About Education & Training
In the area of MCT’s reach, we have focused on helping students study further by financially helping them. The importance of alternate livelihoods is critical. In this landscape, where water is scarce and the land falls in a rain shadow area, it is therefore prone to droughts, where elephants, and other ungulates roam, farming is extremely difficult. In a time where human populations are soaring and there is a constant human/wildlife fight for land use, alternate livelihoods is critical. MCT’s philosophy is that whatever existing lands are there abutting tiger reserves should be shared with wildlife. To achieve this, local people need to have an alternate earning source for their living so conflict is controlled and decreased.
MCT has started “Belaku Kendra” which focuses on giving alternate livelihood training to women. We concentrate on crochet and make interesting crafts which are on sale. We pay the women a daily stipend to train until the time comes when they can work from home and supply items. All raw materials are procured by MCT so this burden of sourcing materials does not fall on the women. We focus on the upliftment of women as we believe that they have a stronger impact in the village and positive changes will occur due to their participation in wildlife conservation.
“Belaku Kendra” -The Center of Light, is a transformative initiative which has emerged through the establishment of a training center dedicated to uplifting
marginalized women from villages abutting the crucial wildlife habitat of The Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Recognizing the untapped potential of these women, the center offers specialized training in crochet, equipping them with valuable skills that not only enhance their livelihoods but also fosters a sense of community empowerment.
The training center serves as a beacon of hope, allowing these women to learn the art of crochet and create an array of beautiful products. From stylish bags and market bags to intricately designed table mat sets, cushion covers, and rugs, the women have honed their craft and turned their creativity into economic opportunities. With their newfound skills, they are now well-positioned to act as trainers and mentors for other women in their villages, fostering a culture of shared learning and resilience.
The impact of this initiative extends beyond personal empowerment; it plays a crucial role in wildlife conservation. Women in these villages are often the primary caretakers of their households and are deeply connected to their surroundings. By equipping them with skills and knowledge, the training center allows them to become advocates for sustainable practices that protect the rich biodiversity of the Bandipur region. Educated and empowered women can engage in discussions about conservation, addressing environmental challenges, and promoting practices that safeguard the natural habitat.
Moreover, the Mariamma Charitable Trust, which supports this admirable initiative, goes a step further by sponsoring the education of promising students from these villages who face financial barriers to pursuing higher education. This commitment to education shines a light on the importance of knowledge and skill development, ensuring that brighter futures are within reach for talented individuals. By providing financial assistance, the trust enables these students to pursue their dreams and contribute to their communities in more significant ways.
With the collaboration of the Mariamma Charitable Trust, this initiative exemplifies the profound impact of education and training, creating a ripple effect of empowerment, sustainability, and hope in the villages around the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. As these women continue to thrive, they serve as inspiring role models, proving that with the right opportunities, change is indeed possible.
What People
Say About Us
The Mariamma Charitable Trust has done really commendable work in protecting tigers and leopards from retaliatory killing, whilst also addressing the economic losses that the rural people face when their cattle are killed by large carnivores.
The Trust’s work in providing free health care and support for education also greatly helps to improve the lives of the poorest of the poor in the local communities
am a veterinarian with the Wildlife Trust of India and we work in close collaboration with the Forest Department of Karnataka. I first met Sunita when I was 14 years old.
She is totally dedicated to wildlife and is passionate about her work. My role is to attend to injured and dying animals and to build bridges between the local people who suffer losses and the Forest Department. Things have been so much easier with Sunita’s input. I feel she has made a great deal of change in the perceptions of the local people and has contributed greatly towards reducing human-animal conflict in this belt.
This area in the tiger reserve is a mosaic of communities, agricultural land and forests. Traditionally the villagers have tolerated the wildlife but as the human wildlife conflict has intensified, antagonism is fast replacing this tolerance.
Sunita and the Mariamma Charitable Trust are working hard to maintain the traditional tolerance through a multi-pronged approach that focuses on enhancing healthcare and compensating farmers who lose live-stock to large carnivores from the park. These steps are important precursors to achieving the larger goal – the co-existence of human communities and wildlife with both benefiting from the other; humans from the economic value that living close to wildlife can bring through tourism and for wildlife, the maintenance of their habitat, giving them optimal access to food and water. The local communities are confident in the Trust and the dynamic and committed team – your financial support will only further the cause of conservation in this outstanding environment.
