Paper Factree at the behest of Conservation Wildlands Trust has set up a hand papermaking unit in Ghoti village. The village is located in the buffer zone of the Pench Tiger Reserve near Nagpur, Maharashtra. The project focuses on creating alternate livelihood opportunity for the women in these villages. The current livelihood is only agriculture, which however does not last throughout the year. The papermaking unit – allows them to have flexible working hours as well as have minimum impact on the environment. This pilot project in the village of Ghoti, under the Dahoda Gram Panchayat will focus on the women of the village who are organised as a Self Help Group [S.H.G].
Objective
The objective of the intervention is to provide the opportunity of an additional livelihood to people in the villages which are in the buffer zone of the Pench Tiger Reserve. Along with creating awareness about conservation.
Goals
To create a self-reliant group of people who make a modest living by pursuing an activity which is revenue generating as well as harmless to its context.
Solution
Hand Papermaking [HPM] is an activity which has minimum impact on the immediate surroundings. The module which has been worked out for the Self Help Groups [SHG] at the Pench Tiger Reserve will use waste paper [newspapers, magazines, bill books] and cotton rags form textile mills in Nagpur and harvest rain water to create value added handmade paper products. HMP is a skill which can be acquired easily but excelled at after years of patience and riyaaz. The candidates in focus are the women of the villages who are hardworking and have agriculture as their primary occupation. They pursue agricultural activities only for 6-7 months of a year, the HMP unit will supplement the additional revenue which can be made during the rest of the year.
