Kulsi in Kamrup is a biodiversity hotspot, a favourite picnic place, tucked some 20 kilometres from Mirza Chowk, amidst sylvan surroundings. Under the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, Kulsi is in the news for its enterprising youths, who are turning the tide here using bamboo and colourful seeds of different trees as a raw material for designing jewellery, and household items.
The movement began almost a year ago when Kamrup West Divisional Forest Officer Dimpi Bora in association with the office of the Kulsi Range Forest Officer organised a month-long training programme to upskill the talents of youth from the area. Over 25-members of the Nagaon Joint Forest Management Committee Ra-Bhanh Self Help Group profited from the training.
“In 2020-21, I was the CEO of Assam Bamboo Mission. Nira Sharma, also known as the ‘Bamboo Lady of India’, met and gifted me a piece of bamboo jewellery. Later, when I was posted as DFO, Kamrup West Division, I decided to train those living in the fringe area in my division in making bamboo products to give them the option of an additional source of income and livelihood,” Bora told Asom Barta.
“The training supported by the State Bamboo Development Agency was a success. In less than a year, handicraft, and bamboo jewellery worth more than ₹ 5 lakh have been sold,” said Dwipen Deka, the Kulsi Range Forest Officer, while talking to this reporter.
Among the beneficiaries of the training was Rina Rabha of Kulsi. A mother of two children, Rina is a homemaker, as well as an entrepreneur. A brilliant hand on the loom, Rina has, in the recent past, consolidated her family’s financial health in tandem with other members of the SHG by producing bamboo jewellery.
“Earlier, I would be selling a couple of loom-woven clothes and feel satisfied. After undergoing this training, I realised that there is a lot of potential to earn money by making bamboo earrings, necklaces, and bangles which could be shaped like our traditional japi, pepa, etc. Besides, key rings, soap boxes, and decorative items used in our homes offer plenty of choices. These items are priced anywhere between ₹ 50 to ₹ 1,200, Rina told this newsletter.
“This is my hard-earned money. By selling these wares, I not only manage my family, but even pay for the education of my two sons. I even contributed towards the construction of my house. This was a relief for my husband. In the future, I want to impart the same kind of training to the youth of my area.”
Ankita Rabha is another beneficiary of the training programme. A fifth semester student at DK College, Mirza, she balances her education by producing bamboo products for the SHG, of which she is a member.
“During holiday, I take time to assist fellow SHG members. Since I am from an interior area, I have seen how financial difficulty prevents most youths from completing their formal education. These initiatives will go a long way in harnessing their potential and make them self-reliant. I even assist my family financially,” she told this reporter. Interestingly, Ankita’s mother was not part of the training programme but learnt the craft from her daughter and has now invested her savings in the bamboo jewellery business.
“This is a simple business, devoid of machinery or modern technology. It is based on collective effort and basic raw material in the form of bamboo, and colourful tree seeds, which are available in abundance in our village. So, with minimum investment of money and time, we can produce quality products which are in demand. Our DFO Madam and the Forest office have provided us with all basic facilities,” Ankita’s mother told this newsletter.
The Jupangbari Banani Gaon Women SHG under Loharghat Range Forest Office conducted a similar training for its members for two months. Pallab Rabha, a member of this SHG, which also allows male membership despite its nomenclature, told this newsletter that one full grown bamboo has the potential to yield an income of up to ₹ 1 lakh. “We have benefited by setting up a stall at the Chandubi Festival. I was also invited to a school in Loharghat to impart training to students. I hope to pass on my wisdom to the next generation,” Pallab said.
This idea of temporary stalls in trade fairs and festivals have fashioned a new income model for the SHGs of the area. From the Maniram Dewan International Trade Centre in Guwahati to the India International Trade Fair (IITF) in New Delhi, most members of the SHGs have experienced the potential of their products. Arnab Rabha is all but 20. He was in New Delhi for 15 days in November 2022 at the IITF. “Women customers were making a beeline for our product,” he told this reporter.
