July 2016

Ncell and MWT signed an agreement on 8th July 2015 to work together for One year for “Awareness Campaign on Environment Conservation & Protection”. The program “Awareness Campaign on Environment Conservation & Protection” was funded by Ncell under its’ CSR activities. The carried activities are 1. Eco-club formation, 2. Debate on “Need of eco-club in schools”, 3. Painting competition on “Status of Dhanushadham Protected Forest – 10 years past and imagination of the development in coming 10 years”, 4. Mithila Cultural programme (a. Mithila Natak, b. Jhari Jhari, c. Jhijhiya and d. Dhol Pipahi/Sahanai), 5. 15 days Mithila Painting training for 20 students, and 6. Conservation education painting in Mithila Aart in Four schools surrounding Dhanushadham Protected Forest. Mithila Painting also included Dhanush temple, the heart of Dhanushadham municipality. Lacking linkage with the market is one of major reasons, Madheshi community discontinue the business of indigenous skill. Most of the training provided here are just to train people with different skill to produce the products at home but never trained to sell their product in the market to get maximum benefit out of their training & skill. We have tried to link them with the market people. Student will prepare different Mithila Paintings in their home, and an organization working on the same will sell products in the market for them. The idea is the sustainability of the program, to provide them with permanent home-based business and to reduce school drop-out due to poverty. Eco-clubs have been formed in 4 schools, Debate competition & painting competition in 4 schools, Mithila Cultural Programme in 4 school and Mithila painting training for students of 5 schools and Mushahar community. Jhijhiya, Jhari Jhari and Dhol Pipahi/Sahanai is part of preserving Maithili community’s indigenous culture to engage the tourists of home stay around Dhanushadham Protected Forest, proposed Dhanushadham Biological Unit. We heartily thank Ncell for supporting us in the activities to connect school students in conservation and development of Dhanushadham Protected Forest and to prepare baseline for preparing environmental conservation agents in the society. Special thanks to school management team, teachers, students, local communities, Ilaka Forest Office, Ilaka Police Office, Armed Police Force base camp, Dhanushadham Municipality Office and all supporters and well wishers of Mithila Wildlife Trust, for helping us implement the programme successfully. As continuity of the programmes, we’ve coordinated with Department of Forest (DOF) where they promised to provide different activities for eco-club members, added 15 days extra training for Mithila painting training participants which is already started in the hall of Dhanushadham Ilaka Forest Office.