Saraighat Trust is focused on climate-vulnerable communities whose incomes, wellbeing, and adaptive capacity are deeply tied to climate-sensitive systems across Northeast India.
The Trust’s active programmes are shaped by women-led farmer cohorts in the villages of Chepenakubuwa, Borbheta, and Panbaree. These are communities whose livelihoods depend on agriculture, allied activities, local ecosystems, and the fragile rural markets around Kaziranga National Park.
The founding 20-farmer poultry cohort, all women, onboarded in February 2026 with chicks, feed, and three structured trainings on farm setup, maintenance, and disease management.
A second cohort of 40 women starting training on 25 April 2026, followed by shed construction, advanced rearing and disease management modules, and input support.
A mixed-tribal cluster identified for engagement based on community readiness and overlap with the existing women-led poultry model.
All participating farmers are women. A revolving model funds onboarding of new cohorts from within the same communities: chick costs are repaid as a donation to the Trust, building a self-propagating expansion mechanism.
Exposure is shaped not only by weather or heat, but by savings, access to land and assets, quality of information, local bargaining power, and whether systems respond in time.
When shocks land, households with low reserves experience steeper and longer recovery cycles.
Outdoor labour, agriculture, and river-linked livelihoods carry immediate climate exposure.
Communities most affected often have the least influence over programme implementation and resource flow.
These values shape every decision: from programme design and field delivery to reporting, partnerships, and how we communicate with the communities we serve.
Design choices are informed by lived experience, local priorities, and practical realities rather than imported assumptions.
Women and marginalised communities are centred in programme design, participation, and benefit pathways.
Learning improves decisions, programmes, and policy influence. It is not there to decorate reporting.
Progress depends on working with others, building shared capacity, and sharing credit generously.
Responsible governance, clear reporting, honest communication, and trustworthiness are non-negotiable.