Smart Village Movement July 2025 Newsletter

Small Steps, Big Impact

At Smart Village Movement (SVM), every step we take is rooted in a simple belief: transformation begins at the grassroots.

This past month, we joined hands with Eco-Ri, Greentech Foundation, local communities, and college volunteers for a meaningful clean-up drive at Umiam Lake.

With the help of over 50 volunteers and our partner Clearbot's AI-powered robot, waste was collected. It will soon be transformed into a waste-to-art installation—a powerful reminder that local action can spark lasting change. The sculpture will be unveiled next month.

We also bid a fond farewell to our Meghalaya State Director, Tulenam Laloo, as he launches a tourism venture to unlock rural potential through experience-based travel. His legacy of innovation and impact continues as he steps into an advisory role at SVM.

Meanwhile, 20 students from Mawngap School in Meghalaya are connecting across continents in an English communication workshop led by our UK-based international intern—opening new windows to the world.

These stories remind us that rural India is bursting with possibility. And this is just the beginning.

Join us. Support comes in many forms: skills, time or funding. Together we can co-create happiness and opportunities for all.

With hope and action,

SVM Team & Trustees

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Small Steps Can Lead to Big Changes

In a collaborative effort to restore the beautiful Umiam Lake, the Smart Village Movement joined hands with Eco-ri, Greentech Foundation, community members of Mawdun village and volunteers of different colleges to clean a section of the lake that falls within Mawdun.

This initiative brought together over 50 volunteers and also highlighted the shared purpose that protecting our planet begins with local action.

As part of the Umiam Lake Clean-Up Project, Smart Village Movement deployed an AI-powered robot to help remove waste from the Lake. Eco-Ri collaborates closely with SVM to segregate the waste and transform it into beautiful waste installations.

Over 1000 kgs of waste was collected in a day.

This serves as a powerful message that if such an impact is possible in a day, then it could be multiplied many times over. Household segregation and responsible disposal of waste starts at our doorstep.

A Fond Farewell— A New Beginning

We bid a heartfelt farewell and extend our warmest congratulations to Tulenam Laloo, former State Director of Operations in Meghalaya, as he launches Rodeka Innovations, a venture focused on unlocking tourism growth through integration of hyperlocal sectors and enhancing service models.

Tulenam’s journey with SVM began in 2020 as our Healthcare Lead, where he led impactful pilots such as digital clinics with Apollo Hospitals, AI-powered preventive care, and India’s first public health drone delivery system—now backed by the World Bank.

As State Director in Meghalaya, he led our ground team’s efforts into AI-driven agriculture, STEM education, and sustainable tourism, anchoring the Umiam Lake project with marine robotics and eco-hospitality infrastructure 'EcoNest'.

He also represented SVM at global platforms, building bridges between governments, enterprises, and research.

We are delighted that Tulenam will continue contributing as Advisor to the Smart Village Movement, bringing valuable insights from his entrepreneurial journey.

We thank Tulenam for his extraordinary contributions and wish him continued success in his new venture.

Stay tuned for our next newsletter, where we introduce our dynamic new State Lead for Meghalaya.

Learning Beyond Borders

As part of Smart Village Movement’s mission to bridge rural communities with global ecosystems, 20 students from Mawngap Higher Secondary School in Meghalaya are currently participating in a two-week online English communication workshop.

The live, interactive sessions are led by SVM International Intern, Roshan Gurjar, an academic scholar from Westminster School, London, who recently visited SVM’s Meghalaya projects to learn about our work on the ground. Inspired to give back, Roshan chose to teach English to young students—helping them build confidence and connect more meaningfully with the world beyond their village.

The course title, “ Speak with Confidence: Engaging English for Everyday Life” is designed to help students understand and practice English in real-life situations.

Through this global learning platform, students have the opportunity to engage in speaking English with a mentor/learning peer from another country. The classes have not only helped the students improve their English language skills but also gain more confidence in public speaking and everyday communication with their peers.

Each one-hour session includes activities and group discussions that keep the classes engaging and interactive. Students are also learning to use correct grammar and build fluency while having conversations.

This educational partnership aims to equip them with communication skills they can carry forward into their daily lives and future opportunities.

Interested in contributing your time and talent to a meaningful project?

SVM welcomes passionate interns and volunteers—locally and globally—who want to make a real difference. Reach out to explore how you can get involved. Connect with us to explore ways you can intern or contribute. contact@smartvillagemovement.org

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Partner With Us: Bring Opportunities and Development to India's Villages

SVM is a nonprofit with 80(G) certification and is also registered as a 501(c)(3) organization. Tax-deductible contributions go directly to fund rural development and village livelihood empowerment in pilot areas.

Since 2018, the Smart Village Movement has transformed several rural communities in Meghalaya, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh and Andra Pradesh in our mission to create Smart Villages.

Please access our resources to know more about our activities and impact.

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What is the SVM Platform?

The Smart Village Movement platform provides a digital platform for Governments, Educational Institutions, Business Organizations, and Village Entrepreneurs to come together in a collaborative effort to find innovative solutions in rural communities and build 'Smart Villages.'

Please sign up and access our platform, engage with our movement, and help us with creative and innovative solutions. Together, we are all 'smarter'.

Visit SVM Platform

www.smartvillagemovement.org

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