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{{Short description|Indian non-governmental organisation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox organisation
| name = Water Literacy Foundation
| image = Water Literacy Foundation Logo Small.jpg
| type = [[Non-governmental organization]]
| founded = 2005 <br/> [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
| founder = Ayyappa Masagi
| region_served = India
| focus = [[Water conservation]], [[Rainwater harvesting]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.waterliteracyfoundation.com/}}
}}

'''Water Literacy Foundation'''<ref name=impact>{{cite web|title=Water Literacy Foundation & Rainwater Concepts A water efficient nation, water for everyone.|url=http://waterliteracyfoundation.perso.rezel.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Water-Literacy-Foundation-on-Social-Impact.pdf|work=www.social-impact.org|access-date=27 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222424/http://waterliteracyfoundation.perso.rezel.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Water-Literacy-Foundation-on-Social-Impact.pdf|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> is a [[non-governmental organisation|non-governmental]] [[environmentalism|environmental]] organisation based in [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]], whose high goal is to make India a "water-efficient nation" by raising awareness about [[water scarcity]] and establishing [[rainwater harvesting]] in all areas of India.

==History==
[[Ayyappa Masagi]],<ref name="Youth Leader India">{{cite news|last=Nikesh|first=Thapaliya|title=The Water Warrior: Ayyappa Masagi harvesting every drop of water to save India|url=http://www.india.youth-leader.org/2011/03/the-water-warrior-ayyappa-masagi-harvesting-every-drop-of-water-to-save-india/|access-date=27 March 2012|newspaper=Youth Leader India|date=March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315054216/http://www.india.youth-leader.org/2011/03/the-water-warrior-ayyappa-masagi-harvesting-every-drop-of-water-to-save-india/|archive-date=15 March 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> who had been working as a mechanical engineer at [[Larsen & Toubro]] for 23 years, started to experiment with rainwater harvesting and non-irrigational agricultural methods in 1994.<ref name="ThinkChange India">{{cite web|last=Badhri|first=Jagannathan|title=Interview: Ayyappa Masagi of Water Literacy Foundation|url=http://www.thinkchangeindia.org/2011/08/14/interview-ayyappa-masagi-of-water-literacy-foundation/|work=ThinkChange India|access-date=27 March 2012}}</ref> After a few years of successful results in his native region, [[Gadag]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]], he quit his job to focus on working in the field of rainwater harvesting.

It was in 2004 when he earned the Ashoka fellowship for his work on water conservation.<ref name=ashoka>{{cite web|title=AYYAPPA MASAGI|url=https://www.ashoka.org/fellow/ayyappa-masagi|work=ashoka.org|publisher=Ashoka}}</ref> One year later, with the support of [[Ashoka: Innovators for the Public]], he started Water Literacy Foundation, located in [[Bangalore]], India. To obtain a change in India by 2020, the [[NGO]] is working to support farmers by giving them knowledge about non-irrigational agriculture and rainwater harvesting and realising projects that fight water scarcity.<ref>{{cite web|title=Examples of Successful Projects of WLF|url=http://www.rainwaterconcepts.co.in/Success%20Stories.htm|access-date=13 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413061909/http://www.rainwaterconcepts.co.in/Success%20Stories.htm|archive-date=13 April 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The activities of the foundation expand to individual houses and industries, trying to create solutions to the [[Water shortage|shortage of water]] linked to the fast-growing population of Bangalore.<ref name=Hindu>{{cite news|title=City-based water conservationist to receive Jamnalal Bajaj Award|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/19/stories/2009101957810200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026164647/http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/19/stories/2009101957810200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 October 2009|access-date=27 March 2012|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=19 October 2009}}</ref>

In 2008, the foundation became associated with a new project: Rain Water Concepts Pvt Ltd (I)<ref>{{cite web |title=Rain Water Concepts Pvt Ltd (India) |url=http://rainwaterconcepts.co.in/}}</ref> in a [[cross subsidisation|cross-subsidisation]] model. The [[social business]] implements rainwater harvesting systems for industries. Besides, it is funding the campaigns of the foundation among farmers and schools.<ref name="Book1 CSIM">{{cite book |title=Unsung beacons, stories of people for whom humanity matters |publisher=CSIM |year=2012 |location=Chennai, India |pages=199–205}}</ref> [[Ayyappa Masagi]] was awarded the [[Jamnalal Bajaj Award]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jamnalal Bajaj Awards Archive |url=http://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/awards/archives/2010 |date= |publisher=[[Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation]]}}</ref>

Only four years later, the associated organisation entered the [[Limca Book of Records]] for constructing 500 lakes—the highest number of artificial lakes created by one company.<ref name="Jamnalal Bajaj">{{cite web|title=Ayyappa Masagi, recipient of Jamnala Bajaj award for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development - 2009|url=http://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/media/pdf/JBA_2009_Bio_Ayyappa_Masagi.pdf|work=Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation|access-date=27 March 2012}}</ref> Furthermore, the NGO claim to have indirectly recharged more than 70,000 borewells and reached around 1.5 million people in 36,000 locations.<ref name=tehelka>{{cite news|last=Yamini|first=Deenadayalan|title=Ayyappa Masagi, 54, rainwater harvester|url=http://www.tehelka.com/story_main48.asp?filename=Ne190211INSPIRATIONS.asp|access-date=27 March 2012|newspaper=Tehelka Magazine|date=19 February 2011}}</ref>

==Activities==

The goal of the foundation is to [[raising awareness|raise awareness]] about water shortages and implement rainwater harvesting systems in farms, houses, and industries. It offers several systems:<ref name=technology>{{cite web|last=Antonin|first=Borgnon|title=Water Literacy Foundation, Technology|url=http://waterliteracyfoundation.perso.rezel.net/wordpress/?page_id=78|publisher=Water Literacy Foundation|access-date=27 March 2012}}</ref>
* Rooftop rainwater harvesting
* Lake type borewell recharging
* Infiltration wells
* Stream water harvesting
* Seepage recharging
* Sump type borewell recharging
* Non-irrigational agricultural practices
* Tree-based agriculture

To raise awareness, the foundation attends [[Political rally|rallies]], sponsors [[lectures]], and gives talks at conferences such as TEDx conference,<ref name=TEDx>{{cite web|title=Theme: Ideas for India|url=https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/945|work=TEDx Velammal|access-date=27 March 2012}}</ref> school education programs, or [[world water day]] events.

The foundation publishes books that instruct farmers to implement rainwater harvesting systems by themselves.<ref name=Bhageertha>{{cite book|last=Ayyappa|first=Masagi|title=Bhageertha|year=2012|publisher=Water Literacy Foundation|location=India}}</ref> The foundation is helped by international volunteers mainly hosted through a program of FSL India.<ref>{{cite web|title=Homepage of FSL India|url=http://fsl-india.org/}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Environment|India}}
* [[Rainwater harvesting]]
* [[Water conservation]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.waterliteracyfoundation.com/}}
* [http://www.thinkchangeindia.org/2011/08/14/interview-ayyappa-masagi-of-water-literacy-foundation/ Interview of Ayyappa Masagi by ''Think Change India'']
*[https://www.knowyourstar.com/ayyappa-masagi-biography-interview/ Interview of Ayyappa Masagi by KnowYourStar.com]

[[Category:Environmental organisations based in India]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Bengaluru]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 2005]]
[[Category:Water conservation in India]]
[[Category:Nature conservation organisations based in Asia]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in Karnataka]]

Water Literacy Foundation - Revision history

Imtiaz Qureshi: Added the data w/ infobox