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Impact & stories

Count what happened.
Learn what comes next.

Our activity highlights for recent years record community mobilisation, literacy, support to vulnerable tribal families, environmental awareness and advocacy around river and forest rights.

Community members gathered for a local outreach activity
The reporting snapshot

Selected highlights
at a glance.

ACTIVITY50

Major programmes, visits, conventions and advocacy events executed.

GEOGRAPHIC REACH10

Districts engaged across Odisha and beyond.

ADULT LITERACY20

Villages in Rayagada reached through adult literacy activity.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT1200+

PVTG families supported across Dongaria and Kutia Kondha settlements.

PARTNERSHIP OUTREACH4

High-level CSR and academic partnership meetings in Mumbai.

RIVER RESTORATION ADVOCACY7

Large conventions on ecological restoration of small rivers.

Community meeting held under a tree
Case story 01

Keeping rivers in
public conversation.

On World Water Day, 22 March 2023, CAR joined Salandi Bikash Manch and Baitarani Bachao Andolan for a programme at Sanskruti Bhawan in Bhadrak. The concern was about riverbed encroachment, large-scale sand mining and the shrinking river, alongside a field visit with community members and women’s groups.

In May and June 2025, CAR also took part in public meetings and campaign activity around the Baitarani, Salandi, Nagavali and Vamsadhara rivers, including a meeting near Kanupur Dam and a Save Baitarani campaign meeting at Bhadrak Town Hall.

Adult literacy learners participating in a class outside a village learning centre.
Case story 02

Adult literacy built
around everyday life.

CAR launched an Adult Literacy Programme in collaboration with Rotary Literacy Mission in 20 villages across Rayagada district. It focused on adult women and men with little or no formal education, with the practical goal of strengthening reading, writing and arithmetic.

The volunteer teachers trained with teaching-learning materials in the local language, and community learning centres set up in village schools or common halls for evening classes. Learners—particularly women—reported greater confidence in tasks such as managing household records, reading prescriptions and participating in community affairs.

Women from a rural community standing together outside their homes
Case story 03

Support shaped by
community consultation.

The support reached more than 800 PVTG families in Dongaria and Kutia Kondha settlements in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. Following community consultations, the outreach included essential dry rations, hygiene kits and locally preferred items such as salt, jaggery, chuda (flattened rice) and soap.

It is a response to continuing food insecurity and unemployment, and as a way to strengthen community relationships while supporting families with dignity.

Community members taking part in environmental awareness and seed-ball activity.
Case story 04

Restoration starts
with local knowledge.

Village meetings were conducted on the occasion of World Environment Day and the preparation of thousands of seed balls using indigenous varieties including sal, mahua, mango and tamarind. The seed balls were dispersed in forest areas before the monsoon.

This approach is presented in the source as a practical way to support forest regeneration and environmental awareness. Long-term monitoring of germination, survival and ecological outcomes would strengthen future reporting on this work.

Community members meeting outdoors during local outreach
Case story 05

Tribal identity and forest rights.

We focused on implementation of the Forest Rights Act, tribal identity and rights, and concerns raised by tribal communities from different parts of India. With Dr. Bratindi Jena’s participation as a resource person and notes that Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram joined online to discuss issues faced by tribal communities.

In the field

People, place
and participation.