World Environment Day was celebrated in Rakkar with a vigorous clean up and street play performed by the children. Up in McLeod Ganj and in Bhagsunath the crowds were delighted by the flash mob performed by members of the Dharamshala Environment Group.

Every product these days is packaged in non-recyclable soft plastic which ends up along the sides of the road, clogging rivers and water channels or filling up dump sites. Nishtha collects clean segregated soft plastic waste from the villagers and re-cycles it as plastic building blocks. Come and see our work!

Our aim is to promote organic farming methods and experiment with ways of improving the quality of the earth on marginal plots to make it more productive for subsistence farmers. We encourage people to grow local varieties and to make compost. We spread awareness of how using of chemical fertilizers and insecticides damages the earth, destroying its power. We teach people the value of preserving local seeds, saving their own and avoiding using genetically modified seed.

Dharamshala Environment Preservation Network, a group of 8 local organisations determined to work together to tackle the ever growing garbage issue, met at Nishtha last week. As well as learning how to make natural soap under the expert guidance of Tenzin Palmo, an English teacher from TCV school, they discussed how to take the opportunity on Environment day to spread awareness of the importance of  each one of us taking responsibility for the proper disposal of our own waste. Nishtha was proud to host this event and provided tea and snacks to all the participants.

Integral to our work to upgrade the health of the village, since 1998 we have been running a school nutrition programme which continues to be very successful in the village school. Nishtha augments the very basic meal provided by the Government by providing protein rich supplements as well as vegetables and fruits.

A series of workshops for 100 local teenage girls is being held in our Community Center this month. Ravindra, our doctors and computer trainers present an exciting medley of games, discussions, interactive talks, videos and power point presentations to keep the girls attention. In one day they pack in lots of information about health and menstrual hygiene, personal safety and identity ensuring that the girls enter adult life with confidence and awareness.

Providing information about how the body works, how to take care of it, why it goes wrong and how access appropriate medical care goes a very long way towards building women’s confidence in themselves.

Traditional methods are still used to harvest the wheat here in Himachal where temperatures rise and thunder is in the air.

In 2002 we purchased the house next to the health clinic which was simply built and in poor condition. Extensive repairs and improvements were undertaken during 2003-4. The house provides a large well lit workshop room, the computer room, a library, a multi purpose room, a small kitchen, storage and filtered water. It provides space for workshops, meetings as well as for children and adults to learn, play and come together.

Schools up and running again! Our team is busy each Monday, organising and delivering fresh vegetables and fruits to supplement the children’s mid day meals.