Humanity and Circularity for www.goonj.

org
Climate Action

Jai
Guruji

ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

CONTENT

A note from the founder

Executive summary

WHO WE ARE
Goonj, the idea
Guiding principles
Our design and strategy principles
Our initiatives

HOW WE WORK
Linking people, purpose and possibilities

WHAT WE DO
Access and infrastructure
Water management
Sanitation
Environment and agriculture
Menstrual health and hygiene
Education
Responding to climate emergencies
Goonj Alliance for Rapid Response on Disasters (GARRD)
Missed Out Communities (MoCs)
Green by Goonj (GBG)
Strengthening eco-systems
Partnerships
Urban
Urban volunteer-led collection camps
Corporates and institutes

WORKING IN-DEPTH
Cloth Based Employment

Financials

Appendix

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER

Dear Friends of Goonj,

The annual report of FY 2022-23 is a special one as it marks our

25th year. Congratulations and a big thank you to each one of you for
standing with this work. It’s been a truly momentous journey, from an
idea to becoming a household name and a collective mass movement
led by the people for their own well-being.

When we started, we were bothered to see so many people struggling

for the basics of life while so many of us had plenty. More than two
decades later we are glad that the heart of our work persists to be about
breaking this inequality, to make the world a little fairer and
more empathetic.

This past year and the post-covid time has also marked a period of
realisation and innovation, driven by the pressing climate emergencies
and peoples’ escalated challenges. Addressing these challenges, two
innovations have emerged at the forefront of our work: Cloth Based Employment (CBE) and the Goonj
Alliance for Rapid Response to Disasters (GARRD). The CBE value chain fosters exponential impact for
India’s pre and post-consumer cloth waste, diverting it from urban landfills to rural development.
Meanwhile, the CBE process impacts on bringing the most left out women into the formal work force and
also has deep rooted implications on multiple issues like health and education. Similarly, while GARRD is
important and strategic for Goonj’s disaster response work, it also highlights the need for a larger shift in
global thinking on disaster response towards a transformative strategy in tackling climate emergencies.
Looking back at the past over two decades, there are two things we know more clearly today than we
did when we started.

One, that each one of us must get involved in building the better world we seek. It’s too big and
important a task to be left to a handful of people and organisations to do. For the change we all seek,
to happen in our lifetime, we must all take the responsibility of being a stakeholder in a better world, for
ourselves and for our future generations. Two, there must be a better way of doing things; whether it’s
moving from charity/aid to putting peoples’ dignity and agency at the centre of development or the
urgent need to rethink/ reimagine other resources and systems beyond money or the urgent need to
rethink disasters, not as aberrations and disruptions but as an integral part of the living and development
work continuum. Essentially it’s time to break the silos, between the resource-full and resource-less, to
make a more wholesome and inclusive world for ourselves.

At 25, we at Goonj, commit ourselves, once again, to working towards this world, with all of you as our
co-creators and doers.

Happy 25 to all of us! LLagey Raho.. (Keep Going On)

Anshu Gupta

On behalf of Team Goonj

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In this Annual Report we highlight the successes physical and digital classrooms, there was a
and challenges Goonj has overcome as we noticeable decline in access to quality
promoted a balanced and dignified relationship education for the less-affluent. Goonj, under our
between urban and rural populations through School to School (S2S) initiative, has been
the fiscal year 2022-23. Our goal, like always, addressing this concern proactively. Our efforts
has been to ignite sustainable rural encompass 1900+ school and educational set-
development while prioritising the environment ups, enhancing school infrastructure by
through innovative use of underutilised engaging teachers, parents and the community
resources from the urban space. This year, while to take ownership of the issue, while reaching
we channelised 9.6 million kgs of material to out with more than 150000 School Kits of
rural areas, 7.8 million kgs material were essential learning material, and motivating high
recycled, upcycled and Reused. The report enrolment in the classroom.
reflects our commitment to stand by the most
underserved communities and address evolving 3. Based on the concept of circularity, Goonj
social and environmental concerns. established a Cloth Based Employment (CBE)
value chain that promotes transparency and
Climate Action is the foremost global priority at traceability for all surplus items received by us.
present. We at Goonj have been directing This chain starts with the very collection of pre
intense efforts towards focusing on the and post consumer textile waste, in turn
environment while implementing all our diverting it away from urban landfills. It then
initiatives for over two decades now. Our efforts generates employment opportunities to sort
to arrest the rapidly spiking environmental and process the textile waste. Next, the bulk of
degradation have seen solutions that are the recycled and upcycled material thus created
innovative, efficient, inclusive, and very urgent. is bartered for volunteer community labour to
We share some of these below, in the hope to address local infrastructural and environmental
add power and speed to the work of climate concerns in areas with acute material scarcity.
warriors across the globe. For example, local water bodies are cleaned
and rejuvenated, small pits often called by
1. The rise in global demand for food, fuel and locals as micro-ponds, are dug to revive water
fiber has coincided with the climate crisis. We at levels and saplings are planted to check soil
Goonj have prioritised food system resilience by erosion. Also, recycled products are sold
enabling community-led creation and under our environmentally sustainable and
management of over 9200 agriculture and ecologically conscious brand Green By Goonj.
water related assets to address food security Through the CBE model, Goonj facilitated over
issues of rural population amidst disasters and 400000 person days of employment across
weather uncertainty. We mobilise residents in multiple stages of the value chain, including
villages to get together and implement large processing and effective management of urban
scale activities centred around improving textile waste.
agricultural needs like water, plantations, ponds,
canals, kitchen gardens and such, thereby 4. Goonj’s Alliance for Rapid Response on
contributing to the health of their environment. Disasters (GARRD) is a unique and first-of-its
kind cross-sectoral alliance instituted by us for a
2. The shutdown of schools and financial global and transformative approach to dealing
distress caused by the Covid pandemic with climate emergencies. Its mandate is to
resulted in learning poverty among an entire bring pre-committed resources by uniting
generation of students (as it does in climate various actors involved, and those who need to
emergencies). Between the transition from be involved, to create exponential impact.

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Through GARRD we aim to achieve a more

coordinated and collaborative approach to
rapid disaster relief, as well as sustained
disaster mitigation. Throughout this year, our
efforts have provided essential relief materials
to over 316000 individuals impacted by
disasters. It is evident that considerable
resources are required on the ground to
combat disasters.

As we completed another year advancing our

mission to contribute substantially and 9.6
million Kgs
meaningfully towards addressing pressing
material channelised for
societal challenges this year, we aligned closely Dignity and Development
with the global Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs). Some of our key efforts are as follows.

Highlights of the year 2022-23

25 States and union territories

7300 Villages worked with across 250+ districts

9.6 Million Kgs

Material channelised

2.8 Million
Lives touched by our implementation initiatives

20900+
Community development activities

400000+
Person days of livelihood created under Cloth Based Employment

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

WHO WE ARE..
 WHO WE ARE

Goonj.. literally translated, means an echo.

Every moment, we try to listen, with our ear
to the ground, for unheard voices, connecting
our doing with what we hear and echoing it
in the world.

Founded in 1999, Goonj has been addressing Nudging stakeholders to create value for a
basic but often ignored needs of people with all better world. Working with hundreds of cross
that the world has, advocating for comprehensive sector partnerships, our work mobilises and
human dignity and agency-led approach. motivates constructive participation from
common people in cities and villages across
India, creating a platform for exchange and
We see cloth and dignity as two metaphors for value creation for the individual and the
the neglected needs of humanity. Since its community.
inception, Goonj has focussed on building an
equitable relationship of strength, sustenance We grow in our work by finding new ways for
and dignity between the resourceful and our stakeholders to create and retain more
resource-less. On one hand, is the surplus of the value in their lives and communities. By using
affluent and on the other is the unrecognised nature-based solutions, Goonj has been
wisdom, hard work, efforts and knowledge of working extensively on material circularity for
people, both unexplored assets that can impact sustainability, development and regeneration.
the most challenging issues plaguing the world. The model extends the conventional circular
economy model to a wider development loop
At Goonj, we create a barter and relationship of by using the urban surplus as a resource for
sustenance between these as two new alternate rural development. This year Goonj reduced
currencies and sector-agnostic tools, to address waste and pollution by re-using urban surplus
issues. By establishing a culture and mechanism material to the tune of 7.8 Million kgs while it
of sustained mindful giving (at both ends) circulated overall material (at their highest value)
grounded in dignity and empathy, we nudge to the tune of 9.6 Million kgs using this material
people to take ownership of addressing issues to facilitate 20900+ community-led projects
as equal stakeholders in the world. including reviving of water bodies, check dams
to large scale nutrition work through Kitchen
Gardens.

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHO WE ARE

Guiding Principles Be responsive and open to new ideas; listen,

learn and leverage from the changing realities of
Human dignity and the world’s surplus is at the people and nature and their relationships.
core of our idea, ensuring that our actions never
undermine the dignity of self, of those we work
with and, most importantly, of those we stand How Do We Do This?
with. Besides that, we:
For more than two decades now, Goonj has
Value localised solutions by engaging local worked with the circularity principles of reverse
resources, wisdom and efforts. logistics, reuse, recycling, engaging the urban
and rural masses and utilising inclusive
Improve before we change, always value and technologies. We have extended the material
explore the potential of what the world already circularity loop to connect with the development
has, focussing on circularity - material, people, loop of mobilising communities, community-led
relationships, talent or resources. decision-making and design thinking on their
most neglected issues and community-led
Value collaboration in every sphere to increase collective action with local solutions and
effectiveness and scale. rewarding of efforts with customised material.

See every entity as a stakeholder in the This is how we build a bridge between urban
process of development. abundance and rural scarcity and economic
poverty. The impact multiplies exponentially as
Focus on the missed-out people, material, sustainability, regeneration and development are
needs, issues, geographies, relationships. all woven together into systemic wellbeing.

A. Reverse logistics of surplus material for

Our Design and Strategy Principles economic poverty, inequality and climate change

Our model takes a pragmatic look at the present

Build a connection of empathy, dignity and cycles of waste, from production, consumption
value between the issues of the resourceful and and disposal, from manufacturers, consumers
resource-scarce. Leverage and explore the and disposers to extend the conventional
potential and possibilities of already available circularity model’s aim of pollution reduction and
resources, wisdom, time, skills and efforts of reduction in extraction of raw materials to also
people. Human-centred and community-led include the well-being of people and nature in
approach root ideas in community, built from the the loop This year we reached out with 7.8 Million
context, culture, knowledge, wisdom, resources, kgs of urban surplus material, bartering it with
needs and aspirations of people. rural efforts and wisdom to create impact on rural
development, disaster response and
Equip and support stakeholders in cities and rehabilitation and cloth based employment
villages to thrive and evolve sustainably. generation with recycling.

Facilitate, nudge and empower partners, B. Material processing with pluralistic,

communities and nature to evolve solutions that manpower intensive technologies
infuse new life and vitality into the world.
The material journey that starts with material
Listen with humility and treat all communities harvesting from urban homes reaches this
with dignity and respect. material to our Processing Centres where it goes

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHO WE ARE

into three areas of Reuse (as is), Refurbish (with who think of themselves as powerless and
minor repairs) and Recycle (evolving new incapable of solving their problems, plays an
products). All of these are oriented to the rural important role. On one hand, we aim to build a
recipient’s needs. In our reverse logistics-led better understanding of environmental risks and
Processing Centers everything has value – be it devastation due to the wastage of materials and
a used stapler pin, a torn cloth piece or a its significant potential to address economic
crumpled piece of paper. Our model ensures poverty, inequality and climate change. On the
minimal material wastage throughout this other hand, we speak of human dignity and
processing of the material. Recycle focusses on potential of people. Bringing people together at
ensuring efficient use of material to ensure zero all levels of the model, from cities to villages,
material goes to landfills to ensure that the makes it sustainable while strengthening the
environment is not depleted by urban waste. social fabric. Through citizen-led action, we
Reuse and Refurbish focusses on using the connect both ends of society as equal
material effectively as a new resource for stakeholders, promoting a systemic parity to
addressing people’s biggest development reduce the inequality gap that is only growing.
issues.
D. Addressing multi-dimensional poverty,
Creating livelihood with low tech material inequality and climate crisis with rural
processing development

In the processing of urban surplus material we Goonj’s systemic local dignity, decision-making
see an opportunity to create livelihood and and knowledge-led model of rural development
income generation options for hundreds of is centred on five pillars;
women having low formal literacy. We
recognised their vulnerability to economic and a. Mobilising and ‘nudging’ rural communities to
social exploitation in the informal sectors. Mostly collectively identify their own challenges,
women are involved in our material processing prioritising the most neglected.
and production work. Most of them have
received no prior training etc. which adds up to b. Community-led evolving of ‘localised,
our belief system of valuing talents beyond customised solutions for the specific problem,
formal skills while creating a parallel livelihood keeping in mind their own resources, capacities
loop. This is also why our processes are and expertise..
deliberately designed as human centric, low
tech, hand-crafted, with minimal energy use and c. Community-led action to create/repair/revive
least automation. Urban material is repackaged the most neglected assets/aspects for the well-
in our Processing Center, matching it to the being of local community and individuals.
diverse needs of people in rural India. Our
material processing is thus designed as a multi- d. Addressal of individual material poverty and
layered framework that impacts material, dignity need by reaching essential material kits
people, development and human dignity. as reward, to everyone who participates in the
above process ( with their resources, efforts and
C. Engaging the urban and rural community to wisdom).
acknowledge the waste and the human
potential e. Creating an ecosystem where human efforts
and urban surplus are valued as a new currency
In the Goonj framework, the mindset of the
and a barter is created between the two for
urban masses who are buying and discarding
positive development outcomes for the well-
material and the mindset of the rural masses
being of humanity and nature.

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHO WE ARE

Our initiatives School to School (S2S) fills gaps in rural

education by deploying unused urban school
Cloth For Work (CFW) mobilises, motivates and material to mobilise, motivate and empower
empowers communities by creating a barter school children and their communities to take
between urban surplus and rural labour and action to enable learning. S2S involves urban
wisdom. It aims for a positive impact on material children and schools to build their empathy and
poverty, community assets, local self-sufficiency, awareness about the realities and challenges of
neglected issues and local biodiversity. rural education.

RAHAT is rapid, proactive, people-led disaster Green By Goonj (GBG) is a range of

relief, rehabilitation and long-term awareness handcrafted, unique products for daily living,
building in non-disaster times, and mitigation. special events and gifting for sustainable urban
living. The range of products made by Green by
Not Just A Piece of Cloth (NJPC) mainstreams Goonj for rural living and basic needs extends
menstruation as a human issue with attention to the material circularity for development.
women’s voice, dignity and health. It uses,
surplus cloth to produce cloth sanitary pads, Vaapsi, which literally means ‘bringing back’ in
holds pan India ‘Break The Silence’ dialogues Hindi, aims to restore indigenous livelihood in
and community-led action on women’s local rural areas, keeping people’s dignity at the core.
menstrual issues.

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 Circular Economy in Practice

4
Need based
Regular Awareness cum
Collection Camps-
Dispatch
Schools, Residential Colonies
& Corporates

Goonj
Dropping Centres Pan India Campaigns
5
and Offices Final Implementation
Directly and with Partner groups
1
Urban Disaster Relief & Rehab.
2 Awareness & (Rahat)

Processing
(Need based material
Collections Rural Earthquakes, Floods, Cyclones, Drought
Winters, Fire, Riots..

sorting & Packing)

P Upliftment
Comprehensive
Family Kits Rural Development
3 Ration Kits
(Cloth for Work)
Menstrual Hygiene
(Not Just a Piece of Cloth)
School Kits Water, Sanitation, Local
Production Rahat Kits
Infrastructure, Agriculture, Education
(Cloth Based Environment, Livelihood etc. (School to School)
Employment Generation)
Green by Goonj
Sujni, Aasan
MY Pad

Goonj gives a larger dimension to massive most marginalised communities across India in
quantities of under-utilised material (without solving their most difficult challenges. What the
significantly changing its nature or utility) as a world considers a discard is thus mobilising and
huge resource for mobilising and motivating the motivating the most marginalised communities

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

HOW WE WORK

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 HOW WE WORK

Linking people, purpose and possibilities:

Goonj’s work in 250+ districts across 25 states
and UTs

A year short of turning 25, Goonj linked people,

purpose and possibilities through its work
across 25 states and union territories (UTs). We
demonstrated the power of a community-driven
model, and its capacity to deliver efficiency,
sustainability, and inclusiveness. Our
collaborations among diverse stakeholders
resulted in diverting millions of kilograms of
urban surplus away from landfills, channelising
them for rural communities. In the process, we
affected multiple outcomes related to food
security, income generation, women’s health,
access to water and sanitation facilities and
infrastructure building.

20900+
Community assets created,
repaired or cleaned

Community infrastructure 5100+

Water management 4700+

Sanitation 6400+

Agriculture and Plantation 4500+

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

WHAT WE DO..
 WHAT WE DO

Impacting community assets and 610

Community
access: Infrastructure centres

330
Goonj’s implementation following a hyper local Ground levelling
decision making and hyper local resources- and other assets
based approach has demonstrated the efficacy
450
of people-led infrastructure development in Fencing
rural areas while creating 5100+ community boundary walls
assets.

We mobilised, motivated and enabled rural 1140 2450

communities across India to take up self-chosen Bandstand and Road and
benches bridges
projects like making their own village roads,
bamboo bridges, community halls and many
171 districts across
more common assets that support agriculture,
19 states and union territories
agro-industries, and in turn poverty reduction.
5100+ Community assets made, repaired
or cleaned.

CLOTH FOR WORK (CFW)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

610
Check dams
Reviving resources: Water
1730
Ensuring a secure Water Access Sanitation and Backwaters
Hygiene (WASH) environment framework, This and canals
year Goonj worked in: 1290
Wells, Soak pit,
161 districts across Chari, Chua,
Water storage
20 states and union territories pit etc.
4700+ Community assets made, repaired
or cleaned
118000+ Small pits, also called as micro-ponds
by the locals, made in Kumaon region of
Uttarakhand alone to revive water level. 1100
Ponds

CLOTH FOR WORK (CFW)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Cleaning together: Sanitation 910 1100

Drains made/ Private spaces/
repaired bathrooms
A significant portion of Goonj’s endeavours with
community-led action projects is dedicated to 360
improving their ecosystem by enhancing Dustbins made/
other cleaning 910
environmental sanitation and hygiene. activities
Road/road side
cleaning
People chose to work on eliminating dumping
practices to minimise their exposure to
hazardous substances, advancing both 2330 810
Community spaces Water body premises
cleanliness and safety through proper waste cleaned cleaned
management. The focus was also on women’s
and girls’ health and well-being as well as clean 184 Districts across
water for livestock and community use. 22 States and union territories
6400+ Community assets made, repaired
or cleaned

CLOTH FOR WORK (CFW)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Sowing Sustainability: Agricultural asset-related activities

Environment and Agriculture within local communities

In 2022, COP27 called for an increased focus 127 Districts across

on food system resilience and transformation
within climate change forums. Farmers, our food 19 States and union territories
producers, are after all on the frontline of
4500+ Agricultural asset
climate change. related activities

But while cultivation of food is vital, prioritising 2600+ Kitchen gardens

its distribution and management is equally being developed
crucial, especially to alleviate hunger. Imbibing
the COP 27 message, Goonj concentrated on 43500+ Seedballs made
facilitating affordable and scalable solutions to
address the interlinked issues of food insecurity 1000000+ saplings planted including
and climate change, while ushering self-reliance 600000+ mangrove saplings in the
and dignity to communities. ecologically sensitive Sundarbans in
West Bengal.

CLOTH FOR WORK (CFW)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Raising awareness:
Menstrual Health

For Goonj menstruation is a health and human 1.3 million MY Pad

rights issue encompassing physical, units channelised
psychological and social dimensions. This year
we amplified our efforts at securing menstrual 38 MY Pad ATMs
installed in various villages
health under the Not Just A Piece of Cloth
(NJPC) initiative. Units of MY Pad channelised to
women and other menstruators were 27% 3300+ Break the Silence
sessions conducted
higher than last year. Community-led Action
Projects around water and sanitation
3900+ Action projects to
implemented were 55% more as against last tackle sanitation and water
year, which in turn facilitated and impacted rural issues
women’s menstrual hygiene practices.

Also, we introduced the innovative MY Pad 87 Districts across

ATM, usually a trunk or suitcase filled with cloth 16 States and union territories
MY Pad packs, available at a nominal price to 31000 kgs of cloth transformed into MY Pads
women who are unable to access and afford
sanitary pads or clean cloth.

NOT JUST A PIECE OF CLOTH (NJPC)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Bridging gaps: Education

Alleviation of the learning poverty caused by
the Covid pandemic required additional School Kits channelised School and educational
teachers, classrooms and learning material as setups reached
200,000
students migrated from private to government 151000+
150,000 1900+
schools in rural areas due to financial distress.
100,000 600
We responded to the context under our School 55000
50,000
to School (S2S) initiative by increasing efforts to
engage teachers, parents, and communities in
200

0
2021-22 2022-23 2021-22 2022-23
improving school infrastructure, and access to
educational material. We motivate children in
Books/notebooks channelised:
cities to empathise with and give school
material for their rural counterparts. The Goonj 161 Districts across 600,000
School Kits comprising material contributed by 451000+
19 States and union 400,000
urban children are reached out to rural schools territories 211500
200,000
with the aim to alleviate learning poverty.
0
2021-22 2022-23

SCHOOL TO SCHOOL (S2S)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Responding:
Climate Emergencies

In 2022, India experienced multiple disasters,

from heat waves and cold waves to cyclones,
lightning, floods, and landslides. The country
also grappled with the aftermath of the Covid-19
pandemic, even as it was hit by these distressing
climate emergencies. The annual routine of
floods and droughts, meanwhile, plagued many
parts of India.

Goonj responded to all these challenges with

swiftness, and sensitivity, under its initiative
Rahat. Rahat has transformed into a dynamic, 63200+ families reached out with aid
dependable, and well-proven network of amid disasters supporting more than 316000*
stakeholders across rural and urban India. This individuals impacted by these calamities
evolution ensures a prompt and tailored
approach in delivering disaster relief and *Relief material reached out to 63200+ families; assuming 5 people
rehabilitation efforts. per family totals to more than 316000 individuals.

RAHAT

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Supporting the flood-impacted

Spanning from June to August this year, various

parts of India experienced extensive rainfall
ranging from heavy to extremely heavy. Many
regions suffered devastating floods as a
consequence. Assam, for instance, had
35000+
substantial portions inundated, leading to loss Flood-affected families
of lives, homes, and livelihood. reached.

Supporting the cyclone-impacted

In 2022, three cyclones formed in the north

Indian Ocean. Coastal state governments in
Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal
improved disaster management to lower 780
cyclone casualties. Yet, each cyclone eroded, Cyclone-affected families
as it always does, hard-won development, from reached.
schools to infrastructure, impacting lives and
livelihoods.

Reaching out in winter

Not considered a conventional disaster, winter 14000+

unleashes distress on the deprived. It affects Winter -affected families
vulnerable communities, resulting in casualties, reached.
illness, and the depletion of resources, such as
livestock losses.

1570+
Fire and drought affected
families reached.

10190+
Covid affected families
reached

RAHAT

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Creating safety nets to combat and the impact of disasters.

disaster: GARRD
Overall, because of our sustained approach to
Over the last two decades Goonj has been disaster management, Goonj has identified and
working consistently to advance the disaster established disaster response as a creative way
relief ecosystem in India by working together to channel much needed resources and
collaboratively with several partners across the attention towards the long standing issues and
country and globally under our ‘Rahat’ initiative. challenges faced by the most disaster prone
This has, over the years, evolved into a reliable communities and geographies, that can
time-tested need-based disaster response advance all 17 Sustainable Development Goals
framework that delivers effective relief and (SDGs).
rehabilitation during novel situations created by
disasters. Through this work, we have come to With GARRD Goonj has given a formal
understand relief, rehabilitation and framework to our already ongoing efforts into an
development work as closely tied together on a alliance of partners and stakeholders. GARRD
continuum. has thus emerged as a formal cross sectoral
alliance with pre-committed resources to
At the time of Covid, even as the world was positively impact the ecosystem. This unique
focussed on responding to a global pandemic, and first-of-its kind alliance is aiming to bring
the incessant impact of cyclones and floods on together various actors involved, and those who
a vast population across India underlined the must get involved, to create exponential impact.
need for GARRD. The struggle for resources for This alliance aims to bring transformational
disaster response in this time further highlighted impact on how we respond with a more co-
the need to address numerous deep rooted ordinated, collaborative and a premeditated
misconceptions about disasters among key approach to rapid and sustained disaster relief,
stakeholders. The adverse impact of the lag in and how key stakeholders and the masses think
post disaster resource generation, leading to and engage with disasters in urban and rural
avoidable damage and distress of the disaster India in the mid and long term.
affected, further highlighted the need to rethink
the mainstream reactive framework of disaster
work.

GARRD thus emerged from our strong belief

that there is a need for a new way of doing
things that can bring about meaningful and
long-lasting improvements. This is why, GARRD
emphasises a systemic approach to disaster
work, that goes on throughout the year even in
non-disaster time, building a deeper under-
standing about disasters among urban and rural
masses; about mindful giving, building
partnerships, mapping of needs etc. for a
deeper and more rapid response to root causes

RAHAT

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Reaching Out:
Missed Out Communities

Beginning in the Covid pandemic, Goonj

engages with some of the most marginalised
communities. These communities struggle with
financial, material and social poverty, and stigma.
Goonj has in fact set up a dedicated vertical to
work with some of the most underserved Missed
Out Communities (MoCs). This year, Goonj
worked extensively with two MoCs.

Leprosy-affected and their families: Although

the Union Ministry has devised a strategic
roadmap to achieve zero cases of leprosy by
2030, the deep-seated social stigma and limited
public knowledge about it leads to discrimination
and exclusion. Goonj worked to sensitise urban
communities about leprosy, and provided need-
based Kits to the leprosy affected.

1400+
Leprosy-affected were reached out with
our Family Kits
760 individuals reached out with Ulcer Kits
and other medical essentials

Devadasis: Historically these are women

dedicated to serving temples as dancers and
musicians. The Devadasi practice has long been
officially banned, but its effects still linger in
some parts of the country, leading to social and
economic vulnerabilities and exploitation of the
affected women.

8100+
‘Devadasis’ were reached out with our
Family Kits

MISSED OUT COMMUNITIES (MOC)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Upcycling Sustainability:
GREEN BY GOONJ

Green by Goonj (GBG) is Goonj's urban product

label that upcycles urban waste cloth into limited
edition products. We recycle pre and post-
consumer waste cloth into a range of lifestyle
and daily use durable products. Nothing goes
waste at Goonj; while the still wearable clothes
are segregated and put into our rural
development Kits, the cloth shreds are
converted into urban accessories, or conference
and event related products.

The GBG products are made at our production

units where women from nearby slums find a
dignified livelihood making these products.
Given the freedom to express their creativity,
these women are able to transform many
underutilised materials into innovative and
useful products for urban and rural India. While it
provides them with livelihood, GBG also
showcases their untapped indigenous potential
and aesthetics.

You can now connect with us to not just recycle

your surplus cloth but to 'Goonj.. it!’ instead for
exponentially bigger outcomes and impact.

GREEN BY GOONJ (GBG)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Strengthening development: Grassroots Fellowship (2019 - present)

Eco-system creation aims to enhance capacity and empower rural
youth to proactively engage in developmental
issues within their local communities over one
Goonj Urban Fellowship (2018 - present)
year. It enables Fellows to contribute to their
offers youth from cities, who may be
own villages through civic engagement, local
disconnected from rural contexts, the
leadership, and sustainable change.
opportunity to gain insight into urban and rural
development issues. The year-long journey is
Sanjha Fellowship (2021 - present)
designed to expand the horizons of Fellows,
is designed specifically for our grassroots
exposing them to opportunities as they
partner organisations. Its objective is to facilitate
collaborate with Goonj's teams, partners,
collaboration and encourage growth of the
volunteers and communities, gaining valuable
leaders by providing the necessary tools
insights and practical experience.
and knowledge.
Next-Generation Fellowship (2021 - present)
was inspired by the Goonj Founder’s vision that Next Gen Fellows
children of the Goonj Processing Teams, (1 Cohort)
13
primarily women from urban slums, should have 36 Sanjha Fellows
the opportunity to grow and prosper. This one- (1 Cohort)
38
year Fellowship identifies promising young Grassroots Fellows
individuals and involves them in hands-on (3 Cohorts)
learning, providing exposure to ideas and skills
that are a foundation for their aspirations. 79
Urban Fellows
(5 Cohorts)

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Chaupals are Goonj's effort to create a space,

across India and the world, owned by people
who want to contribute to bringing social
change. Through them Goonj promotes
discussions on social and development issues.
This year saw nine Chaupals held in Andhra
Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra,
Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West
Bengal.

Baithak is a platform that brings together

individuals from development-focused
organisations to exchange ideas, address
challenges, and strategise to expand efforts.
This inclusive platform fosters co-learning and
collaboration through discussions, activities, and
master sessions, creating a collaborative
ecosystem for shared growth and solutions. The
three Baithaks that Goonj held this year saw a
total participation of 67 individuals.

Junoon Awards were instituted by Goonj in

November 2022 to honour the fervour, passion
and audacious efforts of development
organisations during the tough Covid times. The
selection process will analyse applications over
two rounds, internally and externally, with
physical verification conducted where
necessary. An esteemed jury has been
appointed to go through the applications
received from all across the country. These
annual awards will gradually make for a
networked community of exceptionally
dedicated and impactful social sector
organisations. The first batch of awardees are to
Chaupal
be announced in the second half of 2023.

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 WHAT WE DO

Forging networks : currencies for development, including material

Urban and Rural Partnerships and voluntary labour. While doing so, we
mobilise support and contributions from not just
individuals who believe in our work, but also
With a deep understanding of communities, from foundations, philanthropies, and
Goonj's valuable resource Sanjha is our partner corporations. Some of the institutions with
network of 300+ grassroots organisations with whom we partnered this year include:
localised expertise. They not only provide
invaluable insights into local customs, needs,
and cultural dynamics but are also quick to Monetary Partners FY 2022-23
mobilise resources in response to immediate
needs during disasters and emergencies. ABB India Foundation
Goonj’s partners not only ensure a locally- Affle India Limited
focused approach but also reach vulnerable Bain And Company India Private Limited
Bloomberg Data Services India Private Ltd
and hard-to-reach populations more effectively.
Charities Aid Foundation of America
ExxonMobil Services & Technology Private Limited
Fair Isaac India Software Private Limited
Mobilising goodwill and good- Firstsource Solutions Limited
Gateway Distriparks Limited
giving: Urban activities Gdpk Returnable Solutions India Pvt Ltd
Jones Lang LaSalle India (JLL)
Collecting dignity: Urban volunteer-led Kalpataru Trust
collection camps Lal Family Foundation
Larsen and Toubro Infotech Limited
One of Goonj’s primary ambitions is to affect a Liebherr India Private Limited
shift of perspective from charity to dignity, and Lifestyle International Pvt. Ltd.
Marvell India Pvt Ltd
make giving back to society a meaningful act,
Mettler Toledo India Private Limited
aiming to preserve the receivers’ dignity. It Mindtree Foundation
involves recognising that contributing positively Oracle Financial Services Software
is a shared duty and collective responsibility. Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies
SBI General Insurance Company Limited
Over time, Goonj has evolved into a widespread Solutia Chemicals India Pvt Ltd
movement and a large community of individuals HSBC India Limited
who genuinely care about their fellow citizens. VMware Software India Private Limited
Stakeholders including individuals, institutes
and corporates pool their resources, efforts, Material/In-Kind Partners FY 2022-23
time, skills and networks to affect change on a
large scale. This commitment encompasses Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited
supporting development and maintaining Benetton
Big Basket
preparedness to effectively respond
Delhivery
during emergencies. Fab India
Inditex
1430 Volunteer-led collection camps held Levi’s
Marks & Spencer
Partnering for the larger cause: Corporates Mondelez
and institutes Porter
Raymond Ltd
Over the past two decades, Goonj’s work has Usha Garments
been recognised for creating alternate new

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

WORKING IN-DEPTH
 WORKING IN-DEPTH

Weaving transformation: Cloth development and climate change with this

textile surplus. With our detailed understanding
Based Employment of India's textile waste, we have built a systemic
value chain that diverts textile away from
Over 7500 million kilograms amounting to 8.5% environmentally hazardous pathways. Goonj has
of global textile waste is accumulated in India been successfully working on several such
every year (*Wealth in Waste Report). As a hub of innovative ideas in the past 24 years.
textile production and consumption, India thus
generates substantial flows of both pre and Just in the **past eight years, more than 5 million
post-consumer textile waste. Several reasons kilograms of textile waste has been repurposed
contribute to this scenario including lack of by Goonj to make large quantities of daily utility
accurate information, and lack of technologies items such as sujni (mattress/quilts), aasan
for detailed intervention. Textile waste also (sitting mats), clean cloth sanitary pads, etc. for
adversely contributes to climate change through rural communities. This also created livelihood
a chain of interconnected processes across its for women, in urban slums and rural parts,
lifecycle. The production of textiles involves mostly left out of the workforce. Goonj run and
energy-intensive processes fueled by fossil supported Production Centres is where the
fuels, releasing carbon dioxide emissions into transforming of textile waste into lifestyle
the atmosphere. During the use phase, energy products takes place. These centres are largely
consumption for cleaning and maintenance run and led by the local women. In turn Goonj
adds to the carbon impact. Even after disposal, adds these products to its diverse range of
textiles add to landfills. customized material kits for rural India. These
kits are not given as charity but are used as a
Goonj's 'circularity for development' model has nudge to mobilise, motivate and enable rural
encompassed the larger mission of combating communities to trigger self-chosen pan-India
* Wealth in waste: India’s potential to lead circular textile sourcing. Fashion for Good.
(2023, August 3).
https://fashionforgood.com/our_news/wealth-in-waste-indias-potential-to-lead-circular-textile-sourcing/ ** This data is only for the period 2014 to 2022
 WORKING IN-DEPTH

large-scale rural development work. This is how includes oversized clothes, cloth shreds that
Goonj deploys thousands of kgs of last shreds cannot be used as is.
of urban waste cloth, over and above the
clothes that are wearable as is. 400000+ person days* of work generated
under CBE
For many rural challenges like livelihood,
infrastructure, material poverty, menstrual This comprehensive network includes men and
hygiene, education and many more issues. The women who contribute at various stages of this
repurposed new products thus get used as a value add chain, from the initial collection and
development resource to motivate and reward sorting of discarded textiles to their
communities who repurposing into useful products. By providing
implement large scale development projects for these employment opportunities Goonj is also
solving their own community issues. In Goonj, fostering a more organized and nurtured
this material's “Discard to Dignity” journey second hand cloth sector, with a sense of
revolves around delving into meticulous empowerment and dignity among the
specifics to ensure that each material employed.
undergoes suitable reuse or recycling methods
and each stakeholder derives employment Deeper Economic Impact: The non-monetary
through it. barter between of these products with local
efforts, wisdom and natural resources catalyses'
'Cloth- Based Employment' (CBE) thus a chain reactions of widespread development.
addresses multiple issues including women's The deeper economic impact is also on the
livelihood, rural development, environment and recipients who are materially and monetarily
economic independence of people, at weak. With their basic material needs fulfilled
significantly lowerinput costs while revitalising through these products (together with other
hyper local traditional skills. This approach also material kits) the recipient families are also able
has far- reaching implications, particularly in the to, then redirect their limited monetary
context of long-term action against climate resources to other more urgent needs like food
change. and health.

This year, out of the total 9.5 Million Kgs of

material that we processed, approximately 3.5
Million Kgs was urban surplus cloth that was
repurposed.

Approx 3.5 million kgs* of urban surplus

clothes re-purposed

Livelihood: The livelihood generated in the year

in the processing, production and upcycling of
this under-utilised urban surplus cloth,
especially for women in slums and villages is a
strong impact point of the work. This material

* As per data for FY 2022-23

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

 APPENDIX

Please Note Resource support most often comes for Goonj's

disaster relief, response and three to five years of
T h e G o o n j A n n u a l Re p o r t a i m s t o b e ongoing rehabilitation work. Thus, even though
informational. Our primary objective is to this money keeps showing up on successive
annual reports, it can be utilised only in a
foreground the work we have been doing to restricted pre-decided way in a particular
facilitate community-led hyper local action on disaster affected geography.
diverse neglected issues for 24+ years. We share
the proof points of our efforts to mobilise and Sadly, over the years, we notice that while
motivate community-led action to arrest money/resources do come in for disaster
environmental degradation through solutions that response work in a few states, other, more
are innovative, competent, and inclusive. The resource crunched states/areas like Uttarakhand,
data we provide of the inputs, outputs and Chattisgarh, Odisha, Bundelkhand etc. get
outcomes of our initiatives are rounded off to the grossly ignored in terms of resource inputs.
nearest whole numbers, and are approximations.

Some of the information contained in this report

has been cited to create an understanding of the
context that we work in. Such information has
been sourced from published and unpublished
sources, which may not have been updated. We
trust the information is dependable, but Goonj
has not verified it independently and does not
assume any responsibility for its accuracy.

Also, most importantly, when you go through our

Financial Statement do keep in mind that Goonj
is a non profit staffed by a few hundred people,
working in parts of 25 states, and we respond to
multiple natural disasters that often do not
capture media and public attention. We also
attempt to keep a buffer for the running
expenses of one year for rentals, transport,
people, PF-ESI to many regular expenses. But we
have largely not been able to maintain it and
have now decided to make a corpus from next
year and reach out to you for the contribution for
that too.

GOONJ ANNUAL REPORT 2022-23

FINANCIALS
2022-23
Special Note Of Thanks Our offices:
Delhi - Goonj Center, Gurjar Rajesh Pilot Marg, Sarita Vihar,
We thank the thousands of individuals, New Delhi 110076
corporates, institutions and agencies who Bangalore - GOONJ, SY. No. 51/1, Chikka Begur Gate, Hosur
have come along on this journey with us. Main Road, Kudlu Gate, Bangalore 560068

Please know that each and every contribution Chennai - GOONJ, Siva Parvathy Kalayna Mandapam, Plot
is important for us. In a time when disasters No.25/26 Door No:4/558, 2nd Main Rd, S. Kolathur, Viduthalai
Nagar, Kovilambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600117
are happening more frequently and in places
which had never seen a disaster before, your Dehradun - GOONJ, Rajiv Nagar, Rispana Pul, Near Hotel JSR
trust and support strengthens our commitment Continental, Haridwar Road, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001
to stand with the most vulnerable people.
Hyderabad - GOONJ, H.No- 7-1/8, Plot no-8, Suncity, Phase-2,
Radha Nagar, Hyderabad, Telangana 500086

Kochi - GOONJ, Captain’s Building, Near BEVCO, Seaport

Airport Road, Kalamasserry, Kochi 683503

Kolkata - GOONJ, 36 D/2 Topsia road, Kolkata 700039

Mumbai - GOONJ, Gala No 6 B Raju Industrial Estate Premises

Co-operative Society Ltd, Penkar Pada Road, Near Dahisar
[email protected] Check Naka off Western Express Highway, Opp Nike factory
www.goonj.org store, Mira Road East Thane 401104
facebook.com/goonj.org Rishikesh - GOONJ, Rishikesh – Near Lal Bahadur Shashtri
twitter.com/goonj School Dhalwala, Rishikesh 249201
instagram.com/goonj