January 2013 Activity Report: Satpura Tiger Reserve

Team:

Ashfaq Aarbi – Conservation officer

Vikram Parte – Field assistant

Umashankar Yadav – Field assistant

Highlights

·     5 voluntary work projects during the month – 2 to build soak pits and 3 to build check/stop dams.

·      Classroom visits to 18 schools as part of our environment education program – attended by 945 students.

·      6 unemployed youths placed in jobs at  Jabalpur/Bhopal at starting salary of Rs 3500/- per month

·      One programme to train youths as security guards

Conservation

During January, we organized 5 voluntary work projects related to water conservation.

On January 13, we organized a 'bori bandhaan' programme to build a check dam on a stream around 2 kms from Nayakheda village. 11 children from Government Primary School (GPS) Nayakheda joined hands with Ashfaq in making the check dam. The resultant water body will benefit domestic livestock in the day time and wildlife at night. Spotted deer and sloth bears are regularly spotted in the area.

The check dam built in the jungle at Nayakheda

On January 13, we organized a programme to dig a soak pit at the GPS, Sonpur campus. 15 students from the school joined hands with Ashfaq in digging the pit, which will take spillover water from a hand pump in the school premises. The pit will help to recharge the water table around the hand pump.

On January 16, we organized a programme to build a check dam on a stream around 3 kms from Sakai village. 13 children from GPS, Sakai joined hands with our field assistant Vikram Parte in building the dam. The resultant water body will benefit domestic livestock in the day time and wildlife at nights. Spotted deer and sloth bears are seen in the area.

On January 23, we organized a programme to build a check dam on a stream around 2.5 kms from Raikheda village. 10 children from GPS Raikheda joined hands with our field assistant Umashankar Yadav. The resultant water body will benefit domestic livestock in the day time and wildlife at nights. Spotted deer and sloth bears are regularly seen in the area.

Water body created at Raikheda

On January 26, we organized a programme to dig a soak pit at the GPS Suplai campus. 8 students from the school joined hands with Vikram in digging the pit, which will take spillover water from a hand pump in the school premises. The pit will help to recharge the water table around the hand pump. 

Education

During the month, our team made classroom visits to 18 schools to educate children about nature and wildlife conservation. 

Environment education programme at Anjandana

Environment education programme at Dhargaon

Employment Cell

6 youths from both clusters got jobs in January thanks to our assistance.

Details of the placements are as follows:

Matkuli - Villagers at meeting organized by us
on local development and livelihood issues    

 Training Programme

Centre for Entrepreneurship Development of Madhya Pradesh (CEDMAP) regularly organizes livelihood and skill-enhancement training programmes at Bhopal. They invited Satpuda Foundation to send candidates from our area of operations to a programme to train youths as security guards. We identified 5 youths from the two clusters where we work and sent them to Bhopal for the programme, which ran from January 22 to 26. Satpuda Foundation bore part of the expenses for the training programme.