Community Empowerment > ​​Empowering communities in ~120 villages to ensure food security and livelihood opportunities through a movement initiated and sustained by the people

Empowering communities in ~120 villages to ensure food security and livelihood opportunities through a movement initiated and sustained by the people
State: Uttar Pradesh
NGO:  Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan

Summary:
Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (SKMS) is a people's movement based in Mishrikh and Pisawa blocks of Sitapur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It emerged in 2005 from Sangtin, a group set up by rural women, to enable them to be bigger stakeholders in the processes of development at all levels. Poor women and men, predominantly Dalit, came together to campaign for access to irrigation waters, employment under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), minimum wages, and fair and lawful implementation of development policies meant to benefit rural peasants and laborers. With an approach of true representation of the rural poor and the issues that affect them, SKMS has built its strength to around 5000 members in more than 90 villages.

Details:

​​​Addressed social/socio-economic issues such as

• Caste, class, gender based discrimination
• ​Violence against women, female infanticide, dowry related problems
• Malnutrition, poor access to healthcare

Approach

• Identify and train volunteers to organize village, block, regional level meetings to build awareness, mobilize community, and strengthen collective
• Organize protests, rallies to demand government accountability and action
• Provide an open stage where prevalent social issues can be discussed and solved

Campaigned collectively to:

• Gain access to irrigation waters
• Generate employment through NREGA (many times to directly address issues affecting the community, such as building dams to protect against flooding, desilting irrigation canals, etc)
• Get full and fair wages and pension

Highlights

• Sangtin now works with more than 10,000 farmer-laborers across approximately 200 villages in Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Hardoi districts of Uttar Pradesh, building community-led solutions for livelihoods, food security, and social justice. 
• ​Despite major changes to rural employment programs and increasing technical barriers, Sangtin-supported communities secured approximately ₹6.8 crore in wages through public employment programs during 2025-26, helping families strengthen their livelihoods closer to home. 
• Community members successfully completed around 3,500 e-KYC processes, helped 96 families obtain ration cards, enabled 38 new pension approvals, restored 24 pensions, secured 1,000 new job cards, and reinstated approximately 800 deleted job cards. 
• ​Sangtin conducted a comprehensive survey of 9,486 families across eight blocks in Sitapur district, creating a community-driven baseline to strengthen planning around livelihoods, social protection, farming, health, and migration. 
• Through its food and farming initiative, Sangtin distributed millet seeds to more than 600 farmers, supported climate-resilient intercropping practices, and promoted local nutrition through demonstrations, exhibitions, and community learning events.
• ​Twenty-eight farmers have committed to chemical-free farming, and Sangtin is expanding support for agroecological practices that improve soil health, biodiversity, nutrition, and long-term resilience. 
• The annual Kisan Mazdoor Mela welcomed more than 1,000 participants, creating a vibrant space for cultural exchange, learning, discussion, and solidarity around health, youth issues, equity, and sustainable agriculture.
• Sangtin has established SuryaChaya, a sustainably designed resource center that serves as a hub for trainings, meetings, and community organizing, further strengthening local leadership and collective action