LocationsBy Tazeen Qureshy/UNDP India
Defying Stereotypes: Rehana Khatun’s Journey as a Climate Champion in coastal Odisha
March 10, 2026
Rehana Khatun, at a poultry farm that she helped set up
Tazeen Qureshy/UNDP India
In coastal Odisha, Rehana Khatun’s journey reflects how determination and opportunity can reshape lives. Living with a spinal cord condition that once limited her mobility and prospects, she is now a community climate champion under the ECRICC project. Through her work, she helps farmers adopt climate-resilient practices while challenging deep-rooted stereotypes around gender and disability, proving that leadership and resilience often emerge from the most unexpected places.
In the eastern Indian state of Odisha, near the Bay of Bengal, lies Balasore district, a coastal region where villages are connected by narrow roads, small bridges and stretches of farmland. In and around the quiet village of Kumbhirgadi in Bhograi block, one can often spot Rehana cycling down the dusty roads on her bicycle. Dressed in a salwar kameez, with her hair tied in a small bun and an identity card swinging around her neck, she is a familiar sight. She crosses a small bridge and navigates a muddy trail leading to a cluster of houses to reach the community she serves. The identity card is more than just her name; it carries her journey, her earned independence and her proud new identity as ‘ECRICC didi.’
Rehana Khatun, 25, lives with her parents, brother and sister-in-law. Her life once revolved around the familiar corners of her home, not by custom, but because of her disability. Since her early school days, she has lived with a spinal cord condition called myelitis, a swelling that doctors warned against operating on due to the high risk of paralysis. After graduating from college, with limited mobility and fewer opportunities, she filled her days with household chores and occasional tailoring work.
“It was just to keep my life going. There was no motivation any day, nor any zeal to work,” she recalls. “The future felt like a long, flat road with no destination or purpose.”
Her family, though supportive, could sense the void. “We tried to give our daughter as normal a childhood as possible. But somewhere, we knew that she was not happy. She never complained, but something troubled her. She tried to remain steadfast and positive, but sometimes we could see her faltering, unsure of what her future held,” says S.K. Jamsed, her father, a teacher.
Known as 'ECRICC didi,' Rehana has helped over 200 beneficiaries adopt climate-resilient livelihoods
Tazeen Qureshy/UNDP India
Finding a Purpose
The turning point arrived in May 2023 with the Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (ECRICC) project. This initiative, a collaboration between the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Government of Odisha, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aims to build climate resilience in coastal areas. The project sought to identify local ‘climate champions’ from the community for last-mile delivery of its activities, and Rehana found her calling.
The Balasore Social Service Society, the facilitating NGO (FNGO) coordinating the work on the ground, played a crucial role in her journey. Growing up in a cyclone-prone district, Rehana was a silent witness to the changing climate patterns, even though she didn’t have the scientific vocabulary for it.
“Rehana showed she is a fighter,” says Haripriya Chand, the District Coordination Associate of Balasore district. “Our project requires working with the community, who might not always be welcome to the idea of change. You need to be passionate, go door-to-door and mobilize people. Rehana ticked all the boxes. She was chosen not because of her condition, but because she deserved the title.”
Rehana Khatun
Tazeen Qureshy/UNDP India
Shattering Stereotypes
Her journey, however, was not just about navigating muddy trails but shattering deep-rooted stereotypes. When she started, no one openly raised eyebrows, but the doubts were palpable, rooted in prejudices about both her gender and her disability. The unspoken assumption was that a woman with a physical challenge could not handle the pressures of field work.
“Doubts were raised, and I chose not to reply or let it affect me. I tried doing my best,” Rehana shares. There were setbacks at times. Sometimes the beneficiaries refused to listen to a young woman telling them about climate-resilient farming methods, and at other times, they didn’t believe she could come up with solutions to their problems. But Rehana remained persistent. When conversations stalled, she would patiently explain again, and if the need was dire, she would approach the FNGO or the district project management unit for support.
Her persistence paid off. Through orientations, exposure visits, and capacity-building workshops under the ECRICC project, she polished her knowledge about climate change and climate-resilient livelihoods. She now passionately educates her village about System of Rice Intensification (SRI) farming, mud crab farming and ornamental fisheries. Beyond the project’s core activities, Rehana helps farmers set up goatery and poultry farms, linking them to various government welfare schemes.
“I have touched the lives of over 200 beneficiaries to date in different activities. Besides, I am also involved in raising awareness among school children, youth, and villagers about climate change,” she says with pride.
A New Identity
Today, Rehana has carved out a new identity. In Kumbhirgadi and beyond, she is no longer just Rehana; she is ‘ECRICC didi’. Her social status has significantly improved, earning appreciation from her community, PRI members and various stakeholders. She is also financially independent.
“Earlier for every small need of mine, I would be dependent on my family. Now, with the renumeration I receive as a climate champion, I am able to purchase things for them. The kind of joy I get from that can’t be put into words,” she beams. “I was told I couldn’t do it. I am a woman and a person with a disability, and I am proud to have shattered barriers to be where I am. I am living in the hearts of people. I am living with dignity.”
About ECRICC: The Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (2019–2027) initiative is a collaboration between the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Government of Odisha, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It strengthens the ability of vulnerable coastal populations, particularly women, to cope with and adapt to climate change and extreme weather events, using an ecosystem-based and community-led approach. The project operates in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. For more information, visit www.ecricc.org.
