Naam Foundation
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Mission Statement
To build sustainable & progressive society by facilitating development in rural areas by working on different issues like infrastructure, education, employment, food & so on. Empowering the human spirit by eradicating farmer turmoil and contribute towards augmenting of the resources to build a progressive nation.
About This Cause
9 Years Journey of Naam Foundation The Marathwada region in Maharashtra faced one of its worst droughts in 2015. The relentless drought led to severe water scarcity, crop failures, and a devastating impact on the livelihoods of farmers. The situation was dire, with many farmers faced insurmountable debts and the heartbreaking reality of losing their crops year after year. The despair was so profound that it led to a tragic wave of farmer suicides, leaving families shattered and communities in grief. During this crisis, two actors, Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure, decided to intervene. Deeply moved by the plight of the farmers, they co-founded the Naam Foundation. Their mission was clear: to provide immediate relief and long-term support to the struggling farmers of Marathwada. Nana Patekar, known for his powerful performances and strong persona, brought the same intensity to his humanitarian efforts. He visited the affected villages, met with the farmers, and listened to their stories of hardship and loss. His empathy and determination to make a difference resonated deeply with the people. Makarand Anaspure, with his grounded and compassionate nature, complemented Nana Patekar’s efforts perfectly. This sense of responsibility that the two had accepted, gradually became public. Some gave time, some money, some skills! As much as possible, everyone contributed and a fantastic movement took shape in the form of Naam Foundation. Many experts volunteered to join in. Indeed, it was not easy to build confidence in the minds of the farmers, who were overwhelmed by the situation and the indifference around them. Naam Foundation started by providing financial assistance of ₹15,000 to the families of farmers who had committed suicide. This immediate relief was crucial in helping these families cope with their loss and start rebuilding their lives. But Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure knew that long-term solutions were needed to address the root causes of the crisis. The main reason for farmer suicides was the lack of water, crucial for profitable farming practices. So Naam Foundation first addressed this problem with numerous water conservation initiatives like the rejuvenation of water bodies such as rivers, odhas, nalas, and percolation tanks, along with canal construction, desilting of dams, farm pond construction, CCT (Continous Contour Trench), and Deep CCT, to name a few. The farmers were also encouraged to take the excavated nutrient-rich silt with their own transport, to their farms to make their barren fields more fertile. The Foundation decided to apply the rule that each project needs to have participation from the locals. This not only led to regular monitoring and future management & maintenance of the work but also ensured community involvement and ownership by the locals. Over the past nine years, Naam Foundation has made significant strides in water conservation across Maharashtra, transforming the lives of countless farmers and communities. A total of 492 streams and rivers were deepened and widened in drought-hit villages of Maharashtra. Silt was removed from 383 water bodies and deepened. Agricultural land destroyed during floods & land slides were repaired and restored in 105 villages. The storage capacity was increased by removing silt from 16 dams. In 51 villages where there are no streams and rivers, about 458 km of CCT & Deep CCT were dug on grazing land as well as on the hills. As many as 79 farmers from Beed and Hingoli districts were assisted in construction of farm ponds. Many villages in Maharashtra were facing floods during the monsoons and water scarcity in the summer. Rivers in such villages were also deepened and widened. This not only saved these villages from their problem of floods, also provided enough water stock in the summer due to percolation of water. Water conservation initiatives were implemented in 1034 villages of Vidarbha, Khandesh, Marathwada, Western Maharashtra, and Konkan divisions of Maharashtra through public participation. A total of twenty-five thousand six hundred and forty-eight million litres of water storage capacity was created, and fourteen lakh ninety-seven thousand acres of barren land now came under cultivation due to the availability of water. Soil testing machines were provided in some villages to prevent misuse/overuse of fertilizers and help maintain soil health. The youth of the village were also trained to use them. Drip irrigation facilities were provided in some villages to ensure that every drop of water is used judiciously. Six hundred goats have been distributed to about 300 families in the state to create income through goat farming. A unique livelihood initiative helped the farmers stand up and have sustainable growth in the years to come. Farmers were given cereal seeds and an anti-fungal kit. They were guided on plantation techniques, multi-cropping, and organic farming with the help of farming experts. Experts visited the farms regularly to ensure the process was going on properly and smoothly. They collaborated with a FPO for getting the right value for the harvested crop through buy-back or marketing arrangements. Farmer suicide-affected widows needed the opportunity and strong support of society to live life with self-respect and dignity and take care of their families. Naam Foundation helped them by providing sewing machines, flour mills, noodle/sevya machines, dal mills and patravali machine setups. The issue of marriage for the daughters of farmers who committed suicide is a big and challenging one in the rural villages. As a solution, mass marriage was organized. The foundation also focused on empowering the farmers through education and training, helping them become more resilient to future challenges. Naam Foundation built a residential school for students from suicide-affected families in Arvi village of Beed district. They also started digital schools and skill-building programs across Maharashtra. Bicycles were distributed to 484 schoolgirls from 10 villages in nine districts of Maharashtra as an incentive to go to school. Some villages on the hills as well as at the foot of the hills in Konkan were at risk of loss of life due to landslides during the monsoon. At this time, the Naam Foundation built 19 well-equipped houses for these people. When the houses of 16 families in Bhagatwadi near Khadakwasla dam were destroyed in a sudden fire, Naam Foundation built 16 houses for them in just two months. Toilets were constructed for 60 families in Gogalgaon in Ahmednagar district. RO water purifiers were also installed in 10 villages of Maharashtra. The foundation has gifted medical equipment and ambulances and also provided financial support to more than 10,000 families affected by the pandemic to ensure that people in rural areas get immediate medical help. As many as 624 widows in Wardha district and 240 in Aurangabad district were issued medical cards, which will provide free medical care to their families for life. More than 4,500 widows have been financially helped to stand on their feet. In collaboration with Sudam Kate Foundation for a lab setup in Shahada, Nandurbar for diagnosis of sickle cell anaemia in tribal communities. A total of ₹50 lakh has been given to the families of 20 martyred soldiers from Maharashtra. Five fully customized kitchen vans have been provided to NDRF, which provides selfless service to humanity. These well-equipped vans will serve as fully functional kitchens when NDRF personnel are deployed at disaster sites anywhere in the country. Naam stands strong due to the time, money and voluntary contribution of selfless donors. With sustained efforts and concrete solutions, Naam Foundation has directly touched the lives of over 1.8 crore people in Maharashtra. The impact of Naam Foundation helped restore the hope and dignity of the farmers. The stories of transformation are numerous – from barren fields turning green to families finding new means of livelihood. The foundation’s work inspired many others to join the cause, creating a ripple effect of positive change. As the foundation’s success grows, so did its reach. What started as a mission to help the farmers of Marathwada soon expanded to support the farmers across Maharashtra. Naam Foundation recently collaborated with The Government of Maharashtra’s Water and Soil Conservation department and Tata Motors to rejuvenate 357 water bodies across Maharashtra in 2023-24.