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Community Liaison and Support
Part of TOFTigers Best Practice Series
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
Engaging with local communities and ensuring tourism brings them benefits lies at the heart of responsible tourism practice. Tourism can make a decisive, multi-faceted contribution towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals from poverty alleviation, health and nutrition to inclusive education, gender equality and access to water and clean energy.
India’s scheduled tribes are amongst the poorest people in the country. 37% of India’s rural communities are multidimensionally poor across at least a third of issues linked to health and nourishment, education and living standards such as lack of clean cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity and housing standards according to the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index. 47% of Nepal’s rural poor are identified as multidimensionally poor.
Independent research commissioned by TOFTigers in Madhya Pradesh and Ranthambhore, demonstrates the positive impact tourism can have on lives in rural villages with tourism infrastructure: improved education, social upliftment as well as significantly higher employment and local business income (see also Local Economy profile).
Establishing good communication with your local community and providing support beyond employment is good for business as well as helping to achieve the SDG goals for inclusive prosperity in a sustainable world. It mitigates business risk through sharing the benefits of tourism, generates goodwill and positive attitudes to tiger and wildlife conservation amongst the community, and provides opportunities for your clients to experience and make a positive contribution to local life.
EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE
A pre-school founded and funded by Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge and Swissair staff is providing a free start for children from disadvantaged families – part of a broader programme of social support. Healthcare, two meals a day, uniforms, supplies and bursaries for further education are also provided.
Red Earth Kabini supports a twelve-bed hospital and a mobile clinic through local NGO NWTWS. It also runs medical camps in partnership with Swami Vivekannanda Youth Movement, part of its broader programme of community support.
Singinawa Conservation Foundation, set up by Singinawa Jungle Lodge, has provided rainwater harvesting for a primary school in Pench to secure their water supply. The Foundation has also provided water purifiers to households in its local village.
The Prakratik Society, set up by the owner of Khem Villas, has provided more than 600 biogas digesters to local villages around Ranthambhore providing clean cooking fuel for villagers and reducing dependence on wood.
Mahua Kothi – Taj Safaris provides nutritional supplements to approximately 120 children attending Anganwadi schools in the villages of Dobha and Rancha twice a month. Regular school and home meals using nutritious ingredients are also provided to boost child health.
Flame of the Forest is employing women on a monthly salary to make and distribute reusable sanitary pads, previously a taboo subject.
Barahi Jungle Lodge has funded the building of Machans (watch towers) in Madi village, donated wire for proper fencing of the community forest and provided the funds for a community forest office.
Kipling Camp distributed 440 blankets, 52 children’s sweaters and 55 stainless steel thali and katori utensils in 2019 among Baiga communities around Kanha Tiger Reserve with funds raised from visitors and friends, part of its broader range of community support. More recently its support has included distribution of food supplies during the COVID-19 crisis.
RESOURCES
Correct at time of press. Information included may not be appropriate to every situation, destination and country and is intended for general guidance only and may be subject to change.
Photos © lodges featured, Sycom Project Consultants, or other photographers listed. © The TOFTigers Initiative 2021. All rights reserved
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