The model village project is financially supported by XLRI and implemented by the Campus CSO - SEEDS (Socio Economic and Education Development Society). The project is in tandem with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It addresses an integrated set of interventions covering constitution of community-based organisations, improving quality of school education, adult literacy, skill development of communities and improved services for better food production, nutrition, health, water, sanitation, communication and enterprise diversification.

The project area comprises of two villages - Shwaspur (Musabani Block of East Singhbhum District) and Khuchidih (Chandil Block of Seraikela-Kharsawan District) - in Jharkhand. Both these villages are about 30 km from XLRI, in opposite directions. The project directly benefits almost 1500 persons living in the two villages.

The joint efforts of the community, the organisation and the local self-government is becoming perceptible through the following project outcomes in a span of nearly five years;

• Shift of families from below the poverty line to above poverty line, taking a total of 94 percent families above poverty line. The hike in income ranges from Rs 2,000 to Rs 12,000 per month.
• Improvement in food and nutrition security particularly by farm diversification and animal husbandry. The land use pattern has started changing from mono-crop farming (paddy), to multi-crop cultivation such as oilseeds, pulses and vegetables.
• The poor families who were given one-time micro support for buying goats, pigs, ducks are doing well. In the past years the numbers have multiplied manifold. The 118 households which were given seed support for the first time for cultivation of tubers have generated income, become self-sufficient in seeds and expanded the area of cultivation.
• In the past one year, five enterprises (spice grinding, puffed rice making, making paper packets, nursery raising, briquette making from organic waste) are being managed by the two cooperative societies, having a membership of 170 villagers.
• All the families have a savings bank account now as compared to only 30 percent at the beginning of the project. There are 824 bank accounts in 305 families.
• There is total enrolment in school and retention of all 6-14 age group children.
• Remedial classes for students of Class VII-X in English, Science and Maths, reflect drastic improvement in learning levels of over 90 percent students studying in government schools. For the first time in the last three years 53 village children passed the 10th board exam. Nearly all of them are studying in college.
• The villagers are proud to have 70 computer literate students.
• Total literacy in the 18-45 years age group has been achieved.
• Both the villages have become open-defecation free villages. Over 90 percent houses have proper disposal of domestic garbage and waste water through compost pits, soak pits and kitchen garden.