Success Stories
Rathwa Narsinghbhai Vesthabhai
From Parched Fields to Prosperity: How a Group Well Transformed the Rathwa Family’s Future
Rathwa Narsinghbhai Vesthabhai (60) and his son, Gopibhai Narsinghbhai (45), from Sanada village in Chhotaudepur block, have long faced the challenge of water scarcity. For years, their 2-acre farm depended entirely on monsoon rainfall, allowing them to grow only one crop per year. For the rest of the year, the land remained largely unused, producing only grass and tuver for household consumption. The lack of reliable water meant that opportunities for year-round farming were limited.
Their situation began to change with the construction of Group Well No. 5 under the Rotary E32 project in collaboration with the Shroffs Foundation Trust (SFT). Built on their land and shared with five other partner farmers, the well provided reliable water access throughout the year, enabling the farmers to cultivate crops beyond the monsoon season.
Encouraged by this opportunity, Gopibhai introduced maize cultivation during the winter season on land that had previously remained fallow. The crop yielded strong results, generating ₹85,000 in income, something that had never been possible before. Motivated by this success, he now plans to grow maize again in winter and urad in summer, with expected additional earnings of about ₹40,000.
The benefits of the well extend beyond agriculture. The increased farm income has enabled Gopibhai to support his son’s MBBS education in Vidyanagar (Anand)—a dream that once seemed unattainable.
Today, access to water has transformed their farm from rain-dependent subsistence farming to year-round productive agriculture. For the Rathwa family, the group well has not only improved livelihoods but has also created new opportunities and hope for a more secure future.