Guwahati: Handicrafts and homemade products remain one the important sources of livelihood in the region. During an event organised in the state, the local women displayed their livelihood products in the state.
In an excellent exhibition of high-quality handloom products besides other homemade edibles prepared by the womenfolk. The women from Tanti Pather, Konwabam and Kamargaon villages in Dibrugarh district of Assam displayed these products. This event was an encouraging outcome of Aaranyak and British Asian Trust’s initiative to wean away villagers from their dependency on forest-based products in the greater interest of the conservation of wildlife habitats.
The village women exhibited a wide range of products that included handloom products. These include traditional Assamese Mekhela Chador, Eri shawl, Gamosa and stoles. A variety of pickles and baked items before the visitors. British Asian Trust officials, Belinda Stewart Cox and Auro Shashwat and Aaranyak team took part in the event. The team comprised senior scientist Dr Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar, senior conservation biologist Dr Alolika Sinha, Zakir Islam Bora, Bidisha Borah, Ezaz Ahmed, Dhantu Gogoi, Jiyaur Rahman, along with Village Champions Monuj Chetia and Rajib Gogoi.
These villagers have been supported by Aaranyak and British Asian Trust under a project sponsored by Darwin Initiative (UK Aid) with alternative livelihood options so that they stop depending on forest resources to supplement their income and thereby extend cooperation towards the efforts for coexistence with Wild Elephants.
Thirty-five beneficiaries under the initiative exhibited their products while more than seventy people participated in the event. The event featured an interactive session between beneficiaries and the officials of British Asian Trust and Aaranyak.
