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| Bidgaon - Our colleagues Abhijit and Mandar discuss livelihood issues with members of of a women's SHG |
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| Telgaon - Samples of products made by SHG members during our training programme |
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| Telgaon - Sawani Wakharkar of The Creative Kona teaches village women how to make jewellery items |
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| Telgaon - Students learn about tree and bird species during a nature trail |
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| Umari - Our colleague Nilesh explains the importance of wetlands on World Wetland Day |
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Telgaon - Students learn about importance of Kolar lake
during a nature trail
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THE FULL REPORT
Mandar Pingle – Conservation Officer
Nilesh Telang – Field Assistant
Highlights:
- ·
Organised program to
train women in making non-precious jewellery and accessories - 15 ladies were
trained
- ·
Celebrated ‘World
Wetlands Day’ in Sarvoday Vidhyalay, Umari
- ·
15 students of
Telgaon take part in nature trail, learn about local biodiversity
- ·
Follow-up meeting of
Self-Help Group organised in Bidgaon
- · Provided assistance for marketing paper bags prepared by
Self-Help Groups
Activities:
On 27 February, Satpuda Foundation
organised a one day program to train women in making non-precious jewellery and
accessories. 15 women of 5 different Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from Telgaon
participated in this training program.
During the program, Sawani Wakharkar,
owner of 'The Creative Kona” from Nagpur, showed the women various designs of necklaces
and earrings that are in demand in Nagpur. During the program, Mandar Pingle
and Nilesh Telang spoke to the SHG members about market opportunities and how
they could earn additional income. The trainees prepared various types of
jewellery items during the training program. The Sarpanch (chief) of the village, Mrs.
Chanda Gaydhane, also helped encourage ladies to take up jewellery-making as a
livelihood option.
On 2 February, Satpuda Foundation celebrated 'World Wetlands Day 2019' at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya of Umari (B) village in Saoner taluka in the Pench-Bor wildlife corridor. Students of classes 7, 8 and 9 were taught the importance of wetlands, their biodiversity, natural processes and their importance to human life by Nilesh. He also explained to them how wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance and help to prevent the adverse effects of climate change. Teachers of the school, Mrs. Nikhalle, Mr. Raut and Mr. Chaudhari were also present.
On 24 February, Mandar and Nilesh took
14 students of Telgaon village on a nature trail near Kolar Lake near their
village. During the trail, Mandar taught students how to spot and identify birds.
Some of the birds spotted on the trail included bay-backed shrike, red-vented
bulbul, yellow eyed babbler, and lesser cormorant.
Nilesh helped students identify flora
during the trail. Students collected information on trees and plants and will
prepare a field guide of trees to be used during future nature trails. When the
students reached Kolar lake, Mandar explained to them the importance of the
water body for both humans and wildlife, and why it is necessary to keep it
pollution free.
Many of the students who had participated
in an earlier nature camp at Pench Tiger Reserve, remarked that the
biodiversity is considerably less near their village compared to the Tiger Reserve.
The students have planned to repeat the trail later this month and will pick up
plastic trash as well.
On 21 February, Abhijit Dutta,
Assistant Director for Satpuda Foundation, visited Bidgaon and Telgaon villages
of the Pench-Bor corridor and interacted with members of women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from the
villages. During the meeting, a further action plan to start micro-enterprises for
these SHGs was discussed. Members of Jai Seva Mahila Bachat Gat have shown
interest in starting a food processing micro-enterprise while members of
Gayatri Mahila Bachat Gat are ready to undertake training in tailoring. These
SHGs will continue with their existing activity of making paper bags.
On 22 February, Satpuda Foundation took
Prakash Uikey, an unemployed young villager from Bidgaon, to Nagpur and taught
him techniques of marketing paper bag products being made by women’s self help
groups. Prakash has decided to take up the marketing of paper bag products.
During the visit to Nagpur, he met with wholesale vendors and retail customers
and provided them with samples of paper bags. During the visit, he also managed
to sell 200 paper bags worth ₹550/- and get an order from a wholesale dealer from Itwari
market in Nagpur.
On 20 February, Satpuda Foundation was
felicitated for its livelihood and environmental awareness activities being
carried out under the IUCN's tiger corridor project during the Shivaji Jayanti
Mahotsav in Telgaon. The Sarpanch of the village, Mrs. Chanda Gaydhane, felicitated Satpuda Foundation for organising training programs on mushroom cultivation, making
of paper bags and formation of women Self Help Groups. She also appreciated our
efforts to inculcate awareness about the environment among school students
through classroom programs and nature camps at Pench Tiger Reserve.
Mandar gave examples of Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj as a visionary environmentalist and urged villagers to come
forward and protect natural resources. He also urged villagers to continue
supporting Satpuda Foundation and the Forest Department in wildlife and
environment conservation activities.
