Khandel light works to improve the lives of the vulnerable and disadvantaged families in Khandel and its surrounding community.

Working in close partnership with the local NGO Nirman Sanstha, Khandel (NSK), the Charity encourages people to help themselves by focusing on long-term development projects in which villagers are actively involved;  for example, in building the latrines and other  services themselves. These projects include the provision of better healthcare, housing and education, access to clean water and sanitation as well as major projects to improve infrastructure such as pond-digging for water harvesting, field bunding for water conservation, and road improvement. The work created by these projects thereby provides local employment and is intended to retain viability in this community, stemming migration to the cities and even worse deprivation. The Charity also seeks to raise the status of women. Khandel light aims therefore, to create long-term improvements in its target community through the model of Partnership and Empowerment. 

The various strands of projects interrelate; for instance, educating villagers about the link between hygiene and health effectively increases awareness of the value of proper sanitation and safe water.  Further, with an increasingly uncertain future both through worsening drought and economic change, education becomes even more important for locals to survive change. Khandel light also supports education in a broader sense by improving awareness in the UK of the plight of Khandel and similar communities through its presentations and literature.

Khandel light currently funds a core programme of support in around 26 villages according to need.  It has also responded to emergency situations that have arisen; for example fire. The main tenet that underlies the operation is of creating relationships between the UK and Indian communities in order to foster strong partnership bonds. This has been the strength of the Charity to date.