GOONJ... a voice,an effort
Goonj uses under-utilized and excess urban household material for rural progress
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Goonj envisions to grow as an idea across regions, economies and countries using urban discard as a tool to alleviate poverty and enhance the dignity of the poor in the world. Address basic but neglected issues of the poor by involving them in evolving their own solutions with dignity and urban material as reward.
We aim to recognize and value the potential of local resource and traditional wisdom of people.
Our focus is concentrated on the receiver’s dignity instead of the donor’s pride.
We promote circular economy by ensuring maximum use of each material.
We value collaborative efforts with partner organizations to increase effectiveness and scale.
Goonj views every entity as equal stakeholder in the process of development rather than observing hierarchical relationships.
READ MORE- https://goonj.org/values-guiding-principles/
Anshu Gupta is an Indian Social Entrepreneur, awarded Magsaysay Award for his work on transforming the culture of giving in India and for highlighting material as a sustainable development resource for the poor. Popularly known as the Clothing Man, Anshu founded Goonj, offering a sustainable economic model for eliminating poverty and related issues. Under his leadership, Goonj created a barter between urban surplus and village communities labor, triggering large scale rural development work. Anshu has won many national and international honors like Ashoka and Schwab Fellowship, while Forbes Magazine has listed him as one of India’s most powerful rural entrepreneurs.
READ MORE- https://goonj.org/profile/anshu-gupta/
Initiatives
Since 1999, Goonj has built a network of communities from urban to village India, channelizing material as a tool to address crucial gaps in rural infrastructure, water, environment, livelihood, education, health, disaster relief and rehabilitation. Its engagement with both the urban and rural population has galvanized a mass civic participation in addressing basic but neglected issues. Goonj’s model of development implemented through its various Initiatives proposes a more inclusive alternative economy where everyone is an equal stakeholder in the process.
READ MORE-https://goonj.org/our-initiatives
Why Processing? Because the dignity of the receiver and giving with dignity is at the center of all that we do.. because when people in remote villages of India work for many days on building a bamboo bridge or digging a well or building a community hall, they deserve a reward… NOT Charity.