Integrated Rural Development Service Organization (IRDSO) - a Manipur based FST’s partner worked towards organizing single women mostly victims of conflict to ensure security for sustainable livelihood and also to strengthen them as important stakeholders in Peace Building processes in Manipur.

Tailyang Shanti is the Chairperson of the Achukuru Welfare Society, Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh under the aegis of which she runs a residential Home for orphans, destitutes and persons suffering from mental illness and other disabilities. She has donated her own land to initiate a small rural tourism project and the minimum fees she charges from the visitors is used to run the Home. Here, the residents of the Mother’s Home enjoy a ride on a boat acquired by Shanti with FST support.

Prosper Marak is a College student and President of Garo Student’s Union, Southern Zonal Office. Under his leadership, the GSU has successfully countered attempts at illegal private mining on the periphery of Balpakram National Park, South Garo Hills. They have reclaimed the forest land, planted trees on the road which was being constructed by the miners, and challenged the illegal private coal mining attempts. Prosper was honored with the Sanctuary RBS Young Naturalist Award for 2009.

Lalthanzami, herself a survivor of violence and drug abuse, was initially given an FST fellowship to build her own capacities in ‘Spoken English’ and computer skills, and to learn about schemes and provisions for women affected by violence. Her second fellowship entails starting a piggery project to help seed SHGs among other VAW survivors, so that they can avail of the income from the rearing and sale of piglets to explore alternative livelihoods.

This non-profit church based organization located in Churachandpur District, Manipur is working towards organizing small & marginal farmers through formation of farmers’ clubs/unions and empowering them through capacity building programs on PDS, Farmers’ Rights, organic farming, food processing, globalization and climate variation etc so that the farmers have access to basic rights and entitlements and are better able to negotiate and advocate for effective involvement in local governance.

Sampari Hukumu Bodol - a Tripura based organization and FST partner, is working towards restoring and preserving vanishing musical motifs of indigenous communities in Tripura through motivation seminars, training and recording of their music, with support from FST. This picture was taken during a recording of traditional music by an artist from the Halam community. Prior to this, the Halam community did not have a recorded version of their traditional cultural songs.