NONGSTOIN: A two day exposure trip for media in West & South West Khasi Hills was conducted by the North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project (NERCOMP) from Thursday, where the team from West Khasi Hills visited Rohbah Village and Mawranglang village of South West Khasi Hills in the presence of the Project Manager of Khawkylla Community Resources Management Society (KCRMS), Nongstoin, James T. Kharkongor and Hunlang Blah, IDO.
During the first day of the visit it was found that the Project of the NERCOMP in South West Khasi Hills run by Rohbah NARM-G and Ionglajong NARM-G has brought success to the people and the whole district.
The media team visited Ursngi Kyllut Fish sanctuary run by Rohbah NARM-G along with some others neighboring villages through the initiative of the Fishery Department.
Another site visited by the team was Mawranglang view point that has been undertaken by the Ionglajong NARM-G of Mawranglang village.
The Rohbah NARM-G with a vision to improve the livelihood of the people at Rohbah also released thousands of fingerlings at Ursngi Kyllut fish sanctuary, Rohbah NARM-G also constructed two Home stay for the tourists which is the first of its kind in South West Khasi Hills to attract the tourists.
The media also visited Ionglajong NARM-G which had undertaken the construction of Mawranglang view point.
Mestarlan Lyngdoh Secretary of Rohbah NARM-G and Clearson Kharsyiemlieh of Ionglajong said during the interaction that after the NERCOMP project started in their respective villages, economic activities thrived.
They also expressed that with the men folks being members in the NARM-G and the women both in the SHG and NARM-G they now feel that change has come in as they are now jointly involved in the planning and development of their village.
They also said that the project of NERCOMP provides financial benefits and empowerment for local people.
Lyngdoh also said that that women of the area have supplemented the income of their families by engaging themselves in economic activities through the SHGs. “They are opening bank accounts, availing loans, keeping an account of the transactions and repaying their loans, This has enhanced the morale of the women who have so long been left out from the planning process and they now earn respect from the men of the village”, he said.
Lyngdoh said villagers of the area get direct benefits from the project in taking up organic farming, fishery, forestry, enterprise, soil and water related activity, and eco-tourism, besides, construction of sanitary toilets, and improvement of roads and bridge.
They also ensure that the optimum benefits of all these projects reach the target groups without leaving anyone out.