Nisarga a Branch of Franciscan Sisters of Mary was started in Hosadurga,  Chitradurga District, Karnataka State in the year 1998. NISARGA organizes Community Based Organizations such as women and youth self help groups, Children’s club, and Farmer Producer Organization With the participatory approach, we together with the people work for the development of the village community, protection and promotion of the environment.

Women Empowerment Program

Through 664 SHGs we have been able to reach out to 8968 women. These SHGs are brought together at cluster level and have formed 14 Cluster and 01 Taluk Federation which is registered. There is also a bank for SHGs which is registered as cooperative bank. We continue to support them through different trainings and exposures in Cutting and tailoring, Fashion Design, food preparation, leaf plate making, surf/phenol/soap making, value addition and nutritious food preparation and broom polishing for economic self-reliance.   

Children’s Program

Through 14 Children's Clubs we promote the well being of children. It is a common phenomenon in the villages in Hosadurga Taluk that children drop out from schools due to poverty and for taking care of the siblings, grazing of livestock etc. As a result they end up in bounded labour and child labor. In order to encourage children to pursue their studies and release them from bonded and child labour, Children’s clubs are formed in the villages.

Environment/Farmers Program

We have reached out 21,000 farmers through the Watershed, Tribal Development and Integrated Farming System Projects. We take up the challenge of the nature to utilize and preserve the water resource at our disposal for the benefit of present and future generation. Seeing the difficulties that farmers face, we are giving priority for watershed programs and rain water harvesting structures, along with horticulture, forestry, fodder, livestock and agricultural interventions. To ensure the sustainability we have formed and registered 01 FPO with 976 shareholders.