Kaushalya is a council President in Uttarakhand. After training with The Hunger Project, she is now leveraging public office to refocus attention on the issue of preserving the forests.
“In the mountains, forests are a lifeline for women. The wood from the forest is what we use to build our houses and for firewood. The fodder for our cattle also comes from the forest. We formed a collective of 30 women and decided to revive the forest council elections. We look after the forest like our own children.”
Deforestation and climate change are endangering the forests. Kaushalya passionately speaks about access to forest resources, equity, and justice. She is setting up forest councils to protect the forest for generations to come. This is her story:
Video credit: The Hunger Project India, Black Ticket Films.