INDIA: The Community Development and Environment Programme
In 2025, the Foundation continued its long-standing support for developing communities for the rural and urban poor by granting US$ 90,000 to HPP India, which has carried out project activities in 10 states across India.
Extreme poverty in India continues to be a major hindrance to development. It results in inferior housing, homelessness, inadequate nutrition, food insecurity, deficient childcare, and a lack of access to healthcare and education, which directly impacts the future of children.
The Foundation acknowledges that when people come together to identify what needs to be addressed in their community, formulate solutions to pursue, and take action, they create sustainable development from within. Daily life is characterised by small and large efforts by every community member to meet basic needs, and these efforts make communities work.
Some of the results are:
Women’s Health Groups brought together 1,266 women and created space for open learning around gender equality, reproductive health, and cancer awareness. As women began sharing this knowledge at home and within their neighbourhoods, conversations around health became more open and practical.
Environmental work also remained strong. Communities created 590 kitchen gardens and planted 3,402 trees, bringing attention to local food security and greener surroundings. Training on sustainable farming reached 1,708 farmers, helping them adopt methods that protect soil, save water, and support biodiversity over time.
Taken together, these efforts have helped communities become more aware, better connected to services, and more prepared to manage their health, livelihoods, and environment