Amla Ruia’s Fight for Water: A Story of Resilience & Change
Her initiative to construct check dams has transformed the lives of over 2 million people across 450+ villages in India.
Her initiative to construct check dams has transformed the lives of over 2 million people across 450+ villages in India.
Amla Ruia, born in 1946 into an affluent family in Uttar Pradesh, was raised in a literary and spiritual environment. However, from a young age, she recognized her responsibilities toward society. This led her to dedicate herself to social causes at the first opportunity.
Rajasthan is a region frequently grappling with water scarcity, where many households struggle even for drinking water, let alone water for bathing. Women often walk miles to fetch water, carrying pots on their heads to meet their families’ needs.
The daily challenges faced by rural women in Rajasthan deeply impacted young Amla Ruia and shaped her perspective. The severe droughts of 1999-2000 and 2003 troubled her greatly, inspiring her to take action. She became passionate about water conservation in villages and established the Aakar Charitable Trust (ACT) to collaborate with communities in building check dams for water security.
Her initiative to construct check dams has transformed the lives of over 2 million people across 450+ villages in India. These small structures, built on seasonal streams, allow water to percolate into the ground, recharge aquifers, and ensure year-round water availability. Amla motivated communities to contribute labor and resources, fostering a sense of ownership and sustainability.
Using traditional water-harvesting techniques and check dams, Amla Ruia changed the face of Rajasthan’s villages, all by involving local communities.
Her first project was in Mandawar village, which became a huge success. Farmers earned ₹12 crores within a year thanks to the two check dams built by her trust. After this, she never looked back. ACT has since constructed 200 check dams in 100 villages across Rajasthan, benefiting over 200,000 people, who now collectively earn ₹300 crores annually.
The impact of Amla’s efforts meant that farmers who once struggled to grow one crop a year could now harvest three crops annually. Increased income allowed them to take up livestock farming as well. Gradually, Amla’s hard work transformed their lives.
Households benefiting from water conservation now have 8-10 cattle each, earning additional income from milk, ghee, and khoa. Rising incomes also mean that every family owns 1-2 motorcycles, and each village has 4-5 tractors—a significant achievement for rural India.
For her relentless efforts in water conservation and rural empowerment, Amla Ruia has been honored with the Grassroots Changemaker Achiever Award, celebrating her as a true agent of change.