Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], May 26: An abstract submitted by Nashik-based social worker Pramod Gaikwad has been selected for oral presentation at the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) Water Convention 2026, which will be held from June 15 to 18 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore.
Widely attended by policymakers, researchers, industry experts and development organisations from across the world, the Singapore International Water Week has over the years emerged as an important platform for discussions around water management, urban sustainability and climate-related challenges. Countries and institutions often use the forum to present models, technologies and community-driven approaches linked to water access and sustainable development.
Gaikwad’s paper, titled “Water as a Catalyst: A Nexus-Based Model for Tribal Empowerment in Rural India,” has been selected under the “Stakeholder Engagement” category. The presentation focuses on how access to drinking water in remote tribal villages can influence education, health, nutrition and livelihood conditions.
Gaikwad, founder of the Social Networking Forum (SNF), has been working in tribal regions of Nashik and nearby districts for over 15 years. According to details mentioned in the abstract, the organisation has implemented community-led drinking water initiatives in more than 35 villages.
The paper discusses how water scarcity affects daily life in remote areas, especially for women and children who often spend several hours each day fetching water. It also examines the changes observed in some villages after access to drinking water improved, including school attendance, local health conditions and day-to-day economic activity.
Along with water projects, the model includes linked initiatives such as village libraries, nutrition support programs and rural health activities. The approach highlighted in the paper combines low-cost infrastructure with local participation and community ownership.
The Singapore event is expected to feature delegates and experts from multiple countries working in the areas of public policy, environment, engineering and sustainable development. The selection of the paper will place a community-level initiative from tribal Maharashtra within a broader international discussion on water access and rural development models.
SNF began around 2010 through educational support activities for tribal students and later expanded into water, health and rural development work across several villages in Maharashtra.
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Divya Agarwal
