Skill development programme under way at Laokhowa Bangaon forest village

GUWAHATI, July 17: A skill development programme for weaving, tailoring and embroidery was iugurated recently at Laokhowa Bangaon forest village. The programme was iugurated by the DFO, gaon Wildlife Division, Jitendra Kumar, stated a press release.

He emphasized various issues like climate change, forest degradation, reducing forest dependency and a necessity of taking up new altertive livelihood. However, he has also encouraged the women folk to improve the traditiol skill and enhance the scope of large-scale production and marketing.

Bonjit Lalung, president of Laokhowa Bangaon dorest village, EDC, described this skill development programme as a leap forward in providing livelihood enhancement for the BPL families in the remote dorest village. Speaking on the occasion Dr Chitra Kalita from RGVN motivated the trainees to take the training programme seriously so that it makes them self-employed.

The skill development programme has been taken up under the Assam Project on Forests and Biodiversity Conservation (AFPBC) of the Assam Forest Department with fincial support from French Development Agency (Agence France de Development). RGVN a COMPELO partner (Consortium on Microplanning and Livelihood Enhancement) is conducting skill development programmes in four EDCs of the Laokhowa Burhasapori Wildlife Sanctuary.

The programme started by plantation of tree saplings in the Laokhowa Bangaon LP school. Two modernized looms and four sewing machines were provided for the training centre at Laokhowa Bangaon. Around 22 women trainees are undergoing 200 hours training skill development programme.

Jayanti Bordoloi expressed happiness that instead of traveling far to gaon town or Guwahati for the skill development training programme, the trainers and training equipments were brought to their step. “We have good weaving skills and with modern tools we hope to increase production and ensure that the finished products are of high quality which will fetch a high price and more profit,” she said.

A new concept called Van Bazaar is also underway. Woven products and other works of craft like embroidered panels, bamboo baskets will be sold in the Van Bazaar. The Van Bazaar will provide a ready marketing platform for products made by the villages under the ECD and JFMCs in Assam.

Those present on the occasion included Range Officer of Gorajan range, ACF of Burasapori, Deka Raja, member secretaries and presidents of 4 EDCs of Laokhowa Burasapori WLS and representatives of local NGO LBCS, WWF. RGVN officials Dr Chitra Kalita, Sanjukta Bhargav and field coorditors Manoj Sharma and Ritul Sahary were also present.