A rural development society in the ancient village of Anegundi, Karnataka, uses locally sourced banana crop waste to make baskets, floor mats, table runners and lampshades. It trains rural women in various skills and enables them to start and run their own businesses.

For me, Gaon Connection has brought the invisible world into the light and I have learnt about the indomitable spirit of those who inhabit that world. As the year ends, I look back at some of the encounters I have had and will cherish forever.