Tuesday, March 8, 2011

SHARE Community Based Tourism Initiative : East Himalayan Villages

SHARE: Creating Pockets of Heaven on the Hills in North Bengal, Sikkim

    Through the promotion of tourism and related activities, Support Himalayan Agro Rural Enterprises (SHARE) aims at the development of tribal communities in far flung villages of North Bengal and Sikkim. However, SHARE recognizes that before tourism can be promoted in many of these villages, it is first necessary to develop services such as health care and education, to improve livelihood in general, etc. In a nutshell, SHARE intends to turn struggling tribal settlements into self-sustaining modern, civil, economic units, while being mindful of the traditions and desires of the villagers.
    For instance, SHARE looks to hilly, scenic villages that have the potential to become tourist destinations. Then, through local collaborations, SHARE promotes home stay tourism in areas that are otherwise virtually inaccessible to tourists. This does not only benefit the tourist and provide him/her with a unique experience, but brings direct benefits to the village households.
    Once the model for home stays is developed and the collaboration is well established, SHARE looks to other ways of cooperating with villagers to promote all-round development.

These initiatives include, but are not limited to:

1) Home stay tourism and hospitality
2) SHARE community health checks
3) Samuday Bikash Samity (Society for Community Development)
4) Sporting activities (SHARE Cup-inter-village football tournament)
5) Craft development and promotion
6) Garment and medicine banks
7) A junior high school (opening soon)
8) A library (multilingual is under preparation)
9) Formation of self help groups
10) Organic farming
11) An anti - alcohol campaign

Thank you,
Prasanta Mallik

1 comment:

  1. Point No. 7 The School has been started by Feb 08 , 2011 , named "Mine Jr. High School" , Chuikhim .
    ( Class V - VIII ).

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