Aaranyak launches tailoring school for indigenous women of Manas Tiger Reserve

Guwahati: Aaranyak, a notable organisation dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and wellbeing of forest fringe communities, has introduced a tailoring school for indigenous women and young girls living in the fringe villages of India’s Manas Tiger Reserve.

Through this tailoring school, the research-driven organisation aims to provide the basic training on measurement, cutting and stitching to the trainees, so that they can equip themselves in tailoring skills that will allow them to find alternative livelihood opportunities leading to their reduced dependence on forest and contribute to conservation.

The tailoring school was officially launched at the Manas Conservation and Outreach Centre, Bhuyapara, Baksa. The inauguration programme was attended by 23 trainees from Bhuyapara, Bamunkhal and Kumguri villages, situated around Manas Tiger Reserve, and the master trainer Pakhila Das.

The programme commenced with lighting of lamp by Pakhila Das. Subsequently, the trainees were provided with a brief overview on the objectives of organizing the tailoring school. Following that, participants were invited to discuss the aspects of tailoring they intended to learn at the training school. The programme concluded with segregation of the trainees into 4 groups that will attend classes thrice a week.

“Tailoring training for fringe women empowers them economically, fostering a sense of ownership in forest conservation. By providing skills, these women become key stakeholders, contributing to sustainable practices and biodiversity conservation. This inclusive approach not only addresses gender disparities but also strengthens community involvement, leading to more effective and enduring forest conservation efforts,” Aaranyak said through a press statement.

The tailoring school has been initiated as part of the IUCN-KFW supported project titled, “Securing population of tigers, habitats and biological corridors in Assam, India”, being executed in Manas Landscape, Baksa district. The Aaranyak team was represented by Dr Partha Sarathi Ghose, Binita Baruwati, Swapan Kumar Das, Pankaj Das, Stephen Basumatary, Barnali Chakraborty, and Dhananjay Mochahary.

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