Rehabilitated
Six Pillars of
Rural Change
From forests to water, from women's dignity to children's education — GBS works across every dimension of rural wellbeing in Rajasthan.
83,000+ trees planted at Gandhivan since 1991. Work on Land Degradation Neutrality, gully plugging and climate adaptation through the international AVACLIM project with CARI, France.
780 Self Help Groups in 266 villages. Vocational training in carpet weaving, embroidery and shoe-making. 260 women started their own enterprises with support from local banks.
Restored 7 ancient step wells (baoris) across Rajasthan, reviving centuries-old rainwater harvesting heritage and ensuring clean drinking water access in rural communities.
Mobile health units, medical camps and 15 HIV/AIDS prevention programmes among tribal communities. GBS pioneered HIV/AIDS intervention work in Rajasthan in 1991 — the first NGO to do so.
Non-formal education and skill development for adolescent girls in rural and tribal areas — building literacy, confidence and pathways to self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods.
700+ leprosy patients freed from beggary. Vocational training, medical support and community integration — rooted in Gandhian ideals and the enduring legacy of Baba Amte.
Gandhivan —
The Forest We Built
In 1991, GBS began transforming barren, sandy wasteland near Amber, Jaipur into a living forest. Today Gandhivan stands as a testament to collective will — a thriving green ecosystem recognised nationally and internationally.
From Wasteland to Wonder
The Gandhivan project in village Todaladi, district Jaipur involved planting over 83,000 trees of various species — fuel, fodder, fruits, timber and flowers — while developing rainwater harvesting structures, stabilising sand dunes, and conserving soil and moisture.
UNDP included Gandhivan in its success stories of wastelands development. The SAARC delegation called it a model project. GBS also maintains an active nursery on site, and continues to plant hundreds of new trees each year.
— OUR LEGACY —
Our Founder
The man whose vision built GBS — a life devoted to rural India.Founder • 1947 – 2023
Early Life & Activism
Born in 1947 in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, Bhawani Shankar Kusum worked briefly in the Electricity Department before joining the Total Revolution Movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan. A passionate journalist for nearly twenty years, he wrote extensively about rural suffering and social injustice.
Bharat Jodo Abhiyan
As Rajasthan Coordinator of the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan under Baba Amte, Kusum ji organised the Kanyakumari–Kashmir bicycle march in 1985 and the Arunachal–Okha march in 1987 — bringing together 150 young men and women across India.
Service to Leprosy Patients
His most enduring work was making 3,000 leprosy patients in Rajasthan self-reliant through pension advocacy, medical treatment, and employment programmes. His work became a model of rehabilitation rooted in Gandhian values.
International Presence
A member of UN bodies including UNCCD, UNAIDS, and the World Bank, Kusum ji represented India globally. He visited over 60 countries in service of environmental and rural development causes.
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Christine Eve
Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Jessica Brown
