OUR APPROACH

Rooted in the land, and led by the communities themselves, Raah creates integrated and
scalable model for restoring ecosystems and strengthening communities to build resilience
that lasts. Join us as we build a future where people, planet and prosperity thrive.

Our Story

Raah Foundation was born from the vision of Girish Kulkarni and Dr. Sarika Kulkarni, who sought to rewrite the narrative for rural and tribal communities in the Northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra. What began as a philanthropic endeavor quickly evolved into a movement of transformation. A serendipitous visit to Palghar revealed the stark realities of life in these communities. Generations of women, girls and smallholder farmers bearing the brunt of a battle for basic necessities.

 

Moved by the resilience of the people, Raah Foundation started its journey by tackling one of the most fundamental challenges: water scarcity. With water flowing into the villages, a ripple effect began—agriculture flourished, followed by livelihood programs that empowered women to take charge of their futures. By 2019, the Foundation stepped into a new role as an implementation powerhouse, scaling its solutions to reach more underserved villages.

In 2020, the organization took a bold leap into climate action with the launch of ReGreen Nation—a program designed to breathe life into barren lands and transform them into thriving carbon sinks. This initiative positioned Raah Foundation as a trailblazer in creating climate-resilient communities within the biodiversity hotspot of the Northern Western Ghats.

The momentum didn’t stop there. Recognizing the untapped potential of the region’s youth, the Foundation launched a skill training program in 2022 to equip them with tools for brighter futures. Today, the program spans 16 locations, empowering over 3,000 young people each year with skills and opportunities that lead to meaningful employment.  

Theory of Change

PROBLEM

Socio-environmental challenges causing poverty, insecurity, and displacement.

PARTNERS

Third-party audits, data collection tools, funders, thought leaders.

behaviors

Accountability, Transparency, Participatory

short term

Deploy integrated water, agriculture, climate, and livelihood interventions across our target villages.

long term

Transform marginalized ecosystems into self-sustaining socio-ecological ones that break poverty cycles, and achieve intergenerational environmental and economic stability.

PEOPLE

Indigenous and underserved communities in the Northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra

INTERVENTION

Building resilient landscapes through water security, biodiversity conservation, agroecology, and circular livelihoods.

THE IDEA

Climate change - mitigation, adaptation and conservation by taking a landscape approach.

outputs

Village-level water access, rejuvenated barren farmland, reforestation of degraded forests & comprehensive livelihood training to empower women, & youth

10 year goal

1 Million Acres; 1 Million People.

REASON

A singular objective of the Family Office to create abundance by funding the search for the problem.

INPUT

Community insights, tech expertise, implementation methods, skilled manpower, and funding

MISSION

Helping Western Ghats communities prevail over climate change through science and regenerative innovation.

PATHWAYS

Landscape Approach from the macro lens.
.
ESA Village Approach from the micro lens.

vision

To restore land, life and livelihood in Western Ghats

The Journey

Founded

Founders: Dr. Sarika & Girish Kulkarni

Mission: Supporting philanthropy for environmental conservation & community upliftment in the Sahyadri mountains.

2011

The Problem

Environmental Degradation: 30% of forests lost, endangering biodiversity & wildlife corridors.

Water Scarcity: Causing displacement & migration.

Agrarian Crisis: Limited income for small farmers.

Climate Change: Worsening existing problems.

Early Years (2011-19)

Research-Driven Approach: Funded studies on water scarcity, agriculture, & women’s empowerment

Piloted Sustainable Solutions based on findings.

Transition to Grassroots Action (2019-Present)
Became an Implementation- Focused Organization

Key Focus Areas

Water Security: Ensuring sustainable access.

Agricultural Sustainability: Year-round income for farmers.

Women’s Livelihoods: : Economic opportunities.

Climate Change Mitigation:Ecosystem restoration & biodiversity conservation.

Funding & Collaboration

Anchor Funding: Provided by the family office.

Partnerships: Collaborating with like-minded organizations for greater impact.

Impact & Vision

Restoring ecosystems

Securing livelihoods

Creating replicable, long-term sustainable solutions