Education is key to ensuring wild tigers have wild futures. Since 2010 we've provided 1800 education packs for children in 24 villages around Bandhavgarh to enable them to go to school. Rural poverty & the cost of basic books & pens often prevents many children from attending school. Without education their future prospects are bleak, with limited employment options leading to an increased dependency upon the land & further pressure on shrinking tiger habitat. We now want to help 500 more.
Challenge
The burgeoning human population has decimated India's wild tiger habitat, increasing incidents of human-animal conflict due to lack of food for prey & predators. Bandhavgarh has over 70 villages with 44% of families having 4+ children. With the average weekly income around Rs.550 (6/$8), educational prospects for many rural children are limited by the poverty of their parents. As a result future employment prospects are limited for these children thus adding to the immense pressure on tiger habitat.
Solution
500 education packs will give 500 kids a chance to improve critical literacy skills; future employment prospects & reduce their dependency on land. We work in villages & with a local NGO to deliver pop-up nature schools to the poorest children. Literate adults can get jobs protecting wildlife & its habitat, rather than destroying it for agriculture. This reduces the impact on wildlife & reduces incidents of human-animal conflict, whilst discouraging tiger poaching as an alternative income source.
Long-Term Impact
Our project will provide 500 educational packs for children in Bandhavgarh most affected by human-animal conflict. It helps to improve children's literacy & enhances the prospect of future wild tiger survival. Educated families have fewer kids: if they are educated the potential for future population stabilisation is enhanced; which will reduce the dependency on scarce forest resources. Our education packs are sourced from local suppliers to build their inter-dependencies on wild tiger survival.
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