Activity Update February 2019: Pench-Bor Corridor

Highlights:

Bidgaon - Our colleagues Abhijit and Mandar discuss
livelihood issues with members of of a women's SHG

Telgaon - Samples of products made by SHG members
during our training programme 

Telgaon - Sawani Wakharkar of The Creative Kona
teaches village women how to make jewellery items

Telgaon - Students learn about tree and bird species during a nature trail

Umari - Our colleague Nilesh explains the importance of wetlands
on World Wetland Day

Telgaon - Students learn about importance of Kolar lake 

during a nature trail

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.