​“Silent classrooms, empty benches” was the description used for a desolate primary school in a hilly area of Pune, a result of mass migration of the inhabitants to larger cities in search of higher income and better opportunities. 

This migration comes as a direct consequence of dwindling opportunities for income and livelihood in the hometowns of the workers, resulting in 53.7% males migrating from villages to urban areas in India. Implementation of the Right to Education Act of 2009 saw a rapid rise in the number of schools in remote areas of India, albeit with less funding and poor infrastructure. But the reality of the primary school in the hilly area of Pune casts a worrisome doubt: Where knowledge-filled echoes meet silent classrooms, can these schools and the Act truly fulfill their purpose?

The issues behind this go beyond just mass migration or unequal opportunities. For migrant workers, turning towards big cities and towns is the only path to a future beyond barren fields and shrinking income; an echo of the uneven recovery and growth of Indian economy. For a diverse country like India, this exodus paints a worrying picture that is not just exclusive to people from rural areas but also extends to tribal people, artisans, craftsmen and people who are involved in other contemporary occupations. A livelihood is not just a means of income; it is a way of life deeply rooted in tradition and culture. In the run of securing jobs at big establishments and automation, self-employed livelihoods are slowly fading into obscurity. Ensuring sustainable livelihoods across the country is not just an added advantage; it is the need of the hour.

The intervention of certain government schemes has brought about changes in the grim picture. On a macro level, however, it is the dedicated efforts of some 13,121 NGOs across the nation that have helped preserve the livelihoods of people and maintain the vibrant tapestry of India. Unlike the one-size-fits-all approach of traditional systems, NGOs delve deep into each community, respecting local cultures and addressing specific challenges faced by the people. They achieve this through various actions and solutions, such as educating farmers about sustainable agriculture, enabling artisans to understand the market for their craft, advocating for geographical index tag for a commodity unique to a specific area and empowering women and children with access to financial independence and quality education. Some prominent NGOs whose efforts are directed towards making the economic picture of India more vibrant and sustainable are listed below.

Dastkar
Dastkar, established in 1981, is a private, not-for-profit NGO dedicated to assisting traditional Indian craftspeople, many of whom are women and are based in villages. The organization's primary goal is to help craftspeople reintegrate into the economic mainstream, especially in a country where the craft sector is the second-largest employer after agriculture. It fulfills its mission by providing various support services, including capacity-building workshops, skills training, collaborative design innovation, and product development. These efforts aim to enable craftspeople to modernize traditional skills, creating products with contemporary appeal. Most notably, Dastkar plays a pivotal role in empowering craftspeople by offering marketing platforms, allowing them to bypass exploitative middlemen and directly engage with the market. Through Dastkar bazaars and exhibitions, the organization brings together craftspeople, producer groups, environmental organizations, social activists, and cultural performers, fostering connections with urban consumers, students, and international buyers.

CAREIndia
With a history dating back to 1950s, CARE India is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the capabilities of communities, ensuring empowerment for marginalized women and girls. CARE India's Livelihood mandate focuses on collaborating with women involved in smallholder agriculture, small businesses, or working as farm or non-farm laborers. Through the implementation of a variety of innovative rural livelihood initiatives, the organization facilitates the creation of secure and resilient livelihoods for women, leading to a permanent escape from poverty. Key strategies employed in these rural livelihood initiatives encompass capability enhancement, asset building, collectivization, inclusive value chain development, and the engagement of influential mediators. As a women's organization in India, the NGO advocates for the importance of women's education and sustainable development within the framework of their livelihood initiatives.

Daricha Foundation
Having a name that means “window” in Urdu, Daricha Foundation strives to give a glimpse into tribal arts of Santhals, the largest tribal group in West Bengal, albeit their work also extends to other small tribal groups. Their primary objective is to raise public awareness about the diverse folk and tribal cultures of India, initially focusing on West Bengal. This is achieved through a structured, content-rich, and dynamic web portal dedicated to showcasing these arts and their practitioners as a single-window resource. The web portal, which was launched in 2014, serves as an online folk encyclopedia featuring over 50 different rural art forms, including performing arts, visual arts, crafts, and more. The portal highlights a different artist each month and facilitates connections between rural artists and buyers, organizers, and researchers on a national and international scale.

Hasiru Dala
With a name translating to 'Green Force' in Kannada, Hasiru Dala is a social organization dedicated to improving the living conditions of waste workers, primarily in the city of Bengaluru. The organization is involved in various initiatives aimed at ensuring livelihoods, affordable housing, social security, skill development, healthcare, waste management, and education for the children of waste workers through its Buguri Children’s Programme. Their approach involves training and enhancing the skills of waste pickers to transition into service providers. They collaborate with local, state, and union governments to advocate for policy and legislative changes that would integrate waste pickers into formal waste management systems. Additionally, Hasiru Dala provides training to empower waste-pickers to be employed by both government and private entities.

Pragati
Established in 1994 in Koraput, Odisha, Pragati envisions a self-reliant society free from hunger and exploitation. Their current focus is on impoverished households, particularly small farmers and forest-dependent communities in South Odisha. Their initiatives cover natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, disaster preparedness, risk reduction, and women's empowerment. Pragati promotes women self-help groups, producer groups, and their companies for collective farming and local produce marketing. The organization collaborates with People’s Organizations, ensuring compliance and accountability. It has formed collaborations with research institutions and resource agencies, such as ICAR-CTCRI, ICAR-IISWC, ICAR-CIWA, ICAR-CIFA, and the Indian Institute of Technology in Bhubaneswar, for technology and research support.
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These represent a microscopic fraction of NGOs that work tirelessly across various states of India to empower people with the skill set and vocation to live a dignified and sustainable life. Small differences can lead to dramatic shifts, and these NGOs are redefining the enormous economic landscape of India, one community at a time.