Tree planting by Darbar Sahitya Sansada and friends

Today’s story is a shining example of community work’s potential to improve lives and do good for the environment.

Darbar Sahitya Sansada is a not-for-profit in India, and it works with geographically and socially vulnerable communities and groups. Their mission is to help the poor and marginalized sectors of society build their confidence and capacity for managing their socio-economic and political development process.

The organization started thanks to a donor agency that provided money to raise decentralized plant nurseries, in response to the super cyclone of 1999. In the last 25 years, many planting activities happened in different parts of Odisha state.

Kedareswar Chaudhury, a member of DSS, tells us:

“So far, DSS has formed over 1200 women’s self-help groups (WSHG), 5 producers cooperatives (all women), 8 farmer producers’ companies (FPCs, 4 of them entirely made by women), and 7 women artisan producers’ groups, among others. These groups are promoted, strengthened, and nurtured for effective decision-making and the sustainability of the programs.”

Various WSHGs have taken the lead in raising plant nurseries.

DSS provides technical know-how and some materials, such as seeds which are collected by WSHG. The groups organize the plantation and ensure the protection of the saplings after planting.

“We have planted more than 600,000 plants since 1999; developing local nurseries and promoting community participation have been key activities for our organization”, says Chaudhury.

Gradually, other boys’ groups, girls’ groups, schools, and universities reached out and started supporting DSS. Several village woodlots have been created since then, an effort spearheaded by women.

DSS’s last planting happened on August 10, in Pandav Nagar, India. 1000 local fruit trees were planted with the local community.

We look forward to being inspired by Darbar Sahitya Sansada. Visit their website to learn more about their work.