These projects have been developed in partnership
with the FEMI Foundation www.femi.org and
the Rung and Shaukha Bhotiyas.
Our project covers the Bhotiya’s (Rung
and Shaukhas) living in the trans-Himalayan valleys of Johar,
Darma, Chaudas and Vyas. They are the legendary trans-Himalayan
traders, who used to carry grain from the gangetic plain to
Tibet.
The Aim of the project is to work with the Bhotiyas
to help revive their cultural heritage and achieve conservation
through enterprise and sustainable livelihoods.
Activities include:
Introduction of Polyhouses to extend the
growing period for Vegetables.
Installing Multi purpose watermills, which
provides mechanical power for flour and oil milling and
also 5 KW of electricity to the villages unconnected by
the electricity grid.
Promoting Community based tourism
Handicrafts
Documenting and encouraging the conservation
of local varieties of crops.
Supporting children to get education.
Achievements:
Renovated and restored two old houses in
Vyas Valley for Community based tourism.
Fifty Bhotiya farmers have been provided
training in installing and growing vegetables in low cost
poly houses.
Poly houses an Poly tunnels insatalled at
three villages in Vyas and two villages in Chaudas.
Installed the first water Mill (microturbine)
to generate 5KW electricity at Burfu village in August 2006.
The Village is 60 km from the road head and at an altitude
of 3500 m, close to the indo-tibetan border.
Documented the Agrobiodiversity in their
valleys which helped them win the award Protection of Plant
varieties and Farmers Rights Award for protecting “Naphal”
a wheat variety.
