Once a landless now an affluent, influential and respected man- A success story
Being famous for its iconic wildlife accumulation Satpura-Bori Tiger Reserve (STR), Hoshangabad is shielded with amusing forest resources and quality habitat for the flagship species of Tiger. It is a highly critical protected area and thus required to be preserved to ensure the proper functioning of life-supporting ecosystem services. Besides, it also forms an imperative watershed for the Narmada River. STR too inhabited with many villages. Owing to the aloofness of villages inside the core zone of STR, its inhabitants are being deprived of getting quality health, education and livelihood services and become marginalized. Although after receiving resettlement package as per NTCA guideline and Forest right act 2006, those villages moved out of STR the post-relocation establishment was an immense apprehension.
To abolish hardship from their way and to make them fit into their new surroundings, the IGS project supports them obtaining financial literacy, access to government welfare schemes, settle their livelihood and building their social capital through input support and market linkages. So, they would make informed decisions to lead a quality life in health, education, and social security. One such testimony is depicted below: I can foresee my brighter tomorrow now; Hemraj, Naya Nandner, Hoshangabad.
My family will not have survived if I do not get a hand of IGS's team who shows us the right path, Hemaraj was overwhelmed on responding to a question '' how does he feel today?'' We are six members. There were many such days when we had to sleep with an empty stomach because my earning was not adequate to meet our essential needs. I was a daily wager earning less than 200 rupees a day, and those were not even my regular income. After coming down from Satpura Tiger, Reserve Forest life became harder with no sustainable income, degrading health, and many agonies that traumatized many families alike. IGS team came to us as a ray of hope. Like me, we got trained in Masonry training for 15 days; eventually, I got new independent projects on house building and toilet construction where my daily wage became more than 500 per day. I borrowed 10000/- rupees from our village development committee to purchase other necessary equipment pieces; plates, pipes and other related items to amplify my income. This year, 2019-20, I earned around 1-lakh rupees as my net profit. I repaid the loan. Now I have multiple sources of income. I am getting more new projects in and outside of my village. I owned an agribusiness as well. I have employed a few people too, sending kids to school and planning for future investment. People like me can make their life better because of this project.33 people have participated in masonry training out of which more than 50% reached the peak of success like Hemraj living a much affluent life.