Upskilling & livelihood
Through providing avenues for livelihood and income, our aim to change the perception of the local community towards the bears as an asset rather than a liability. We are providing skill training to the local youth in the area of wildlife tourism and allied spaces.
Nature Guide Training
This training program aims empower the youth to become ambassadors of their region’s biodiversity. Through a holistic curriculum covering: the role of a naturalist, nature photography, first aid, and techniques to identify and observe local flora and fauna, the program promoted both knowledge and skills. By placing local communities at the heart of conservation, this program builds leaders who safeguard landscapes while driving sustainable eco-tourism.
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Dry Needle Felting Training
While the locals experience livestock loss from the existing human-Himalayan Brown Bear conflict in the valley, the area is also becoming a hotspot for brown bear tourism. The aim of the workshop was to upskill the women in creating sellable felt toys to create an alternative channel of income for their families. Today, there is a growing women's Self Help Group in Drass who are actively making and selling felt toys.