Assam: WTI Organises Exposure Trip for Women in Bongaigaon to Promote Eco-Friendly Livelihoods & Golden Langur Conservation
The initiative aimed to link conservation with sustainable livelihood opportunities while empowering women as community custodians of biodiversity.
BONGAIGAON- The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), under its Golden Langur Conservation Project and with support from the Royal Enfield Social Mission, organised a two-day exposure trip (23–24 August) for 20 women from fringe villages of Kakoijana, Bongaigaon. The initiative aimed to link conservation with sustainable livelihood opportunities while empowering women as community custodians of biodiversity.
On Day 1, participants travelled to Nganglam, Bhutan, where they explored Bhutanese culture, architecture, and eco-friendly community practices. They witnessed how women in Bhutan are actively leading small-scale businesses, thereby contributing to local economies while upholding traditions of forest protection.
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Later, the group visited the Manas Mauzigendri Ecotourism Society, where Mr. Mahendra Basumatary, President of the society, explained how the degraded Manas National Park was revived through community participation and transformed into a model for conservation-led ecotourism.
On Day 2, participants visited Zankla Studio, an eco-business initiative led by Mr. Kirat Brahma, where they learned about rural eco-friendly enterprises. A hands-on session introduced embroidery techniques using Golden Langur motifs, teaching participants to create fabric replicas of the endangered species.
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The trip highlighted how art and craft can serve as powerful tools for storytelling and awareness, bridging the gap between conservation and community livelihoods. To encourage further practice, WTI provided each woman with an embroidery kit, a Golden Langur plush toy, and a tote bag featuring Golden Langur motifs.
Participants returned with new skills, awareness, and motivation to promote eco-friendly enterprises and wildlife protection in their own villages.
Through this initiative, WTI reaffirmed its 25-year mission of combining conservation with community empowerment, ensuring sustainable livelihoods while safeguarding habitats of endangered species like the Golden Langur.
