Robin Singh (above) and Shivani Singh established the NGO in 2014 to give stray animals shelter.
A techie couple running an IT company in the US has came back to India and set up a stray animal rescue centre and clinic, a no-till organic farm, and a women-driven small scale social enterprise in Dhanotu village of Kangra district.
Peepal Farm, multidimensional enterprise, houses stray animals and also runs a clinic to treat them. It also helps people of different countries adopt animals from India and works to rescue stray animals. Additionally, the organisation also makes indigenous products by employing locals.
"We established this NGO in 2014 with a view to look after stray animals and give them shelter," says CEO Robin Singh.
Around 50 people working on Peepal Farm today comprise both locals and migrants from across the country. Peepal had been selling items made from organic products like peanut butter and tea, both in the market and online. The organisation gives training to local women in organic farming and food production.
Robin Singh and his wife Shivani Singh, residents of Delhi, were running an IT company in the US but in 2014, they decided to come back to India to help the stray animals.
Mr Singh said, "I was running a tech company in the US but I was not happy. Then I decided to work in this field. I started it with Peepal in December 2014. We get funds from advertisements. We also get donations. Half of our team is local and the rest are from all over India. We are motivating people to adopt pets and I am satisfied with this work."
Ms Singh, co-founder of Peepal Farm said, "We were living a comfortable life in America but we were not happy and satisfied with our lifestyle so we decided to come back to India and work for a purpose. We have about 50 employees in our organization and the funds are primarily generated from donations. I lead the Peepal Farm here. All products are local. We give training to the local women to make food products from the organic produce that we grow and sell in the local market and through the online market. Social media has helped us a lot."
Raveena, a member of the team from Pune said, "I was travelling in Himachal a year ago and I started working with Peepal Farm as a volunteer for some time but later I decided to stay here. This work has changed my lifestyle as I have become a vegetarian now. I handle the media here and share the stories of stray animals and simultaneously our media team also tries to send a social message."