How One Man’s Facebook Movement Uplifted Thousands In Maharashtra’s Tribal Belts

A Facebook movement started by Pramod Gaikwad has transformed thousands of lives in Maharashtra's tribal belts, providing water and hope.

Pramod Gaikwad addressing school students during an awareness programme

Source : Social Media

What began as a series of heartfelt Facebook posts has grown into a grassroots movement transforming the lives of thousands across Maharashtra’s remote tribal belts. The Social Networking Forum (SNF), founded by Nashik-based social worker Pramod Gaikwad, is today a registered non-governmental organisation delivering tangible change in rural communities that have long been overlooked.

A Turning Point in a Tribal Village

Gaikwad’s journey began long before SNF had a name. In the mid-2000s, he quietly ran small educational initiatives in tribal villages, often teaching computer skills to children who could not afford fees. But a visit in early 2010 shifted his outlook from occasional volunteering to a life mission.

That day, he had travelled to a remote school to distribute notebooks. As he entered the village, he was struck by the sight of mourners gathered outside a hut. A teacher later told him the reason: a young girl from Class 4 had died after slipping into a valley well while fetching water. Her death, he was told, was not an isolated tragedy; every year, women and children risked their lives walking miles or climbing dangerous terrain to collect water.

The incident brought back a haunting childhood memory of a similar accident in his own village. “It felt like nothing had changed in decades,” Gaikwad recalls. “Innocent lives were still being lost for something as basic as water.” That moment became a turning point, setting him on the path to commit himself fully to the welfare of tribal communities.

Harnessing Social Media for Social Change

With no formal roadmap, Gaikwad began visiting villages more frequently to understand local needs, from water scarcity to lack of schools and healthcare. While he enlisted the help of friends, he knew the impact was limited. The breakthrough came when he read about Barack Obama’s use of social media during his presidential campaign.

“I thought — if social media can win an election, why can’t it bring clean water to a village?” Gaikwad says. In 2010, he started a movement called 'Social Networking for Social Cause' on his own Facebook page, sharing stories and photographs of his initiatives. The response was immediate and unexpected. Messages of support, donations, and offers to volunteer began arriving from across India and abroad.

As momentum built, the informal effort evolved into the Social Networking Forum (SNF), a registered non-profit. The platform became a rallying point for like-minded people eager to contribute their time, resources, and expertise to rural development.

From Online Posts to On-Ground Impact

Over the years, SNF has worked across the Sahyadri hill region near Nashik, implementing projects in providing drinking water along with water conservation, education, and healthcare. The initiatives have included finding nearby water sources, digging up wells, raising pipelines and water conservation in nearby areas, setting up libraries, malnutrition eradication and facilitating medical camps. In several villages, efforts have led to them becoming “tanker-free”, no longer dependent on water tankers during the dry season.

Recognition has followed. In 2015, Gaikwad was honoured with the Global CSR Award for his contribution to social development, presented by former Afghan minister Dr. Masuda Jalal. Two years later, the Government of Maharashtra awarded him the Adivasi Sevak Puraskar for his service in tribal areas.

Roots and Resolve

Born in Talwade (Bhamer) in Nashik district to government school teachers, Gaikwad’s upbringing took him across rural Maharashtra. A state scholarship student, he studied at Government Public School, Dhule, and later trained at the Services Preparatory Institute in Aurangabad. After an unsuccessful attempt to join the National Defence Academy, he earned a B.Sc. in Physics and an MBA in Finance before returning to his roots, this time, with a mission.

From a single social media post to a structured, multi-village development effort, the story of SNF illustrates how connection and commitment can drive change. As Gaikwad puts it: “We started by sharing stories online. Today, we’re creating new stories on the ground, stories of dignity, hope, and change.”