The Chain of Hope. From Silos to Systems.
Ecology, economy, and community are strands of the same lifeline. We protect them all.
Most environmental work tackles one issue at a time. But nature’s systems are interwoven, and so are people’s lives.
Raintree Foundation is different. We work at the intersections where resilience begins: restoring forests that recharge water, powering villages with clean energy that sustains livelihoods, and protecting biodiversity while strengthening communities.
Hope Returns to Villages and to Nature is our philosophy in action. It ensures that change lasts because it grows through balance, not isolation.
Rooted in Values, Driven by Impact
Founded in 2018 by Leena Dandekar with her children, Abha and Vivek, Raintree Foundation transforms ecosystems and builds resilient landscapes. We believe long-term change comes from working with communities, not just for them. By channeling capital, expertise and networks, we advance climate solutions, circularity and responsible consumption.
Our work began in the Velhe block of Pune District, located in the fragile ecosystems of the Western Ghats’ buffer zone. Here, we pilot solutions that address the interconnections between nature and society, building models that can be scaled to similar landscapes across India.
Our Mission
To build resilient and empowered communities alongside thriving ecosystems – in a phased manner, one piece of the Earth at a time.
Our Vision
Dignity and well-being for planet and people.
Core Values
Equity | Ecology | Collaboration | Transparency | Local Wisdom
Our Mission
To build resilient and empowered communities alongside thriving ecosystems – in a phased manner, one piece of the Earth at a time.
Our Vision
Dignity and well-being for planet and people.
Core Values
Equity | Ecology | Collaboration | Transparency | Local Wisdom
The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to end poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change by 2030.
Raintree Foundation advances 15 of the 17 SDGs, with future projects addressing the remaining two — SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure) — ensuring alignment with all 17.
Why Western Ghats?
A biodiversity hotspot & UNESCO world heritage site
Nature's climate shield & "water towers of peninsular India"
Lifeline of rivers that sustain 250 mn people (approx 55 mn households) across India
Why Velhe Matters
An Ecological Buffer Zone
2,100 Hectares, 9 Villages, 654 Households
- Few livelihood options
- Seasonal water scarcity
- Among the lowest development indicators
- No active NGO presence
Our Guiding Lens
- Impact measures in depth, not just numbers
- Communities shape the journey
- We nurture whole ecosystems, not quick fixes
- Women lean the change
Our Approach & Core Belief
Women at the centre
Deep community partnerships
Plan by natural boundaries
Integrated 360° model aligning to cover 17 SDGs
Monitor, learn & adapt
Landscape restoration begins from a different premise: that ecological systems and human systems are interconnected, and resilience has to be built across the whole living system. A landscape is not just land. It is water, soil, forests, farms, biodiversity, institutions, markets, and households. This is what seven years of landscape restoration in Velhe taught us. Long-term climate action cannot be delivered from the outside; it has to be built with communities, rooted in local realities, and sustained over time.
Velhe became our proof of concept: evidence that long-term, community-led landscape restoration can move beyond isolated interventions to create systemic resilience with outcomes touching 15 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Raintree’s model is community-led and rooted in a long-term commitment; not for a season, not for a funding cycle, but for 15 to 20 years, across generations. Because, at Raintree, we believe landscape restoration must be lived, not simply delivered. This belief shapes everything we do.
We do not enter a landscape with ready-made answers. We enter with patience, partnership, and the understanding that true resilience is not built for communities; it is built with them.
A defining differentiator of Raintree’s model, especially in the Indian context, is the recognition that women are not one stakeholder group among many. They are the centre through which lasting change becomes possible.
This is what makes Raintree’s framework distinct.
In many rural Indian communities, formal structures of decision-making are still largely led by men and elders. Their involvement is important. Their trust, participation, and leadership must be respected and included at a strategic level.
But formal leadership is not the whole story.
The real centre of daily life in a village is often the household, and the household is held together by women.
As migration pulls large numbers of men away from rural households in search of livelihood opportunities, women are left not with fewer responsibilities, but with far more. They take on farming, livestock care, household decisions, elder care, financial management, and emotional labour. They become the continuity keepers of rural life.
In many homes, they become, in effect, the “male” of the house while still carrying the invisible burdens placed on them as women.
This is why placing women at the centre is not simply an inclusion strategy. It is not a social add-on. It is the foundation of any climate model that seeks to work in India.
Because a programme may enter through the village, but change survives through the household. They are the pathway through which climate action becomes real.
Meet the Team
Our Founders
Leena Dandekar
Founder, Raintree Family Office and Raintree Foundation
Leena Dandekar is the founder of Raintree Family Office and Raintree Foundation. Raintree Foundation is the outcome of the family’s deep-seated passion and commitment to climate action. Their aim is to build climate resilience in vulnerable communities. Leena is committed to driving the vision of “Dignity and Wellbeing for Planet and People.” With a focus on impact investments and catalytic philanthropy to deliver the social impact agenda of the family, Leena set up the Raintree Family Office and the Raintree Foundation
Abha Dandekar
Co-founder, Raintree Family Office and Raintree Foundation
Abha Dandekar is a co-founder at Raintree Family Office and Raintree Foundation. She is involved in the strategic decision-making, spearheads Human Resources and manages the Community Mental Health program at Raintree Foundation.
Vivek Dandekar
Co-founder, Raintree Family Office and Raintree Foundation
Vivek is deeply committed to mental health and environmental sustainability. Through Raintree, he works on climate change solutions by combining impact investing and philanthropy, with a focus on resilience, sustainable practices and creating a healthier planet. Together with his family, Vivek has made mental health and environmental care a shared mission.
Our Senior Leadership
UT Ramprasad
Global CMO
With 25+ years of experience in corporate marketing. UT is now applying his skills to sustainable climate action
Gitanjali Shinde
Director – Partnerships & Alliances
With over 21 years of experience spanning across Indian and international companies, both corporate and family-owned – her career is grounded deeply in stakeholder engagement, customer centricity, integrated strategy and driving growth.
Arshiya Mecklai
Director – Impact & Partnerships
With over 20 years of cross-functional experience across impact creation, customer relationship management, and business development, Arshiya brings deep expertise in stakeholder engagement and sustainable growth within the social sector.
