Program funded by the PepsiCo Foundation will expand the Water & WASH Secure Villages Initiative to 30 villages, thereby doubling its impact
Expansion announced in New Delhi in the esteemed presence of
Dr. Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Hon'ble Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Government of India
New Delhi, December 2, 2025: PepsiCo India, through the PepsiCo Foundation, in partnership with the Pandit Jagat Ram Memorial FORCE Trust, is set to expand its water security and sanitation initiatives across 13 self-reliant villages in Mathura to 17 additional villages. Building on the success of its long-term water security and sanitation impact under the Water & WASH Secure Villages Initiative, this expansion will double the program's reach from 50,000 to 100,000 people.
Implemented in close collaboration with Panchayats, local administration, village communities, and schools, the project focuses on ensuring safe drinking water, improved sanitation, strengthened hygiene practices, and sustainable groundwater management. Guided by its philosophy, ‘Partnership of Progress’, the expansion highlights the transformative impact of multi-stakeholder collaboration in strengthening water security and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) systems across rural India.
The expansion was announced at the Convergence for Water and WASH Secure Rural Communities conference held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The event saw distinguished guests including Dr. Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Hon'ble Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Government of India, senior officials from national missions and state departments, technical experts, CSR leaders, Panchayati Raj representatives, and community champions from rural Uttar Pradesh. The conference also featured stories of change, marked by the unveiling of Pathways to Effective Rural Water Sustainability & WASH Interventions – a collection of narratives from the Water & WASH Secure Village Program.
Dr. Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India said, "In a country like ours, the need for safe drinking water and sustainable access to clean, reliable sources is both urgent and deeply interconnected with the honour and well-being of individuals. As once said by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we must ‘catch the rain where it falls, when it falls,’ and preserve this precious gift for future generations. I truly commend the efforts of PepsiCo India in partnership with FORCE for advancing water security in a way that will benefit communities for generations to come."
Speaking on the program expansion, Yashika Singh, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Sustainability Head, PepsiCo India and South Asia, said, “At PepsiCo India, we have always believed that true progress is achieved when communities, partners, and institutions move forward together. Guided by our ‘Partnership for Progress’ philosophy, we began this project with a simple but powerful vision—to make water self-reliance a reality for rural villages. The success we have seen across the first 13 villages is a testament to what collective action can accomplish. It is this shared progress that has enabled us to expand the initiative to 17 additional villages, ensuring more communities gain access to safe water and stronger WASH systems. We remain committed to working hand-in-hand with our partners to build resilient, water-secure futures across India.”
The PepsiCo Foundation supports safe water access programs around the world that help communities secure reliable, safe drinking water. In 2024, these initiatives reached an additional 1.2 million people, contributing to more than 96 million people gaining access to safe water since 2010. The Foundation focuses on strengthening local infrastructure and advancing water stewardship in high-risk areas, making the expansion of the program in India a priority investment.
Jyoti Sharma, Founder & President, FORCE said “Community driven solutions are key to ensuring long term water security. Through our partnership with PepsiCo India, we’ve had the opportunity to not only help improve sanitation and public health but also nurture self-sustaining, water-resilient communities in Mathura. Combining insights from discussions today with our learnings over the years gives us a valuable path to make our efforts more impactful and sustainable.”
The Water and WASH Secure Villages Project has advanced safe water access, sanitation, and groundwater sustainability. The initiative installed 11 Community and 12 School Reverse Osmosis (RO) units, strengthened groundwater through rainwater harvesting and pond rejuvenation, promoted hygiene and school WASH programs, and trained local Panchayati Raj institutions and Water & Sanitation Committees. The project—backed by hydrogeological assessments and behaviour-change efforts—serves as a replicable model aligned with Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, and India’s climate resilience priorities.
PepsiCo India continues to advance its water stewardship goals through watershed development, groundwater recharge, regenerative agriculture, and community water access programs. Through long-term partnerships and science-led solutions, PepsiCo India aims to build climate-resilient communities, support agricultural livelihoods, and strengthen India’s water security agenda.
About PepsiCo India:
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated nearly $92 billion in net revenue in 2024, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s®, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About PepsiCo Foundation: The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we're focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and workforce development opportunities. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work — collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsicofoundation.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.
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From PepsiCo India:
Aastha Jindal | Aastha.Jindal@pepsico.com
From AVIAN We:
Akshit Sharma | akshit@avianwe.com