In our villages......More than half the people could not read or write. Every third family was living below the poverty line. Of every twelve children born, one was destined to die before its first birthday. The worst enemies of people living in our villages were ill-health, poverty and superstition born out of a lack of awareness. In addition to health services, what our people required was education, awareness and more just economic conditions. That was the situation prevailed in rural tribal area of south Gujarat in late seventies. As an attempt to answer these needs, SEWA - Rural (an acronym for Society for Education, Welfare and Action - Rural) was initiated in 1980 by a group of young doctors and other professionals having education & experience in India & abroad and based upon the ideals & ideas of Swami Vivekananda & Gandhiji. It is based in Jhagadia, a rural, tribal area of Bharuch district of Gujarat.