Another humble initiative by our Odisha Eco Tourism Foundation for empowerment through skill as we have started a tailoring training center at our Desia Eco Tourism Center on this auspicious Gamha Purnima or Rakhi Purnima. This is a gift for our sisters at the valley where they will get free training on basic tailoring.
Twenty girls from nearby villages signed to join the free training and also we have hired two local teachers who will be conducting the class in two batches as we have seven swing machines.
We are thankful to our patrons and friends in particular to Mr. Chandur S Changrani and his friends for supporting with swing machines.
Also we are deeply obliged to our sponsors like Mrs Namita Mishra, Dr Chandana Mishra for their commitment to sponsor the salary for two teachers for six months.
The foundation pillar of this project is drawn from the circular economic model which establishes a balance between profit, people and planet. The Covid 19 pandemic has impacted life at all levels. But, especially for the people at the grassroot level, it was very difficult to meet ends for survival. We wanted to empower the local community of Bantalbiri and other neighboring villages to earn some extra revenue for their living. But we also wanted this empowerment to be eco-friendly and sustainable. This is what motivated us to come up with the Horticulture project.
We started off by having conversations with the officers of the local horticulture department and figured out the best possible scheme which would provide the maximum benefit.
We decided to fund 40 mango saplings for 1 acre of land per family. A total of 10 families were benefited which accounts for 10 acres of land and 400 saplings. With the passage of time and nurturing the saplings, the horticulture department would return a particular percentage of the principal to the beneficiary and they would pay us back in parts and the cycle will continue till the entire principal amount is repaid after which the entire revenue generated from the trees goes to the family. This way, not only are the villagers economically benefited but also 400 fruit bearing saplings are being raised and taken care of which would help improve the environmental condition of the area.
The idea embodied itself on 5th September 2021 where 400 saplings were distributed to 10 families at Desia Eco-Tourism Camp, Bantabliri. The villagers continue to nurture the mango trees adequately. We see our project and the mango trees grow everyday with the passage of time.
Monsoon is knocking at the door. Have you planned to add a plant to your environment? By now we have realised how important is nature; how important is oxygen and how uncertain is life. It is time for all of us to work together to make our world better place to live.
We are proud to start a campaign to plant 500 trees in this year. On this Van Mohastav day; our Odisha Eco-Tourism Foundation (OETF) and Barefoot volunteers have joined with Puri Wildlife Division; Department of Forest and Beach Management Committee; Puri to add make our coast greener. We are thankful to Dist Administration and DFO; Puri for their support.
You are welcome to join us too.
Our Solidarity for these beach lifeguards with ration support as they solely depends upon tourists on the beach and there is none since last few months due to this lockdown.
Beach vendors are having a tough time as their livelihood solely depends upon earnings from tourists. WE have supported some rations and also convinced them to take vaccination, to obey Covid guide line so that we can restart tourism soon.
The evening was filled with waves of fresh breeze tinted with the salty smell of the sea and the golden rays of the setting sun when we reached and gathered at the amphitheatre of Niladree beach to celebrate “Road Safety Month”. We were blessed to have an esteemed panel including Commissioner of Traffic Odisha: Shri Sanjeev Panda, Additional Superintendent of Police Puri, the RTO officer Puri and the head of the bus drivers association, to preside over the session. We had an enthusiastic audience from all sections of the society, including auto rickshaw drivers, ambulance drivers, photographers, and volunteers, to mention a few. The main objective of the session was to instill amongst all a sense of responsibility while being on the road and emphasize the importance of road safety.
The session started with welcome addresses from our panelists and organizers which were followed by an interactive quiz conducted by our young volunteers to add an element of fun learning.
After the quiz, the lead coordinator of youth for sustainability, Mr. Punyasloka Panda spoke to the gathering about sustainable transport and emphasized on the importance of individual effort to bring about a change.
Then Avi Mishra, crowned as “iron man” shared his experiences on road safety and the motivated the audience for a behavioral change which is a must for safe roads.
But that was not all; we then felicitated 50 real heroes-frontline ambulance drivers who risked their own lives admist this pandemic to ensure the safety of the patients.
Then there was a pledge ceremony to carry forward the learning of the session and act responsibly on the roads to ensure safety of one and all.
Our talented dancers and musicians amped up the ambience of the beautiful evening by the sea side. The session ended by a vote of thanks by the RTO.
Overall, the event was a huge success and we do think that our motive was fulfilled. We look forward to adding more droplets into this vast ocean.
After the cyclone FANI left our coast devastated, we started this small initiative of #support livelihood which was an humble attempt to support small businesses to stand at their own feet.
It was tough to organise resources, identify the businesses to whom we can support (as almost everywhere there was devastation), communication (as there was no power or internet for more than a month) , funds etc .
“When there is a will- there is a way “ and friends came forward to support our initiative and adopted the small businesse or livilihoods as per their capacity .All we had to do is- to connect and ensure proper execution .
We sincerely thanks our supporters and traveller friends who stood by us by supporting this project which has certainly touched more than 60 lives at grassroots level. It gives us a tremendous happiness to see the smiles at the face of these grassroot businesses as we visit them today.
Our World is now going through crises as the covid 19 virus as reached every region of our world. In this crucial time we all need to work together to overcome this difficult phase of life as it says- Good time or Bad time, no time stays.
What most we need at this time is -SOLIDARITY .We need to support the victims or the most effected community who lost their livelihood due to the LOCKDOWN .
TOURISM is the worst victim of these crises as most of the services across the world is closed which lead to massive unemployment at this green industry which use to contribute 10% of GDP.
We have taken small initiative #SOLIDARITY to support the grassroots service providers around our destination by organizing dry rations for their kitchen, awareness campaign for safety and hygiene, books for quarantine center, Yoga classes for the institutional quarantine centers.
WE sincerely thanks our supporters, friends like SRI SOUMENDRA PRIYADARSHI, SONALI MOHANTY, TARA ACHARAYA and volunteers from team BAREFOOT, ECO TOURISM FOUNDATION, PURI CYCLE CLUB, PURI DIST ADMINISTRATION for their support.
Seventy beach vendors like beach life guards, massage men, beach photographers, 25 Rickshaw pullers, 20 AUTO RIKSHWA DRIVERS, 80 senior citizens and 30 other people from the community were supported.
Hope this inspires others to extend a helping hand and show their solidarity to the victims of this covid19 virus which has affected every one, directly or indirectly.
IT is not the same SUNDAY nor the same class room with four walls.
Know Your City is such an initiative by Odisha Eco Tourism foundation in Associatin with PURI Dist Administration which aims to educate 300 students from various high school at PURI where the students joins a bicycle tour to explore the rich cultural heritage of the city and also they get an opportunity to interact with scholars , Sr .Dist officials to know about future city planing , sanitation initiative etc.
Started on 19th JAN 2020 with 50 students from BISWAMBHAR BIDYAPITHA , 2ND FEB 31 Students from Girls High school ,9th Feb 50 students from Zilla School has participated on this ongoing programme.
Research scholars like DR SURENDRA MISHRA , Dr.BHASKAR MISHRA , Sevayat BISWANATH SAMANTARAI joined the team to enlighten the students about the rich cultural heritage .
It is indeed inspiring for students to interact with Dist Magistrate, Divisional Forest Officer who threw light on future projects of the city .
Now the schools are waiting for SUNDAY ….
When we visit to their villages, they always ask us why these people (foreigners) are coming here. I explain them that they are tourists and they are here as travellers to see things which they do not get to see in their day today life. Still the folks in the village do not understand why someone need to TRAVEL as for them life is limited to their field; block office (for rice), weekly market, local hospital max.
We sponsored a trip for These folks from our adopted village near our camp DESIA to experience the life as a Tourist as they come first time out of their normal life, first time in train, first time by the sea or at a Temple of such magnitude like Puri – Konark and lucky to witness the rituals inside the temple as God returns home after Ratha Yatra (spl thanks to my friend Nata babu and Soumendra Priyadarshi)
We are privileged to have this opportunity to show them another world and enjoyed each moment as they enjoyed their life as a Tourist.
NOW they are back in home and hope they can understand why people Travel!!!!! They can understand tourism better than before.
Win Win for all and good practice of RESPONSIBLE TOURISM. Is not it??
As responsible travelers seek out both the highlights of a destination and true experience of local culture but in a way that benefit the local communities. we at HERITAGE TOURS not only deliver the authentic local experience but ensures active steps to care for the destination and local community.
Our founders have established a separate dedicated arm of Heritage tours in the name of BAREFOOT which is registered in society act. Team Barefoot is focused on four Es:
As a step to care for ENVIORNMENT we have regular activities such as beach cleaning at Puri, Testing of CO2 emission for the auto rickshaws, Plantation, Film shows in schools on Global warming, awareness for conservation of Olive Ridley sea turtle and many other events.
As a commitment for EDUCATION, we regularly support a school at the tribal area by providing scholarship to the deserving students and play equipments. We ensure our guests to spend some time in these schools during our tribal tour.
In order to conserve ENERGY we have organized a workshop for more than 70 technical persons from hotel industries which is followed by a energy audit by professionals.
We have serious plan to set up community based tourism on community ownership basis which will create EMPLOYMENT and economic upliftments for the locals.
When you travel with Heritage tours, we ensure the following principles
