Swades Foundation

Swades Foundation is a community-driven nonprofit working to lift a million people out of poverty in rural India every five years. Its motto, Swa Se Bane Des, reflects the belief that every person has the power to transform themselves, their country and the world.

Founded by Ronnie and Zarina Screwvala, Swades follows a holistic, 360-degree model of rural development that brings water, sanitation, health, education and livelihoods together. At the heart of its work is community leadership and ownership, so that villages can take charge of their own growth and the change lasts long after Swades steps back. Its vision is an empowered, poverty-free rural India where communities can transform their own lives.

Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Major Areas of Work

• Water, Sanitation and Green Initiatives: Bringing safe drinking water, household toilets and greener practices to rural homes and villages.

• Health: Improving community health and nutrition through programmes like eye care and cataract surgeries, health awareness and support for local health systems.

• Education: Making learning joyful and empowering for rural children, and supporting teachers and schools.

• Economic Development: Building secure, dignified livelihoods through progressive farming, animal husbandry, youth skilling and other income opportunities.

Major Initiatives & Programmes

• Swades Dream Village: A model of complete village transformation where communities achieve self-sufficiency across water, sanitation, health, education and livelihoods. Swades celebrated 75 Dream Villages to mark 75 years of India's Independence.

• Village Development Committees (VDCs): Community-led committees that build local ownership and leadership, so villagers plan and drive their own development.

• Youth Skilling: Training rural youth with job-ready skills and connecting them to employment and enterprise.

• Government Partnerships: Helping rural communities access and benefit from government schemes.

Impact

Since laying its foundation in Raigad in 2012, Swades Foundation has built over 30,000 toilets, supported 20,000+ cataract surgeries and skilled more than 5,000 youth. It works across 7 blocks in Raigad and 4 blocks in Nashik, reaching over 2,000 hamlets, and is expanding into new talukas, starting with Jawhar and Mokhada in Palghar district. Its work is driven by more than 11,000 community volunteers and 270+ full-time staff, most of whom work at the grassroots. Swades also played a part in COVID relief across rural Maharashtra through vaccination drives and medical equipment support. It is backed by a wide network of corporate, philanthropic and government partners, including Tata Trusts, HDFC Bank Parivartan, Deutsche Bank and ONGC.

Leadership

Co-Founder and Trustee – Ronnie Screwvala

Co-Founder and Managing Trustee – Zarina Screwvala

CEO and Board Member – Mangesh Wange

Senior Director, Health, Education and Skilling – Ranjish Kattady

Senior Director, Water and Sanitation – Bejoy Davis Chiramel

Chief Financial Officer and Director, IT, Monitoring and Evaluation – Parag Ganu

Swades Foundation is an excellent fit for professionals passionate about rural development, community mobilisation, water and sanitation, health, education and livelihoods who want to work at the grassroots and help rural communities lead their own change.