In Manakkayam hamlet, Ranni, access to drinking water had long been a daily struggle for tribal families. Around 27 households depended on distant water sources, often walking nearly 2 kilometres through hilly terrain to collect water. The terrain made conventional water supply systems difficult, leaving the community vulnerable to recurring shortages.
In January 2022, Thanal Trust, with support from Mahindra Logistics through its CSR initiative Sankalp, implemented a community drinking water system tailored to the local landscape.
Water was channelled from a forest pond through pipelines using gravitational flow, and stored in a community tank located below the hamlet. This low-energy system brought clean drinking water directly to the settlement, ending years of hardship and significantly improving daily life.
To further strengthen water availability in the hamlet, students from the IEEE Association, Adoor Engineering College later installed a solar-powered water pump at a nearby aruvi (natural stream).
This independently implemented system fills the same community storage tank, ensuring that water remains available even if the gravity-fed pipeline is temporarily disrupted. The addition of this secondary source has helped reduce the risk of water shortages in a terrain where repairs can be challenging.
What Changed
- Clean drinking water is now available within the hamlet
- Long walks into the forest for water collection have been eliminated
- Time and effort, especially for women and elders, have been reduced
- A resilient system ensures continuity even during breakdowns
Our Approach to CSR Partnerships
Thanal works with CSR partners to co-create community-centred, ecologically responsible initiatives. Each project is designed for long-term relevance, local ownership, and sustainability beyond the funding period.