Bamboo builds new futures | Fusion - WeRIndia

Deep inside the forests of Telangana, a quiet shift is rewriting both livelihoods and landscapes.

In a world overwhelmed by plastic waste, bamboo is emerging as an unlikely hero.

In the tribal hamlets of Mancherial district, women who once relied on uncertain farm labour are now shaping furniture, utility items, and a more secure future, one bamboo strand at a time.

At the heart of this change is a collaborative initiative by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India and the Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society.

Working together, they are conducting skill development programmes for tribal women living in and around the Kawal Tiger Reserve.

The effort blends conservation with livelihood creation, proving that economic empowerment and environmental responsibility can move forward together.

The programme focuses on building sustainable income sources while nurturing women entrepreneurs within marginalised tribal communities.

So far, 280 women from several villages have been trained in diverse skills that support self-employment. Each workshop is designed not just to teach production, but to inspire confidence and independence.

One such transformation is unfolding at Nayakapugudem tribal hamlet in Indhanpally village of Jannaram mandal.

Launched on December 14, an intensive bamboo training workshop is currently engaging around 45 women.

Under expert guidance, they are learning to work with durable Assam bamboo, turning raw material into refined products.

The range of items they now craft reflects both creativity and market demand. From sofa sets, chairs, and foldable relaxing chairs to mobile stands, pen holders, office trays, flower vases, and coffee trays, the products combine utility with visual appeal.

Bamboo’s eco-friendly and biodegradable nature makes these items a powerful alternative to plastic in an increasingly polluted world.

For the women involved, the impact is immediate and tangible. Trainees like Raya Anasuya, Pembi Renuka, Raya Yashoda, and Mudithe Sathya say agricultural labour offered little reward despite long hours of work.

Bamboo products, they note, bring better income, with items selling for ₹2,000 to ₹3,000 to visitors. The shift has changed how they view both work and opportunity.

Srinivas, a local resident who also underwent training, sees similar promise. He says making bamboo sofa sets is not only engaging but financially rewarding.

Daily earnings can reach ₹600, compared to ₹400 from other labour. With better market access, he believes the future for tribal communities can be truly secure.

According to Devender Bukya, project officer at EDII, empowering women through financial independence is the organisation’s core mission.

Many rural women, he explains, remain trapped in unorganised sectors with high labour and low income.

EDII aims to bridge this gap through targeted skill training, entrepreneurship development, and strong market linkages.

Beyond bamboo, EDII has expanded its approach across villages. Workshops on leaf plate making, detergent powder production, and value-added fish products have been conducted in Lingapur, Beernandi, and Peddur villages.

Each initiative follows the same philosophy. Equip women with skills, improve product quality, build confidence, and help them take their first steps toward self-reliant livelihoods.

In these forest hamlets, innovation is no longer loud or flashy. It is patient, rooted, and woven in bamboo, carrying both hope and sustainability into the future.

Image from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on April 06, 2017

Image Reference: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1372441