Chirag is a rural development organisation based in the Kumaun region of Uttarakhand in India. Since 1987 we have sought to improve the quality of life of families – with a special emphasis on women, children and the poor – residing in villages of the Central Himalayan region. We recognise the need for an integrated approach to development and consequently our activities are diverse.

Our activities include community forestry, soil and water conservation, the development of watersheds, increasing the availability of fodder, animal husbandry, agriculture and horticulture, drinking water, primary health care, primary education and the development of knowledge and skills amongst young people.

Out integrated approach and the diversity of our activities require us to focus on a few villages. However, by providing technical support to other organisations in the region and the state we are able to increase our impact beyond the villages we work in. We currently provide technical support on development of watersheds, the cultivation of fodder and the treatment of catchments of water sources.

We constantly seek to learn from the people we work with and focus on developing strong community based institutions to ensure the sustainable management and use of natural resources in the region.