassadors” to lead community-level initiatives
• Scale up gravity-based and solar-powered water systems in remote areas
• Improve access to safe drinking water through pipelines, storage systems, and community taps
• Continue repair and maintenance of water infrastructure and sanitation facilities
• Promote sustainable wastewater management through soak pits and greywater reuse
• Strengthen menstrual hygiene awareness and distribution of reusable sanitary materials
• Eliminate open defecation through continuous awareness and community-led approaches
• Organize regular cleanliness drives, water body restoration activities, and awareness campaigns
• Enhance collaboration with government departments to improve public water and sanitation services
• Empower communities, especially youth and women, to participate in water governance and decision-making

The Blue Community is proud and honored to welcome ISRD in the global network. With ISRD, a strong and experienced partner joins the Blue Community, bringing in additional profile and capacity to the network in Odisha, India, but also to the whole Blue Community Chapter South-Asia and the worldwide network.

To learn more about ISRD, visit its website