52 Families. 52 New Beginnings. Climate-Resilient Homes Bring Hope to Tribal Communities in Pune

"A home is every person's dream. In times of difficulty, the comfort of returning to one's own home provides strength and hope to carry on." — Smt. Sunetra Pawar, Honourable Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra

A Day That Changed 52 Lives

The sound of laughter echoed through Rase village as families unlocked the doors to homes they had only dreamed of owning. For 52 tribal families from the Thakar community in Pune district, Maharashtra, this marked the beginning of a safer, healthier and more secure future.

The handover ceremony was organised by the Pune Zilla Parishad, the district authority which supported this integrated housing initiative under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin.

A Milestone for Climate-Resilient Housing

The ceremony was graced by Smt. Sunetra Pawar, Honourable Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who presented the symbolic keys to the new homeowners.

Reflecting on the significance of the moment she said, "A home is every person's dream. In times of difficulty, the comfort of returning to one's own home provides strength and hope to carry on. The earlier living conditions of families in Rase were extremely poor. Today, the years of struggle have come to an end for 52 families from the Thakar community, who now have homes of their own."

The ceremony was also attended by Member of Legislative Assembly Shri. Babaji Kale; senior leaders of Pune Zilla Parishad such as Shri. Virdhaval Jagdale, President; Shri. Gajanan Patil, Chief Executive Officer; Shri. Vishal Shinde, Block Development Officer; Panchayat leaders of Rase village Shri. Kiran Thakar, Sarpanch; Shri. Laxman Shinde, Deputy Sarpanch; Smt. Mangal Kharpude, Gram Sevak and other local government officials, community members and homeowners.

Habitat for Humanity India was represented by Smt. Sheila Kripalani, Chairperson, Board of Trustees; Mr. Gul Kripalani, Member – IndiaBUILDS Advisory Committee, Mr. Anand Kumar Bolimera, National Director and other senior representatives of the organisation including Mr. Rajiv Raman, Sr. Director – Proragrammes, Mr. Joy Abraham, Director – Projects, Ms. Rekha Joby, Senior Consultant, Mr. Ritwik Sawant, Director – Communications, Mr. Burhanuddin Bohra, Regional Head and Mr. Satish Jadhav, Manager – Programmes.

Building Homes That Build Resilience

These homes are part of Habitat for Humanity India's Green Housing Project, a four-year initiative supported by Citi, which will enable 400 tribal families across Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to access safe, dignified and climate-resilient housing. Within the first year alone, Habitat India has completed 120 climate-resilient homes across Pune, Palghar and Raigad districts in Maharashtra.

Voices from the Community

"For years, I worried every day about my children's safety whenever I stepped out to work. Today, our home gives us the security, dignity and peace of mind we never had before. It has given my family hope for a better future." Ranjana, Homeowner, Rase Village

"A safe home has given my children a roof over their heads - it has given them a place to learn, dream and build a better future. Every family deserves the dignity and opportunity that decent housing brings." Navnath, Homeowner, Rase Village

"I cannot change what my family has been through, but I can give my daughters a place where they feel safe every single day. That gives me hope for everything that lies ahead." Vaishali, Homeowner, Rase Village

A moment of hope and homecoming.

Watch highlights from the handover ceremony and hear how climate-resilient housing is transforming lives in Rase village, Pune.

🎥 Watch the full handover ceremony:

Together, We Build More Than Homes

Every climate-resilient home represents something stronger than bricks and mortar. It represents dignity restored, hope renewed and a future where families can thrive despite the challenges of a changing climate. As Habitat for Humanity India continues to scale up the Green Housing Project, we remain committed to building homes that create a lasting impact for generations to come.