Climate Change Adaptation- An initiative towards sustainable livelihood

When the whole world is talking about climate change and adaptation strategies, how can we leave behind Sundarban Islands, which are among the most affected areas of climate change in India! But, we cannot expect the poor coastal people to understand the technical meaning of the word ‘climate change adaptation’. However, they understand in simple words that the climate of their area has changed since last few years and they can feel the increasing heat during the summer. They also know about the increasing sea level and the submergence of their neighbour islands under sea water.

Fishermen community of Sagar Island

Climate change impacts the overall productivity of coastal ecosystems as it has direct or indirect effect on health and welfare of coastal communities and thousands of people that depend on the natural resources. Even though Sagar Island is the biggest of the others islands of Sundarban, the option of livelihood for the poor coastal communities is yet limited.

Women are not left behind when it comes to fishing

The adaptive capacity of any community depends on its economic and ecological well-being, infrastructure, mediation measures as well as information and communication systems. All these are at a stake when we talk about Sagar Island. The economic condition of the island is nothing to be proud of. Whereas, the ecological balance is disturbed with constant destruction of biodiversity by the communities itself as most of them are ignorant about its importance for their survival. Fishing is one of the important livelihood options in this coastal area but the amount of fish caught in a day and the quality of fishes have also deteriorated. So, it is no longer a lucrative career here. Since the literacy level is very low, the coastal people cannot also have option to search for a good job. Since, we can hardly do anything to stop the climate change, it is better to teach them about adaptation processes. 

Mr. Choudhury explaining the SHG women about the craft

SEED (Society for Socio Economic and Ecological Development) has been trying to make these venerable coastal people aware of the climate change affects and the adaptation processes. For, this it has also organised various programmes like disaster preparedness, campaign against biodiversity destruction etc. On the occasion of World Environment Day, the organisation planned to offer a small alternate livelihood option to the coastal women of Sagar Island. The salinity of the agricultural land is increasing day by day and most of the people do not have their own land. At this juncture, they were left puzzled for their regular livelihood opportunity. Mr. Prashanta Choudhury, who has been associated with SEED for a long time, brought his nature craft to these poor coastal women.  He has been preparing varieties of nature craft items with his team since last few years and has been able to market them to international clients in USA. The uniqueness of these craft items is it is prepared by natural resources so it will not cost much to get the raw materials. 

Mr. Choudhury showing them the processed water hyacinth

On 5^th June, few SHG women of Rudranagar GP of Sagar Island were brought under a single roof to train them in nature craft making. Along with Mr. Choudhury, two of his team members started the training very enthusiastically. Initially, the women were little hesitant but as time passed and they explained methodically about the craft items, their interest grew and they engrossed in the training process.

The training continues

The team with one of the prepared craft item

Anima Bera, one of the SHG members, had always her heart and soul in craft making but was not getting a direction to take it forward. So, when SEED showed her the path, she grabbed it quickly. Within a couple of hours, she was confident of preparing a photo frame with the help of water hyacinth. On this day, the basic nature resource was the much ignored weed water hyacinth. Yes, you heard it right; water hyacinth was used to prepare base of the items like hand bags, lamp shed, photo frame, coaster etc. The best part of this profession is it can be easily done from home and with easily available low cost materials. 

Initially, SEED has trained only a handful number of women with the support of Mr. Choudhury. But, it has planned to take it forward as a sustainable livelihood option for these coastal women. So, many such training sessions will be organised in the coming days so that they become highly skilled in preparing nature craft items. Once, they are confident to prepare the items on their own, the products can be taken for various exhibition and also to trade fairs to increase its visibility so that they can expect a good return of money. It is a small step towards climate change adaption for the vulnerable coastal women. If this becomes successful, the women can earn good money for their family as well as contribute their part in adapting to the climate change affects.

Light of Education for Lodha tribe in Sundarban’s Sagar Island on World Environment Day

This year, the theme of World Environment Day was the development challenges and environmental problems of small islands. Keeping this in mind, SEED decided to inaugurate the first ever Non-formal school for the Lodha tribe of Sundarban’s Sagar Island on 5^th June, 2014 on the occasion of World Environment Day. After all, there is no better way to develop a community than providing them education. Any community can be enlightened on any developmental and environmental issue provided they have basic education to grab the knowledge. 

Mr. Bankim Chandra Hazra inaugurating the Lodha School

Lodha tribe is considered one of the vulnerable primitive tribe of India. They are usually neglected by the mainstream upper class communities in the Sagar Island. They usually stay away from other community people and are far from the light of education. In fact, their kids were not allowed to mix up with other community kids. However, things have changed now since last two years when SEED started a Non-formal education centre especially for the Lodha children. Initially, the school was started under a temporary shed with just a few kids.

The parents of the Lodha children were hesitant to send them to school as they wanted to follow their traditional livelihood system like catching crabs, hunting etc. However, with constant persuasion from the members of SEED, they agreed to send their children to the school. Now, the school has around 65 children, who regularly attend classes under the guidance of 4 teachers recruited by SEED.

With the increasing number of children, the shed became smaller to contain them. So, the organisation started constructing a bigger school building in Radhakrishnapur village of Rudranagar GP area with financial support from TSA Solution, a Singapore based organisation.

On 5^th June, 2014, on the occasion of World Environment Day, the local MLA Sri Bankim Chandra Hazra, who is also the Chairman of Sundarban Development Board, formally inaugurated the first ever school building for the socially excluded Lodha tribe in Sundarban’s Sagar Island.

On this auspicious day, the poor children of Lodha tribe and other economically backward class children were distributed new bags and pencil boxes with the support from Dollar Industries Ltd. Director of SEED, Mr. Bhabananda Chatterjee addressed the school children on this occasion and explained them the importance of keeping our surrounding environment clean and safe. He taught them how they can contribute in their way in keeping the environment safe. He also enlightened the kids and their parents about the necessity of biodiversity conservation in Sundarban islands.

The school children listening to our Director speaking on Environment 

To make the event more interesting for the kids, they were asked to showcase their talent in dancing, singing, reciting and storytelling as the kids are also taught singing, dancing, drawing and other extracurricular activities in the school apart from regular lessons. Mr. Hazra was quite impressed with the performance of these children and promised to extend his support to them in future.

To involve the kids in environment related issues, a plantation programme was also organised. Mr. Hazra started the plantation programme which was followed by other special guests and the students of the school. To raise awareness among the children, a ‘Sit & Draw’ session was organised on the theme of climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation. 

Plantation by Mr. Bankim Chandra Hazra & Kids showing creativity through drawing

The parents of these kids cannot afford nutritious meal for them regularly so they are also offered healthy snacks during breakfast time.  The kids enjoy their time in school with joyful learning and interesting physical exercises taught to them. SEED puts effort to promote these children to the formal government schools once they get basic education from here.

Apart from the Lodha kids, the school has become able to attract the children of other economically backward communities. They feel their children will have a stronger education base if they start their schooling from here.