It has also been working for the past eight years in the taluka of Velhe, 50 km from Pune, to satisfy the local people’s basic need of drinking water. This is a region with hilly terrain, where it becomes difficult for them to get out of their homes in the monsoon; and after December, they have to walk for hours in search of water. A woman typically walks three to four km carrying two pots of water at least three times a day in the hot summer months.

Persistent’s digging of 29 wells since 2012 and introduction of a Neerchakra, a wheelbarrow which can carry 80 litres of water, are helping to solve this problem for nearly 7,000 people and over 5,000 cattle.

Under the Maharashtra government’s ‘Jalyukt Shivar Yojana’ project to make a drought-free state, the Foundation has collaborated for identification of the villages to deepen and widen streams, build cement and earthen stop dams, and dig farm ponds. Its watershed development programme in Pune, Nagpur and Paranda districts has benefited more than 21,000 farmers in four years, irrigating over 10,000 hectares of farmland.

“This is the first time I have seen water in our vadi’s well in April,” says a septuagenarian resident of Thapewadi village. Villages on the same stream link have also received benefits, while the water table level of wells has increased.

The Persistent Foundation has also planted 20,000-plus trees around India – of which 9,244 were by 3,460 employees who volunteered for the ‘Plantathon’. “We take care of these trees for three years,” Deshpande says, adding that she is ‘overwhelmed’ by the enthusiasm shown by Persistent employees, who have given their time and money and participating in the programmes.