A shepherd and his flock of sheep drink water from the Khinchiyon Ki Dahipada village talab (a big pond with raised embankment). Local residents recently deepened the talab with help from the Jal Bhagirathi Foundation (JBF), a non-governmental organization promoted by the United Nations Development Fund and the Italian Development Cooperation. ..In five years since its inception the Jal Bhagirathi Foundation (JBF) has utilised traditional methods to revive more than 250 water harvesting structures in about 150 villages in Rajasthan's drought prone regions. JBF provides technical assistance and two-thirds the cost of a project, only after a village council has thoroughly discussed the issue and reached a unanimous decision. Villagers raise the initial funds by contributing according to their ability. The poor who cant spare any money offer free labour. By addressing the problem of water and uniting caste-ridden village communities, the water campaign has set in motion a silent revolution of far-reaching consequences. Infant mortality is going down. For women who have been liberated from the daily task of collecting water, literacy levels are on the rise. Stomach and skin ailments are showing signs of decrease. ..Photo: Tom Pietrasik.Khinchiyon Ki Dahipada, Barmer District, Rajasthan. India.September 17th 2007