Who are you trying to help? What issue are you trying to address?

We assist tribal and rural livelihood development through a project based on forest conservation and weed removal. This involves clearing the forest, destroying the invasive weed plant, Lantana Camara, and converting it into products which can be sold and used in a variety of ways, as we explain below.

We and our partners have demonstrated that lantana can be converted into beautiful durable crafts after traditional treatments and an innovative process. The plants have to be cut to required dimensions, then treated so that they can be converted into fibre-like flexible long sticks which can be made into beautiful handicrafts and furniture. The material can also be made into bricks, carry bags, sheets and paper when further treated and used with modern technology . The material has also been used to build huts for eco resorts.

Additionally, when lantana is used to substitute for bamboo, it helps to conserve a vital food resource for endangered species (elephants).

The government runs a scheme that allows tribal people to use the non-timber products of the forest. Lantana is one such product. We teach people from these communities, who have very few employment opportunities, how to use lantana to make useful items that can be sold and used in a variety of ways.

We have already successfully trained and carried out an innovative dual benefit project in partnering with our \local forest department (Tamil Nadu Government).

What is your project and how will it help?

The project (removal of lantana and production of useful objects and material) will improve the livelihood and development of unemployed young people and women from tribal villages. They will be trained to remove lantana from the forest and process and craft it.

Forest and farm lands will be benefited by the removal of lantana and replacementt with useful indigenous plants. Wildlife like elephants will benefit from the removal of lantana which is a main cause of forest fires and road kill because it blocks corridors through the forest.

How can other people partner with you on your project?

Others can partner with us to implement this innovative project in their region, area, forests, tribal communities, or support us to carry out the project in various parts of India and other parts of the world whereever lantana is found.

Please detail the resources that you need.

The amount needed to carry out the project is around 4 lak to train and produce a team of fifteen to 20 members

Training of the tribal communities with a team of 3 or four men that includes
senior Lantana Craft Artisan=1
Asssistant artisan=1
Supervision and coordination staff =1

The training will be carried out for a period of 3 months

Salary, equipment , tools and accessories excluding accommodation travelling and food will cost up to 7,500 USD- (per- training a team of 15 -20 tribes people)

Partnership to carry out the innovative project in various parts of the world benefiting tribal communities