Life Around a Forgotten Pond
This story comes from Jura village, of West Champaran district, Bihar. At the center of the village lay an old pond that was once an important part of daily life. Children played around it, women collected water nearby, and people rested under the shade of surrounding trees.
Over time, the pond was neglected. Bushes grew thick around it, garbage accumulated, and the place slowly turned unsafe. Snakes, scorpions, and other poisonous creatures began to live there. Villagers felt fear while passing by. Children stopped playing there, and women avoided the area as much as possible. Everyone knew the problem, but no one knew how to begin fixing it.
A Conversation That Changed the Mindset
When the Goonj team visited the village, a meeting was organised under the Cloth for Work initiative. The discussion focused on health, cleanliness, and collective development. For many villagers, this meeting sparked a new realization that when people come together, long-standing problems can be solved from within the community itself. Slowly, the discussion turned into a decision. The village agreed that the pond could no longer be ignored.
Three Days of Collective Effort
For three continuous days, the village worked as one unit. Some cut bushes, others removed waste, while a few levelled the surrounding paths. Women and men collectively participated in this effort. No one worried about the heat, the sun, or physical tiredness. The shared goal of improving their village kept everyone motivated. To recognise their collective efforts, family kits with essential needs were rewarded to the community members. Empowerment roots in dignity and not in charity.