Arunachal: Team AWAZ meets and interacts with Sikkim CM on their exposure tour
Former AWAZ general secretary Leegang Ania said the exposure tour helped us to witness the active role of Sikkim Govt.
ZIRO- A team of 14-member former executive members of Apatani Women Association Ziro (AWAZ) embarked on a one-week exposure tour to Sikkim and later interacted with Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang Golay.
Starting from 28th Jan to 4th Feb, the all women AWAZ team had undertaken the tour primarily to explore and study the rural tourism facilities available at Sikkim, considered one of the most sought after tourist destination place in India, and to bring back the experience to be replicated at Ziro, a similar sought after tourist destination place in Arunachal Pradesh.
‘In contrast to the fast-paced city life, there is a growing recognition to step back and experience the slow but organic lifestyle of village’, said former AWAZ president Hibu Lily, while adding, team AWAZ had the first hand opportunity to experience the famed rural eco-tourism facilities available at Sikkim through the exposure tour.
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Explaining the Sikkim experience in detail, Lily informed that on their arrival at a remote village Martam, located at east Sikkim, the team was warmly welcomed by Ganesh Kr Chettry, the owner of Dhungay Homestay and their abode at Sikkim for the week. ‘We felt quickly embraced by their hospitality and the homestay had a very homely ambiance. The whole family was engaged in making our experience special, explained Lily.
On 30th January, the homestay owner Ganesh led the team to an organic farm in a nearby village. The team was made accustomed with the traditional methods of organic farming practices adopted by Sikkimese farmers for sustainable land use. They were also made accustomed with the practices of mixed farming where domestication of animals went hand in hand with organic farming.
Next day the team visited the Barfung Retreat at South Sikkim and Khimzang Homestay at North Sikkim to have a firsthand knowledge of functioning of Sikkim’s rural homestays.
On 2nd Feb, the team had the privilege to be invited for dinner by Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang Golay. During the dinner meeting, fruitful discussions were held on the status of women and women empowerment programs of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
The Sikkim CM informed that under the Sikkim Aama Sashaktikaran Yojana Scheme (SASY), a flagship programme of Sikkim Govt, financial assistance of Rs 20,000/- was provided to non-working, unwed, widowed, divorced or separated mothers residing in Sikkim between the age group of 18-59 years. The objective of the grant was to empower mothers to invest in business or pay their children’s education fee.
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‘Mero Rukh Mero Santati’ was another novel green initiative of Sikkim Govt. aimed to strengthen the bond between the parents, children and nature by planting trees to commemorate childbirth. 108 trees are planted for every newborn child in Sikkim, the CM informed. The Sikkim CM also informed the the reservation policy for women in Govt. services, NAMASTE Yojna, Bauhinia Scheme and Vastly Scheme aimed to improve the socio-economic condition of the manual female workers, providing free and safe sanitary pads to girls in secondary and senior secondary schools, pension scheme for education, marriage and a secure financial future for girl children.
Team AWAZ highlighted their contributions to the community in the fields of education, sports, fashion, health sector and undertaking cleanliness drives in Ziro valley. They also explained the unique cultural practices of paddy-cum-fish culture, kiwi farming, entrepreneurial spirit of ‘Naara Aba’, and the ‘Ziro Festival of Music’ (ZFM), India’s biggest outdoor music festival. The team also informed the vibrant and major traditional festivals of Myoko and Dree of Apatani people. The Sikkim Chief Minister expressed his desire to visit Ziro valley in days to come.
Former AWAZ general secretary Leegang Ania said the exposure tour helped us to witness the active role of Sikkim Govt. in securing a better future for the women and children of their state. We were also glad to learn that most of the Govt. departments in Sikkim were headed by women officials. AWAZ believes that empowering women is not just limited to financial assistance but also to provide women with the same opportunities and skills as men, said Ania, while adding, we are grateful to the CM of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang Golay Ji for his warm hospitality and our host Ganesh ji, the owner of Dhungay homestay in Martam, who facilitated our meeting with the Sikkim CM.
