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We have been working in partnership with villages around the
perimeter of Ranthambhore National Park since 2001 on initiatives
such as water harvesting, tree plantations and education. We were
the first and only wildlife tour operator to work directly with a
local village in this way. The projects are not ‘hidden’ schemes
but are there for all our clients to see when in Ranthambhore and
many do take the opportunity to visit. Since April 2006 we have
had a ‘wireless’ computer network set up in Ranwal specifically
for the children to learn basic computer skills, opening up a
wider range of employment options. The network and the employment
of a teacher have all been paid for by the Tiger Trails
Foundation, which receives 90% of its funds from Tiger Trails.
So that the whole of these funds are used for the intended purpose
Tiger Trails Foundation uses the facilities of Wildlife Trails Ltd
on a no-cost basis, with administrative and management duties
being undertaken by the trustees on a voluntary basis. Projects
are completed using local volunteer labour from within the
villages concerned, except where specialist skills are required.
Ownership of projects, and any associated financial gain are held
by the members of each village as a co-operative.
Below is a summary of how the funds have been spent, prepared by
Mr Vipul Jain our Tiger Trails Foundation Indian operations
manager (voluntary):
PROJECTS COMPLETED IN AREA OF RANTHAMBHORE NATIONAL PARK
LIBRARY – (In the year 1999) – This is the starting of
Tiger Trails program in Ranthambhore National Park area and also
the first project undertaken directly by any non-Indian N.G.O. The
Director Mr. Allan & Kirsty Blanchard donated two Libraries – one
in Mahila Gramin vidya pith, Mainpura (dist Sawai Madhopur). And
second in Royal Alfa School, Sawai Madhopur.
A- Mahila Gramin vidya pith, Mainpura (dist Sawai Madhopur).
- Six wooden book shelf and books to the value of £200; this
school is for only girls mostly tribal Meena caste. Meena are
farming persons and in this caste there are many problems like
superstition, child marriage, uneducated men, and women who do not
have any power in social life. There at that time were 400 girls
studying in that 300 as boarders. Now 800 girls and it is classed
as a college.
B- Royal Alfa School, Sawai Madhopur (old city). - Two
wooden book self and books to the value of £100 – this
co-education school with 250 students.
SCHOOL COUMPUTER SET UP - (July 2000) - This is first big
program with help of Tiger Trails Foundation – a former client and
guest of Tiger Trails Mr. Allen Copsey donated seven computers
with printer in Mahila Gramin vidya pith, Mainpura (dist Sawai
Madhopur). This is first new computer set up in this area. This is
the only school for tribal girls of dominant Meena cast in this
district. They totally depend on farming and wood cutting/grazing
in Ranthambhore National Park. For this project Tiger Trails
provide full transport, guidance, stay during installation, and
upkeep for the project for three years.
LAKE DIGGING (WATER HARVESTING – project begun 2001) –
water shortage is major problem for people & cattle, and in night
wild animals also come out from Park in search of water
A- Village -Ranwal, near Ranthambhore National Park: - This
village is 1.5 K.M. from park. There are three lakes but for a
long time they had been silted up and capacity much reduced.
Following model of NGO-‘Taran Bharat Singh’ used around Sariska,
T.T.F. decided to dig out the mud and rebuild the dam walls so one
program officer Mr. Rajnarayan from TBS came with Director Mr.
Allan Blanchard and had many meetings in Parli and Ranwal Village.
People from Ranwal agreed to help in T.T.F. projects. T.T.F.
contribution was 75% and from villagers 25% money or labor was
required in order for village to ‘own’ the project. T.T.F. decided
to dig two lakes in Ranwal, to begin villagers used tractors to
remove mud but later they do by camel cart and by hand. In that
project T.TF spend total 110000 Rupees (£1400).
B- Village Gambhira- in the area of Black Buck Antelope.
This village is 08 K.M. from Sawai Madhopur town. The population
of the village is 2000. When the sarpanch (elected head of
village) heard about work done in Ranwal by T.T.F. he came to us
and invited help & work with T.T.F. After permission was given by
T.T.F director Mr. Allan Blanchard, we had three more meetings and
started to dig out the lake with all villagers doing work in this
project. After 10 days it was dug out to be good deep lake. In
this project TTF spend 2000.00 rupees with villagers giving money
and labor.
PLANTATION (begun 2003, ongoing): – For Awareness of
plantation & encourage saving forest.
If village people are told not to cut the trees in the buffer zone
to sell or use as fuel and allow new plantation they do not
welcome this from people who earn higher money from park as guards
or guides. So T.T.F. started new plan to donate young trees to
village children and give prize in stages for three years for live
plantations. After one month of plantation T.T.F. made gift of
50.00 Rupee to each child who had protected his/ her trees and
after 5 months gifts of 60.00 Rupee and after 9 months gift of
50-60 Rupee and after one year new school uniform. All prizes will
be given if tree is kept alive, this is tough job using just basic
materials like thorny branches to stop cattle but children show
great pride in challenge.
A- Village Ranwal, near Ranthambhore National Park –
Government middle school, Village –Ranwal (8th July 2003); 70
students planted 250 plants – 70 plants in school and rest of in
their farms. After three years now about 120 plants are alive.
B- Village Uliyana, near Ranthambhore National Park –
Government middle school, Village Uliyana – 10th July 2003 – in
these school 30 students planted 120 plants. And after three year
now in 2006 about 40 plants are alive.
C- Village Dhamund Government middle school, Dhamund – Near
Black Buck Antelope side. - (July 2005) T.T.F. gave 350 plants –
60 students and 45 villagers planted all plants. This year we are
going to give the prize for live plants on 20th Sept. 2006
D- Balas (Sawai man Singh sanctuary part of Ranthambhore
National Park) (Sept. 2006) – T.T.F. are going to plant next in
this school (Government Primary school, Nimli)
T.T.F. MOBILE COMPUTER EDUCATION CENTRE (April 2006) - this
is a big and long term program started by TTF. With a portable
computer network made up of 4 wireless laptops, printer, power
generator, with 4 computer tables and 10 chairs. TTF interviewed
and hired a specialist local teacher for teaching and for
monitoring this project. Including first year of teacher salary
cost has been around £3000.
In starting computer set up in Village Ranwal on 23rd April 2006.
District collector is a chief Guest, and all TTF team with
guidance of Director Mr. Allan Blanchard. & Mr. Philip Davis (of
Tiger Awareness) with many village persons. The computers remained
set up for 04 months in Ranwal and then in September it was moved
to Vinayak deaf & dumb school, Gulab Bagh, Cement Factory Road,
Sawai Madhopur.
(1) Children qualification in Ranwal village school- 6th to10th
Std. & now in new school – vinayak Deaf & Dumb School 4th to 8th
Std.
(2) We have our own TTF Teacher for monitoring. Children will
learn Microsoft word, excel – applications, bio-data, design,
documentation etc.
(3) 23rd April to 31st August, 2006 in Ranwal village – 35
children. And Vinayak Deaf & Dumb School 25 children.
(4) Approximately 75% boys and 25% girls attend.
OTHER PROJECTS/ FUNDING
Mattresses & Play Articles: – in India in Government Schools do
not even have proper sitting arrangements and do not have adequate
simple play things.
A - Sanik Primary school. Pachipura, (March 2001) - in that school
T.T. guests donate two floor Mattress for children in classroom.
B – Adarsh Middle School, ram Singh pura, Ranthambhore Road Sawai
Madhopur. – In that school Tiger Trails employee Mr. James Manson
donated three mattresses and one football. This school is closed
from park but traditionally depends on park for fuel and fodder.
C – Government middle school, Dhamund – (June 2002, Nov.2003 &
Jan.2005) – this school is in the area of Black Buck Antelope. In
this school Tiger Trails Foundation provided total 07 mattresses
and one football, Carm board, and some balls for games.
D - Government middle school, Village -Ranwal, near Ranthambhore
National Park- in this school Tiger Trails Foundation Director Mr.
Allan Blanchard donated - football, swing ropes, Rings, and Big
Tin Box for keeping playing Articles. Also Harmonium (musical
instrument)
E - Government middle school, Village -Uliyana, Near Ranthambhore
National Park – in that school TTF provide - football, Carm board,
swing ropes, rings, and playing Articles.
School Gate - Village Ranwal, near Ranthambhore National Park –
(July 2004) Government middle school, Ranwal. There is boundary
wall round school but no gate for it. So cattle and unwanted
persons entered in school campus, trees could not be protected
from cattle, so Tiger Trails Foundation decided to give Iron Gate
for main boundary. For that 3000 rupee was donated by T.T.F. and
1800 rupee provided by school funds.
Loud Speaker set :- Village Uliyana, near Ranthambhore National
Park – Government middle school, Uliyana- in that school they do
not have any mike (loud speaker) for cultural program. So at the
time of T.T.F. plantation prize distribution village people & Head
master requested for loud speaker set, on 15 Aug 2005 T.T.F. team
went there and gifted this set.
Clothing for Forest guards - whenever Director Mr. Allan
Blanchard or any staff of Tiger Trails Foundation visits India or Ranthambhore. They bring woolen hats, T-shirts, cotton shirts,
trousers, for forest guards and drivers who work to help to save
the tiger and its forest home.
Mosquito Nets - (August 2006) This was a special request of
ranger of main forest of Ranthambhore National Park. For that TTF
bought 90 Mosquito Net with collaboration of Tiger Awareness.
Because in the rainy season forest Guards stay in tents in the
forest there is real problem from Mosquito bites, so forest Ranger
Mr. Jodh Raj Singh applied for Mosquito Net. After permission of
TTF Director Mr. Allan Blanchard for providing nets the local team
of TTF went in park with Deputy Director of Ranthambhore National
Park Mr. R. S. Rajwat and Assistant Field Director Mr. Sudarsan
Sharma with park staff to distribute nets.
Tiger Trails Foundation started a plantation in Nimli Badi
this year in the month of July 07 and on the 16th January
2007, the Tiger Trails Foundation provide uniform for 32
students and two mattresses for school. Plantation is very
good in this village. This village is in foothills of Sawai
Man Singh sanctuary (Balas) where many Wildlife Trails clients
visit. At that time Assistant Field director of the park Mr. R
S. Shekhawat was president and our Wildlife Trails guests were
Mr. Nish Malik, Malcolm Gladdish and Anne Dupont.
On the 6th December 2006 we visited Damund where we started a
new plantation 8 months previously. We visited with Wildlife
Trails guests, Mr. Neil Stephen, Miss Carla & Jennifer and
awarded the 36 students with dictionarys and pencils.
As per last years plantations, we gave prize to children if
trees alive after one year and on the 3rd February 2007 the
Wildlife Trails client Miss Sharon Cording gave prizes to 32
out of the 50 children who planted trees.
On the 21 Nov 2006 the former guest of Wildlife Trails gave
shoes for the Vinayak Hearing Impaired School and that gift
was presented by Wildlife Trails client, Sally Matson &
family.
The guest of Wildlife Trails. Mr. Luv Varia & Mary Varia
Provides the 10 chair for Vinayak Hearing Impaired School and
a group hearing aid machine for same school it cost about
40,000 rupees (£500).
The friend of Tiger Trails foundation Mr. Philip Davis
provided 4 bicycles and 6 pair of binoculars to the forest
department and one set of binoculars to a local wildlife
guide.
This year July 2007- we started a plantation in one new
village and also checked and gave new trees for all the
current plantation schools too. By permission of director Mrs.
Kirsty Blanchard, we started in Bhoori Phari and a second
planting project in all the previous villages where we worked
before, to keep telling the same message to the children; to
save nature and protect the park.
In Bhoori Phari we took 120 plants and about 100 students did
plantation and now we have to see how many they manage to keep
alive.
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