Mr. Rituraj and team was extremely lucky with sightings of Arctic wildlife. Some of the memorable encounters include the Bowhead whale, Beluga whale, Fin whale, Polar Bear, Walrus, Svalbard Reindeer, Atlantic Puffin, Great Skua, Arctic Skua and Ivory Gull. The CFA team learnt about the changing dynamics of predator and prey interactions in the warming arctic ecosystems from wildlife biologists with decades on research in the polar regions.
Menstrual Hygiene for girls and women in the community at large is the campaign that APPL Foundation has been spearheading since Women’s Day. Adding a new chapter to the campaign a programme to ensure menstrual hygiene has been initiated at Dooars. Educating women about reproductive health, menstrual hygiene and encouraging them to adopt best practices is the objective of the programme.
The Fungal Free Frocks (3F) Project has kick-started in Borjan, Nahartoli and Chubwa. Our field coordinators are extensively surveying the women population to ensure timely medical treatment, and at the same time is conducting awareness drives to neutralize it from spreading.
The disability screening camps held at tea gardens of Dooars in collaboration with RCFC took a step forward when 9 children along with their guardians travelled to Kolkata for treatment at RCFC campus. These children belong from Damdim, Rungamutte, Leish River and Kumlai tea gardens. The children from 2 year of age till adolescents of 13 years were admitted and treated which provided them with a new lease of life. 4 children underwent corrective surgery and are now in the post-operative care unit of the centre. They will receive care and support for next two months.
Yes it’s not just one day that we need to think about women and their wellbeing. In order to usher in positive change in the lives of women APPL Foundation throughout the month of March campaigned on menstrual hygiene.
On ground campaigns were carried out to generate awareness and encourage hygienic practices. Close discussions with young girls and women were conducted at 4 tea gardens at Dooars in collaboration with VJS Foundation.
Two women from Hathikuli Tea Estate are on their way to Barefoot College at Tilonia in Rajasthan. The women will undergo rigorous training to emerge as solar installation experts, who will return back to their community and train women to make solar equipment’s. We wish them all the best in their endeavour!
The Tea Tribe forms an important proportion of population of Assam, and are scattered across the Brahmaputra Valley. These communities other than forming the economic backbone of the tea gardens also contributed in the field of Literature and Culture of Assam and West Bengal.
To generate awareness on menstrual hygiene among the women and girls attending Sirish Festival, APPL Foundation in collaboration with VJS Foundation had set up a kiosk. Health volunteers talked about menstrual hygiene and importance of using sanitary napkins with women and girls visiting the stall. Quality low cost sanitary napkins available for procurement at the stalls.
The stall was visited by dignitaries attending the festival encouraging the initiative in strengthening and empowering the women of the tea tribes.
