Activity Update May 2016: Tadoba

Highlights:

Adegaon - Volunteers clear area around hand pump 

Adegaon - Volunteers clear area around hand pump.

Dewada - Container with water for birds placed in a tree by our volunteers

Dewada - Water container for birds

Katwal - Viresh Trivedi, Director of R-Seti,
speaks to unemployed youths about livelihood training programmes
offered by his institute

Kondegaon - Seeds collected for plantation programme
including karanj, sitaphal, kaner,  chinch, aam, neem

Moharli - Bandu and a volunteer clean a water body in the jungle

Moharli - Students of village school learn about local biodiversity
on a nature trail 

Sitarampeth - Students provide water to sapling planted by them
during last monsoon

Team:

Bandu Kumare – Field assistant

Highlights

·      Two community assistance voluntary work projects –programmes to clean area around hand pump at Adegaon and Katwal

·      Two programmes to clean water holes at Moharli and  Moharli

·      Two programmes to place water pots for birds at Moharli and Dewada

·      Follow-up to plantation done earlier at Khutwanda, Bhamdeli and Sitarampeth

·      Two  nature trails for students at Khutwanda and Moharli

·      Two programmes to collect seeds for plantation programme at Mudholi and Kondegaon

·      Workshop on livelihood options in two village – at Katwal and Mudholi

·      2 visits to check on status of relocated villagers of Jamni and Navegaon   

Conservation  

On May 8, Bandu organized a programme at Adegaon to clear the area around a hand pump. Water had spilled over while people drew from the well. Over a period of time, this had created a small marshy area, leading to proliferation of mosquitoes and insects. Our team cleared the area, removing scum and organic growth and dug a canal to drain away the water. 4 youths from the village joined Bandu in the programme. A similar programme was organized on May 13 at Katwal to clean the area around a hand pump. 4 youths from the village joined Bandu in this programme.

On May 5, Bandu organized a programme to clear a water hole at Moharli. The water hole was clogged with organic waste and was overflowing. Bandu and 3 youths of the village cleaned the water hole. A similar programme was organized on May 16 at Mudholi in which 5 youths from the village joined Bandu.

As the rains have not yet started and the temperatures are still high, birds continue to struggle for water. Bandu organized programmes to put up pots with water for birds in 2 villages – Moharli and Dewada.

On May 6, Bandu organized a programme at Khutwanda to follow up on plantation of saplings done last year. This is to ensure that saplings planted during the monsoon are live and have sufficient protection from grazing livestock. 13 students from the village school joined Bandu in the programme. Similar programmes were organized on May 17 at Bhamdeli and May 22 at Sitarampeth in which in which 9 students and 15 students participated.

Bandu has been organizing programmes to collect seeds for planting once the monsoon sets in. In the process, children are taught about the value of trees and the need to preserve the green cover and increase it. During June, seeds were collected by children in Mudholi and Kondegaon. Seeds collected included karanj, sitaphal, mango, neem and kaner.

On May 13, Bandu organized a nature trail in the jungle near Khutwanda in which 17 students participated. Bandu used the trail to teach the students about local species of plants and wildlife. The trail was also an opportunity to patrol the jungle and check for signs of illicit activities. Similar programmes were organized on May 22 at Moharli in which 20 students participated.

Environment Education

There were no classroom programmes in May as schools were shut for the annual summer holiday.

Employment Cell

On May 18, Bandu organized programmes at Katwal and Mudholi at which officials from Bank of India’s Rural Self-Employment Training Institute (R-Seti) spoke to unemployed youths about various livelihood-related training programmes offered by the institute at Chandrapur. Mr. Viresh Trivedi, Director of the institute, spoke to the youths about programmes such as tailoring, repairing of mobile phones, courses in working in beauty parlours, electrical fitting, etc..

R-Seti has been working with Satpuda Foundation to reach out to unemployed youths in our area of operations. So far, we have sent more than 30 youths for various training programmes at R-Seti. The fees have been borne by R-Seti.